On this week’s show (29th November), Graham welcomes superstar Cher, Hollywood stars Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Josh Brolin, and singer songwriter Jalen Ngonda.
Cher, talking about her autobiography Cher: The Memoir, Part One, and asked why she has written it now, says, “I don’t know. There’s no reason for almost anything I do.”
Asked what it was like looking back she says, “It was okay and interesting, but I didn’t feel anything. I remembered it, I wanted to do it, and I did it. Originally, I didn’t want to tell anyone anything, but then I thought I should either tell it or give back the money!”=
On her relationship with Sonny, she says, “We had a strange relationship and when I learned that he and his lawyer owned everything, and I was just an employee, I said I wanted to be 50/50 partners otherwise I would walk. I didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t be under that contract – I had no money. There is no bitterness towards Sonny. I was angry with him, but I just couldn’t be mad at him. We were friends until he died.”
Revealing she sought advice from Lucille Ball on how to leave, she says, “I didn’t know what to do and leaving was a hard thing for me. Lucy was on television and part of a couple, so I went to her, and she said, ‘f**k him, you’re the one with the talent!’”
Asked if there will be another album, she says, “We are starting to work on the final album when I get rid of the book! I did a good job on the Christmas one and I am praying I can get through it. You’re not meant to be singing at this age, and I hope that I will be able to do it and hit the notes.”
Michael, talking about playing a covert CIA agent in TV series The Agency, and asked how the role came about, says, “I’d seen the original French series and thought what a fascinating character it would be to play and then the script came to me. So, it was a pretty quick decision.”
Revealing he met a number of real spies in preparing for the role, he says, “I think a lot of spies are just dying to tell you they are a spy. A lot of them watch these sorts of series and are very interested in them. The ones I met told how great the original French series was and how great the original lead actor was, and I was like ‘Yeah, I know!’”
Keira, talking about spy thriller Black Doves, and asked about the stunt scenes, says, “Originally lovely Ben (Whishaw), who is the assassin, was shooting loads of guns so I thought, ‘Great, I don’t have to do much other than look ‘spyee.’’ Then on the second draft I am shooting guns but still that’s not too bad. Then suddenly I am doing knife fighting and Ju-Jitsu. So, we went from it being easy and lovely to a lot of fighting and a lot of training.”
Revealing Love Actually still follows her, she says, “I was stuck in traffic for ages recently and a car full of builders next to me started holding up the signs like in the movie. It was creepy and sweet at the same time, much like it was in the film.”
Josh, discussing his book From Under the Truck: A Memoir , says, “It came from a severe chaotic vortex of a childhood with a mother that ran a ranch for rescued wild animals. She wasn’t a great parent, a little irresponsible and it wasn’t unusual to wake up with a bobcat biting your cheek. I got a few stitches!”
Asked about the meaning behind the title, he says, “I was having a drinking contest prompted by my mother in a cowboy bar with her boyfriend who was just three years older than me. He ended up drunk and under a truck. You’re only under a truck for two reasons – you are either fixing it or you are getting run over – it is a nice metaphor for life.”
Talking more about his book he says, “There is nothing cathartic about it. It’s full of stories I have told a million times. But the great thing is it doesn’t just focus on how crazy my life was – like going to jail, getting stabbed, and all the other stuff.”
Cher interjects jokingly, “You’re way more interesting than I thought – it’s all good, it’s all right up my alley. You could be my boyfriend!” Josh jokes back, “It ain’t over yet!”
Jalen performs Anyone In Love before joining Graham for a chat.
And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough sit in the world-famous Big Red Chair to tell their funniest stories.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 29th November 10.40pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.
Next week (6th December) Graham’s guests include Sigourney Weaver, Nicholas Hoult, Jamie Oliver, Lolly Adefope, and Coldplay.
Graham Norton Picture credit: BBC/So Television/Christopher Baines
