Richard E. Grant Is Thrilled His Roles Haven't 'Diminished' Yet

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Dating all the way back to his breakout role in the British cult film “Withnail & I,” Richard E. Grant has appeared in classics like “The Player,” “The Age of Innocence,” “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and “Gosford Park,” not to mention parts in “Game of Thrones” and “Girls.”

But his Oscar nomination Tuesday morning for “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” is his first Academy nod despite his long career.

“I’m over 62 years old, I’ve never been nominated for anything in my life. So far for this thing I’ve had 21 awards, so getting this nomination, it’s the cherry on top of the whole thing,” Grant told TheWrap. “Usually actors — by the time they get to my age — the parts have diminished, so whatever recognition you have is amazing.”

Also Read: Oscar Nominations Analysis: 'Roma,' 'BlacKkKlansman,' 'The Favourite' Gain Ground

There’s plenty more recognition to come because coming up next Grant has got a part in “Star Wars: Episode IX.” And no, he couldn’t tell us who he’s playing in the film. He isn’t even allowed to tell his family.

“I will enjoy it for as long as it lasts,” Grant said. “The day that you get nominated is the best possible day, because there’s all possibility ahead of you. I’m enjoying it for every moment that it’s offered.”

But Grant says he owes this performance both to Melissa McCarthy, who was also nominated for Best Actress, and to his director Marielle Heller.

Also Read: 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Film Review: Melissa McCarthy Forges Strong Performance

“She’s incredibly open, collaborative, encouraging and non-judgmental, and yet you know exactly who’s in charge on the whole operation,” Grant said. “Because she was a former actor, she understands what the whole process is. She made us all feel like whatever we did, she would look after us. That sounds like such a simple thing, but the number of directors who don’t achieve that, in my experience, are longer than the ones that do.”

And asked what he thought about the Oscars shutting out female directors like Heller from this year’s crop of Best Director nominees, Grant said he was “shocked more than surprised” considering the energy around the #MeToo movement.

“How do you get a Best Actress nomination, Best Supporting Actor nomination without the director? That’s who directed us,” he said. “She is so generous and feels so thrilled that her work has been nominated through us without her name actually being on it.”

Oscar Nominations 2019: Biggest Snubs and Surprises, From Yalitza Aparicio to Mister Rogers (Photos)

Hollywood awards gurus -- like our own beloved Steve Pond -- have gotten Oscar prognostication down almost to a science. But that doesn't mean that the Academy doesn't throw us a curveball every year. Here are the nominations that were the biggest surprises, and the snubs that burned the most.
SNUB: "If Beale Street Could Talk" (Best Picture) -- Barry Jenkins' beautiful adaptation of James Baldwin's novel by the same name did not mesmerize Academy voters. Jenkins did earn a nomination for adapted screenplay, with the film's score and supporting actress Regina King also earning nods but the film was snubbed for Best Picture as only eight of the possible ten nomination slots were used.
Annapurna
SURPRISE: Pawel Pawlikowski, "Cold War" (Best Director) -- The foreign language category will contribute two nominees to the Best Director field, as the Polish Pawlikowski joins Mexican frontrunner Alfonso Cuaron in a field that also includes Adam McKay, Spike Lee, and Yorgos Lanthimos.
Getty Images
SNUB: Bradley Cooper, "A Star Is Born" (Best Director) -- But one person who was considered a contender to earn a nomination for his directorial debut was left off the list, as Bradley Cooper will have to settle for a Best Actor nomination for his work on the third remake of "A Star Is Born."
Getty Images
SURPRISE: Marina De Tavira, "Roma" (Best Supporting Actress) -- De Tavira nabbed a best supporting actress nomination for her role as Sra. Sofía in Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma." The film is beloved by critics and was expected to garner a bounty of nominations, but De Tavira had not been projected to grab one of them for her performance as the weary, neglected matriarch of the family that Yalitza Aparicio's Cleo works for.
Netflix
SNUB: "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" (Best Documentary Feature) -- Morgan Neville's sentimental look back at the life and career of Fred Rogers tugged on the heartstrings of many last summer, and it was thought to be a shoo-in for this year's Oscars. Shockingly, it was left off the final nomination list, with "Of Fathers and Sons" joining category favorites "RBG" and "Free Solo" on the list instead.
Focus Features
SURPRISE: Willem Dafoe, "At Eternity's Gate" (Best Actor) -- Nearly every year, there's a surprise leading performance that sneaks onto the nominations list after being championed by critics on the indie circuit. This year's surprise is Dafoe, earning his fourth Oscar nomination and first for a lead performance as Vincent Van Gogh in the troubled painter's final days.
CBS Films
SNUB: Ethan Hawke, "First Reformed" (Best Actor) -- Paul Schrader earned an Oscar nomination for his screenplay of this breathtaking drama. But despite critical acclaim, Hawke will not get a nod for his gripping performance as a priest wrestling with the existential despair of climate change.
TheWrap
SURPRISE: Yalitza Aparicio, "Roma" (Best Actress) -- Several awards predictors said there was a good chance the "Roma" star could earn a nomination for her powerful performance as Cleo. But it is still a big feat to earn a spot alongside the likes of Lady Gaga and Glenn Close
TheWrap
SNUB: Toni Collette, "Hereditary" (Best Actress) -- When the devastating horror film "Hereditary" hit theaters last summer, Collette's performance as a grief-stricken mother earned her a wave of fans demanding she get Oscar consideration. Sadly, the buzz around her and the film could not keep momentum into awards season.
A24

1 of 10

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” is out, and Willem Dafoe and Marina De Tavira are in

Hollywood awards gurus -- like our own beloved Steve Pond -- have gotten Oscar prognostication down almost to a science. But that doesn't mean that the Academy doesn't throw us a curveball every year. Here are the nominations that were the biggest surprises, and the snubs that burned the most.

View In Gallery