Among the guests joining Graham tonight: Hollywood star Kate Winslet talking about her role in romantic Victorian drama Ammonite; versatile actor Stanley Tucci, portraying a writer with dementia in Supernova; Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom, in powerful revenge drama Retaliation; and rising British star Kingsley Ben-Adir in new sci-fi anthology Soulmates. Aisling Bea also joins the show.
Plus music from Silk City (producers Mark Ronson and Diplo) featuring Ellie Goulding, who perform New Love. Goulding recently revealed that she is pregnant. Her husband is art dealer Casper Jopling. She told British Vogue: “That was not the plan. The thought of getting pregnant didn’t seem like it could be a reality. Becoming pregnant kind of made me feel human. I want a better word than womanly, (but) I have curves I’ve never had before. I’m enjoying it. My husband’s enjoying it.”
Kate Winslet chats about her role in romantic Victorian drama Ammonite: “It was really challenging because she was really reserved and socially uncomfortable. I’m nothing like Mary so it was really hard for me to find her inner world. I am not a method actor, but I had to live a little bit like her to find her rhythms.”
Talking about the popularity of her 2011 movie Contagion last year, she says, “It freaked me out! Why would anyone watch that during a pandemic? The writer started messaging me saying. ‘It’s coming’ and because of that my family and I started wearing masks quite long before anyone else and we used to get many funny looks.”
On lockdown, she says, “I’ve been making sourdough and now my arse is massive! The other day I was answering some questions on email and instead of ‘film actress’ it auto corrected to ‘full mattress’ That’s exactly how I feel and will describe myself from now on!”
Stanley Tucci, talking about portraying a writer with dementia in Supernova, he says, “I know it sounds like not much of a fun film, but there is a lightness of touch and it was such a beautiful script.”
Asked about working with co-star and long-time friend Colin Firth, he says, “He and I are both 60 years old and we’ve known each other for over 20 years – and as you go through this stage of your life with children, marriages and aging parents you have experienced a lot – and a lot of that is unhappy stuff. We have seen each other through those times, but also through the happiest of times. That can’t help but infuse our relationship on screen.”
Revealing how their friendship grew during filming, he says, “We stayed next door to each other, we worked together all day, I’d cook for us every evening, and then we would get the train home together. We seemed never to get tired of each other.”
Orlando Bloom joins Graham remotely for a chat about his new revenge drama Retaliation. He says: “It came out during COVID and I didn’t think it would see the light of day – I am so happy it has. It is a very powerful story and I get the jitters when I talk about it. It is based on the writer’s own life and it was such an intense project I signed up immediately – I felt a calling to do it.”
Talking about his and Katy Perry’s new baby daughter, he says, “I sing and chant to her all the time. I constantly sing everything with the word ‘Dad’ in it, so she says that word before anything else!”
Kingsley Ben-Adir, making his first ever chat-show appearance, and asked how he went from being a jobbing actor in the UK to playing iconic roles such as Barack Obama and Malcolm X in Hollywood, says, “I don’t know how it happened, but the last few months have been trippy! It happened so suddenly and has been such a whirlwind. It’s intense, but I am just getting on with it.”
Talking about the pressure of playing Malcolm X in his new film One Night in Miami, he says, “I knew I really wanted to do it and I knew I really had to persuade Regina (King) that I was up for it, so I had no time to be scared.”
Asked about the Oscar buzz about his performance the film, he says, “I’ve heard there is some talk. Regina brings so much to the table and the process of making the movie with her was so special – it was such hard work but so much fun – it was a beautiful process.”
Aisling Bea, talking about the second series of This Way Up, says, “We’ve only just finished it so I can’t tell you much just in case we forgot to press ‘record’! It will hopefully be out sometime this year.”
Revealing her antidote to recording comedy all day was to binge watch Line of Duty, she says, “I actually started talking like Adrian Dunbar!”
The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 26th February 10.45pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.
Next week (5th March) Graham’s guests include Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, Daisy Ridley, Bryan Cranston, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Imelda May.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 26th February, 10.45pm.
Graham Norton Image Credit: BBC/So Television/Christopher Baines
