Richard E. Grant reveals why he is 'not looking for love' four years on from the death of his wife
Richard E. Grant has admitted that "not looking for" love, almost four years after his wife Joan passed away.
Richard E. Grant is "not looking for" love.
The 67-year-old actor was married to voice coach Joan Washington - who died in 2021 following a battle with lung cancer - but admitted that he hasn't "really thought about" finding someone else because he can't imagine getting intimate with anyone else now.
He told The Sunday Times' Style Magazine: "I haven’t really thought about it.
"The idea of being sixty-seven and three-quarters and taking my kit off is so mortifying, I’d have to be in a Krakatoan cave without a crack of light. That may change. I’m hopeful-minded and open-hearted but I’m not looking for it."
The 'Withnail and I' star - who has 36-year-old daughter Olivia with his late wife - is managing to maintain a busy social life but admitted that he is able to spend time alone as well.
He said: "I’ve got ten people coming for dinner tomorrow night! Who else is going to cook? But I’m used to being on my own because I’ve spent so many years on location. I don’t have an issue with that."
Richard tied the knot with Joan in 1986, three years after they had initially met, and he noted that the "conversation" they had did not end until she passed away as he claimed that talking is the "greatest intimacy" anyone can share.
He said: "The conversation that began in bed in January 1983. It ended in bed as we held each other’s hands, still talking, on Thursday the 2nd of September, 2021. We never stopped, we covered everything from Tolstoy to 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'. Talking is the greatest intimacy of all."
The 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' star has been a familiar face on screen for decades but admitted that that he has still faced "a lot of rejection" and was "disappointed" when he was not considered for one of his dream roles.
He said: "You get used to dealing with rejection as an actor.
“I was sitting next to Olivia Colman at Stella McCartney’s afterparty during Paris Fashion Week a few weeks ago, and I asked her what she was up to.
She told me she’s playing Mrs Bennet in a new adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice'. I’ve always wanted to play Mr Bennet but because I’d already appeared in 'Persuasion' I was ruled out.
"So there you go, you talk about a little stab, it’s just disappointment.”
