On this week's show (Friday, 12th November), Graham Norton welcomes music icon Lady Gaga, Hollywood stars Adam Driver and Josh Gad, celebrity chef Nadiya Hussain and rock legend Rod Stewart.
Lady Gaga, talking about House of Gucci, in which she stars with Adam Driver, and asked whether it was hard choosing her next project after A Star is Born, says, “I didn’t feel the pressure at all. I only work on things I believe in. I read the script and thought it really fascinating and interesting and then I met Ridley Scott and I was so excited to work with Adam.”
Asked what it was like doing a scene with the great Al Pacino, she says, “It was terrifying, exciting, amazing, it’s Al Pacino! He entirely transformed the landscape of acting in cinema and I have admired him for a long time.’
Revealing how she created her Italian accent for the film, she says, “I started in the voice six months before we started shooting and I stayed in it for the whole of filming, which I am sure was super annoying for Adam. For me I thought it was harder to go in and out, so I stayed in character.”
Adam Driver, talking about how he became an actor, he says, I tried to get into Julliard but didn’t so drove all the way to California to be an actor but that didn’t work out. I wasted all my money fixing my car. I was there 48 hours and had just enough gas money to get back to Indiana. I had made such a fuss about leaving and there I was back again! That’s when I joined the military. After that it was very clear that Juliard wasn’t that inaccessible, and I got in.”
Josh interjects, “I failed my audition for Julliard. It was horrible. I did my modern monologue and there was no response. Then I did my Shakespeare monologue and completely forgot all the lines and what I learned is that you don’t improv Shakespeare!”
Revealing he was not enamoured by Comicon, Adam Driver says, “I didn’t like it. I didn’t know the rules. I couldn’t go out for a coffee without a mask in case I was recognised and when I opened my window there was a band playing the Star Wars theme on repeat. It was scary. And there are 2000 people who are very devoted – there is a lot of energy. I saw what it was, and I am not anxious to go again.”
Josh, talking about his new series Olaf Presents, says, “In Frozen 2 Olaf recapped the first film and people really responded to that so during the Lockdown I started to get a barrage of emails asking if Olaf could recap on other things. I would say, ‘Not unless you have money to give me to do that!’ But then I spoke to my friends at Disney, they liked it and idea just took shape.”
Nadiya talking about her new book Nadiya’s Fast Flavours, says, “I use my kitchen for work and home and for four months I was testing recipes. During that period, I am completely consumed by the recipes and the kids don’t know if they are getting squid for breakfast or cake for dinner!”
Asked about one particularly strange combo – doughnut lamb burgers – she says, “People always ask me if I write my recipes drunk. I don’t drink so imagine what they would be like if I did! I am British from an immigrant family, so I have a bit of everything in my cookbooks – I throw away the purist and make what I want.”
Rod Stewart, performs One More Time, live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat.
Asked about how he stays so fit, he says, “Football mate – or at least it used to be. I have kept myself fit forever. I’ve had the same trainer for 35years.”
Talking about his 31st studio album, he says, “It came out of Lockdown. I could pay more attention to it with more personal songs because there was so much time to think.”
Asked about his wife Penny’s new career as a police constable, he says, “She trained for eight months, and she loves it. I backed her all the way. She says she loves giving something back, but more importantly she wants to protect the city she loves.”
And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in The Big Red Chair.
The Graham Norton Show with Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, BBC One, Friday 12th November and available on BBC iPlayer.
Next week (19th November) Graham’s guests include Will Smith, Richard Osman, Lin-Manuel, and Yola
Graham Norton picture: BBC/So Television/Christopher Baines
Jonathan Ross Guests on Saturday night.
