Richard E. Grant

Richard E. Grant, born Richard Grant Esterhuysen on 5 May 1957, is a Swazi-English actor and presenter. He holds dual citizenship in Eswatini and the United Kingdom. He first gained widespread attention making his feature film debut as the perpetually inebriated title character in the cult classic comedy Withnail and I in 1987. Grant is acclaimed for his extensive work in both film and television, taking on diverse roles spanning studio blockbusters and independent projects.

Grant was born in Mbabane, Protectorate of Swaziland, now Eswatini. He is the elder son of Henrik Esterhuysen, an Afrikaner who served as head of education for the British government administration, and Leonne Esterhuysen, who was of German descent. He attended St Mark's School and secondary school at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa. In 1976, he began studying English and drama at the University of Cape Town. A year after his father's death, Grant moved to Britain in 1982, adopted his stage name, and registered with Equity.

Before moving to London, Grant was a member of the Space Theatre Company in Cape Town. Following his film debut in Withnail and I, he quickly transitioned into international and Hollywood productions. Over the years, he took on supporting roles in prominent feature films such as How to Get Ahead in Advertising, Warlock, Henry & June, L.A. Story, Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Age of Innocence, The Portrait of a Lady, Spice World, Gosford Park, Penelope, The Iron Lady, Jackie, and Logan.

Beyond acting in front of the camera, Grant wrote and directed the 2005 semi-autobiographical film Wah-Wah, loosely based on his childhood in Swaziland. The production process took over seven years to complete and led to his published book, The Wah-Wah Diaries. Grant has also appeared in musical theatre, making his debut as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in 2008, and performed in stage productions like Twelfth Night and God of Carnage. Additionally, he launched a unisex perfume brand, JACK, in 2014 alongside his daughter.

On television, Grant has ammassed a wide variety of roles across multiple genres. He played various iterations of the Doctor from Doctor Who across webcasts, sketches, and television episodes, eventually appearing as the villain Walter Simeon. His other notable television credits include roles in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Frasier, Girls, Dig, Game of Thrones, Hang Ups, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Suspect, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Loki, where he portrayed Classic Loki.

Grant achieved major critical acclaim for his performance as Jack Hock in Marielle Heller's 2018 drama Can You Ever Forgive Me?. His performance earned him the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male and a New York Film Critics Circle Award, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. Following this success, he appeared in high-profile films including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Persuasion, and Saltburn.

Grant was married to voice coach Joan Washington from 1986 until her death from stage IV lung cancer in 2021; the couple had one daughter. In 2022, he published a memoir, A Pocketful of Happiness, largely detailing his late wife's final year. Grant is an atheist, suffers from an alcohol intolerance, and is set to appear on the second series of The Celebrity Traitors in autumn 2026.