Actor Richard E. Grant has expressed profound relief that he 'didn't die' after a particularly perilous year in his acting career, which saw him succumb to death in no fewer than six different roles.
A Year of On-Screen Demises
The 68-year-old star, beloved for his role in the 1987 cult classic Withnail and I, recently disclosed the grim details of his professional brushes with mortality. Speaking to Metro, Grant recounted, 'I'm glad I didn't die. The other six parts I played this last year, I've died.'
His methods of on-screen departure were varied and dramatic. 'I've had a heart attack, I've had a wooden leg. I've had another heart attack. I've poisoned myself,' the veteran actor revealed. This tally of fictional deaths, however, was noted by the Mail's Ephraim Hardcastle as having 'some way to go' to match the record of Lord of the Rings actor Sean Bean, who has died on screen 27 times.
A Pivotal Role in 'Nuremberg'
Grant's survival comes as he stars alongside Russell Crowe and Rami Malek in the new Second World War drama, Nuremberg. The film focuses on the landmark Nuremberg Trials of the 1940s, where surviving Nazi leaders were prosecuted by the Allies for war crimes.
In the film, Grant portrays Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, the prosecutor who, as Grant describes, 'comes in like the cavalry at the eleventh hour and finally nails Göring,' the Nazi official played by Crowe.
Grant described a unique 'gift' in preparing for this historical role. Because the actual Nuremberg Trials were filmed, he was able to study footage of the real Sir David on YouTube. 'Seeing the real man, how he spoke, how he walked, talked, everything about him, is a real gift as an actor,' he told the publication. This access also brought a sense of responsibility, as he felt a duty to portray the man accurately for his living relatives.
A Personal Loss and a Difficult Goodbye
Beyond his professional challenges, Grant has also navigated profound personal loss. He recently revealed that it was 'too painful' to return to his holiday home in Provence, France, following the death of his wife, Joan Washington, in 2021 after a battle with cancer.
The couple had been married for 35 years and spent 33 summers at their Provence farmhouse. In a piece for The Times, Grant wrote that with a 'very heavy heart' he ultimately sold the property, unable to bear the memories alone.
Reflecting on his late wife's character, Grant shared a touching anecdote on The Lulu Podcast. 'She was hilarious - a month before she died, she went through all the women... that we knew, and she basically went through all of them like a lioness and gave me a reason why I shouldn't pursue any of them.'
