Richard E. Grant is a Swaziland born actor.
Biography[]
Born in Mbabane, Swaziland, Grant would later adapt the events of his childhood into a successful film Wah-Wah, which he directed. Upon moving to England, he gained his first film role in the cult classic Withnail and I as the alcoholic Withnail, despite being completely teetotal. The role rocketed him to success throughout the 1990s, leading him to work with such big name directors as Trevor Nunn and Francis Ford Coppola.
Often cast a stereotypically "English" characters, smooth talking and witty, both heroic and villainous, Grant made frequent appearances on television and in costume dramas such as Gosford Park, and was the unofficial Ninth Doctor in Doctor Who's Scream of the Shalka, later playing The Great Intelligence. He received an Academy Award nomination for his role in Will You Ever Forgive Me?
Singing[]
Despite his varied career, Grant has not often sung in role, early brief examples being Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life, where he sings a Christmas Carol, and the 1999 miniseries The Scarlet Pimpernel, where he performed the traditional piece "Ça Ira".
Larger singing parts would come however, in Above and Beyond Grant's character would perform a parody of Gilbert and Sullivan's "A Policeman's Lot", and in 2008 he would appear on stage as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
Film[]
Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life (1995)[]
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Above and Beyond (2006)[]
- An Instructors Life is Not a Happy One (contains solo lines)
Television[]
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999)[]
- Ça Ira (solo)
Stage[]
My Fair Lady (2008)[]
- Why Can't the English? (solo)
- I'm an Ordinary Man (solo)
- The Rain in Spain (contains solo lines)
- You Did It (contains solo lines)
- A Hymn to Him (duet)
- Without You (duet)
- I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face (solo)
Gallery[]
