Richard E Grant has revealed that friends have been trying to matchmake him following the death of his wife, but he is not yet ready to date.
Joan Washington, who had been married to the star since 1986, died in 2021 eight months after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
The couple had been together for 38 years and shared one daughter, Olivia Grant, as well as Washington’s son, Tom Washington, from a previous relationship.
Washington was a respected voice coach and worked with the likes of Cate Blanchett and Ralph Fiennes in her career, being described by Liv Tyler as ‘just the best, hands down’.
Grant, 65, revealed that since her death, friends have tried to fix him up with someone new, but it is just ‘too raw and present’ for the Hollywood star.
‘It’s not something I could even conceive of at this point,’ he told The Guardian.
‘It’s still too raw and present, and I am still having an ongoing conversation with my wife in my head.’
The Withnail and I star wrote about his wife in his new memoir, A Pocketful of Happiness, which is set to be released on September 29.
He revealed that when he first met her, she was ‘boiler-suited, Kicker-booted and sporting a Laurie Anderson spiked haircut, a charismatic and formidable presence.’
He also reflected on his wife’s death, saying how she didn’t wake properly that morning after doctors had warned him the day earlier she may die that evening.
Grant said he sat stroking her hand and ‘talking softly about some of the daft things we’ve done.’
Grant revealed his final words to Washington later that evening, as he encouraged her to let go: ‘At 7pm, her breathing slows quite suddenly. Keep repeating: “It’s all okay, my angel. Don’t hold on. We all love you so. So, so much.”
‘After each intake of breath, the gap until the next inhalation gets longer. At 7.25, I thought that her hand felt like it was cooling in mine.’
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FAQs
Richard E Grant has expressed his frustration over former friends abandoning him after the death of his wife Joan Washington. Washington, a dialect coach, was 75 when she died of lung cancer in September 2021.
What happened to Richard E Grant's daughter? ›
Richard E. Grant has revealed his daughter Olivia Grant is engaged to her beau Florian Herbst. The 66-year-old took to social media to share the momentous news, just days after posting an emotional video about his late wife Joan Washington.
Was Joan Grant a smoker? ›
His wife Joan used to be a heavy smoker until he issued an ultimatum – he stopped kissing her until she gave up the filthy habit: “If you kiss someone who stinks of cigarettes, it's like closing in on a big ashtray.
What does the e stand for in Richard E Grant? ›
Grant (the E stands for Esterhuysen, Grant is his middle name) first made his name as Withnail in the cult classic Withnail and I (1987).
What was the age gap between Richard E. Grant and his wife? ›
Then, while working as a server at a restaurant in London, Grant met Joan Washington, an acclaimed dialect coach. The two were an unlikely pair: She was 10 years his senior and at the top of her profession, while he was struggling to make it as an actor.
Who is the actor who looks like Richard Grant? ›
Richard E Grant came face to face with himself when he was joined on his jog by a TikTok star known for impersonating the Hollywood actor. The Saltburn Star, 66, made a video with actor Luke Millington Drake, who has gained a large following on social media, where he notable does impressions of Grant.
What does HUGH Grant's brother do? ›
Was Richard E. Grant in Harry Potter? ›
The actor's first film role was in the 1987 'Withnail and I'. He then went on to star in movies such as Henry & June, The Player and Penelope. Richard was also considered to play the role of Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter. However, Jason Isaacs was cast instead.
Are the HUGH grant and Richard E grant related? ›
Is Richard E Grant related to Hugh Grant? You may think that these two have the same surname, but actually, they don't. The star was actually born Richard Grant Esterhuysen and adopted his stage name upon registering with Equity. This means that he has no relation to Bafta-winning actor Hugh.
Who is the longest living smoker? ›
That's also the longest any human being has (documentably) lived. Her name was Jeanne Calment and she was born in 1875 and died in 1997. She packed up smoking when she was 117. She rode a bike round until she was 100.
As early as 1952, when The Jackie Gleason Show captured Saturday night for CBS, Gleason regularly smoked six packs of cigarettes a day.
Does Richard E. Grant speak Swazi? ›
Grant is a dual citizen of the Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and United Kingdom. From his whole childhood in Eswatini, he speaks fluently Swazi, the national language of the country.
Who are Hugh Grant's children? ›
Grant is a dad to Tabitha, John, Felix and a daughter and a son whose names he's never revealed publicly. Despite being notoriously private about his family life, he's dropped the occasional story about his kids, and every single one of them is a gift.
How long was Richard E. Grant married? ›
Grant, 66, was married to Joan Washington, a dialect coach, for 35 years before her death from lung cancer in September 2021.
Who was Cary Grant's second wife? ›
Grant was married five times, three of them elopements with actresses Virginia Cherrill (1934–1935), Betsy Drake (1949–1962), and Dyan Cannon (1965–1968).
Who is Richard E. Grant's partner? ›
How long was Richard Grant married? ›
Grant. He's written a book about his life with his wife of 35 years, Joan Washington, called "A Pocketful Of Happiness." Washington was an acclaimed voice coach who helped actors perfect their dialect for films, television and theater. She died in 2021 from lung cancer.
What does Tom Washington do? ›
Tom Washington has officiated 1,780 regular-season games in 32 seasons as an NBA staff official. He has also refereed 181 playoff games, including four NBA Finals games.
