Claudia Winkleman welcomes another stellar line-up to The Claudia Winkleman Show, as the conversation continues on Friday night on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 10:40pm.
Joining Claudia on the sofa this week are Oscar nominated and acclaimed award-winning actor and director Ralph Fiennes, The Girlfriend and House of the Dragon actress Olivia Cooke, star of the Scary Movie films actress Anna Faris, and comedian Michelle De Swarte.
Discussing returning to her role as Cindy Campbell in the latest Scary Movie, Anna Faris spoke about her terror during the making of the first film and coming back to it 26 years later: “Scary Movie was my first audition in LA. I couldn't believe I got the role. I was like, how many days do I have before I'm fired? I remember feeling so terrified feeling like I didn't belong. The movie became a big hit, and it defined the last 26 years for me. So, to revisit that whole franchise and feel like I own my place in it…It feels like I'm a big part of a huge thing and I feel honoured.”
Ralph Fiennes, who was discussing his role in David Hare’s play, Grace Pervades, also reflected on reprising his role as Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise. He said: “Well, I remember being asked the question would I reprise the part? And this was some years ago. And I said, ‘yes, I'd love to.’ But then, nothing's happened. I think that ship has sailed. But I tell you, Tilda Swinton was mentioned somewhere as being a contender, and I think she would be amazing. She would be fantastic!”
Olivia Cooke recalls the embarrassment of meeting Tom Cruise and passing out while filming the science fiction film Ready Player One with Steven Spielberg:
“I'd be wearing this very tight felt bodysuit with all these ping pong balls on it, helmet, four cameras, two lights, and we just kept getting...celebrity guests that were his [Steven’s] pals. So George Lucas showed up one day, Taylor Swift, Tom Hiddleston. But we kept hearing whispers that Tom Cruise is going to fly his copter onto set. And then I was walking to set and the actor Ben Mendelsohn was walking past me and shaking his head to not go in.
“And I walked in and everyone was quiet and whispering, and I said to my pal Josh, what's going on? He was like, "Tom Cruise." And I saw him walk across the motion capture room and I was like, "No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not [seeing me] like this. Not today and slid into my chair. And then I heard, "Olivia, come meet my good friend Tom Cruise." And I just blacked out. I came to, and I was, like, bowing to him looking like that and he was like, "Great suit." And I sort of ran away. And then I heard Steven going, "Oh, come back." And I was like, "Not again!" I've already bowed. That's enough." Oh, it was awful.”
Comedian Michelle De Swarte, who is back on tour with her new show The Afters, brought up her pet hate – people eating crisps during stand-ups and how she called out a very famous guest:
“It does my head in. And I was doing a gig, and someone had brought pistachios, so I just lost it, and I was like, ‘what are you eating’? And she said, ‘I'm eating pistachios’. I said, ‘They don't sell them here’. And she went, ‘No, I brought them from outside.’ I said, ‘Outside! You say you support the arts, and you brought the loudest nut from outside into the theatre where I speak!’
“Anyway, I went off, and it got a laugh, and then after, this person came up to me, and was like, ‘Oh my God, you just absolutely flambeed Ruby Wax.’ And I was like, what? Because I couldn't see [the audience], and I'm a big fan of Ruby Wax, and she came and she was like, ‘Oh, that was great.’ And I was like, ‘I am so sorry. I would shell the pistachios for you and put them in your mouth. Like, I love you. You're a legend."
Discussing the new series of House of the Dragon, Olivia mentions going to a premiere for the show in Paris: “These premieres are the biggest, most extraordinary things that HBO put on for House of the Dragon and we were going to Paris for a premiere and we’d landed and I was in a car with my cast mate, and I looked outside and went ‘Oh god, look at that big monstrosity that they’ve built’, and Phia was like, ‘Olivia, that’s the Olympics!’”
Part of the fun of premieres is also the red carpet, although Olivia has a different reaction to it: “Well, when you've got all those people screaming at you, my reaction is to want to cry or run away. Under my dress, my right knee is quivering, it can be quite scary. Anna agreed, saying: “My first red carpet was in 2000 for Scary Movie, and it was only maybe 13 or 14 photographers, if that. But it felt huge, it felt confusing. There's always the feeling of imposter syndrome.”
But Michelle had a different take on it: “I feel like it's just a necessary evil. You've got to do the red carpet to get into the venue to quaff the free champagne!”
The Claudia Winkleman Show, 10:40pm, Friday 11th April, BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Picture: BBC/So Television/PA Media
