On Tuesday 19 November on BBC BRIT at 20:00 (DStv channel 120), Graham welcomes Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, actress Helena Bonham Carter, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, comedian and actor Richard Ayoade, lady in waiting Lady Anne Glenconner, and singer songwriter Niall Horan.
Olivia, talking about winning her Oscar, and asked if the night was completely bonkers, says, โI actually canโt remember it. The great thing about the Oscars is there is a bar just behind (the auditorium) so everyone is there. There are hundreds of seat fillers so almost everybody is in the bar getting bladdered!โ
Asked about working together on season three of The Crown, Helena says, โIt really is fun. Weโve been together for so long, but we still like each other.โ
Talking about preparing for their roles, Olivia says, โI did nothing, though I did have a movement coach, but still I walked like me, or rather like a farmer!โ
Helena adds, โI do everything to prepare and Olivia does nothing, and she ends up being completely brilliant.โ
Asked if sheโd met any royals since playing the part of The Queen, Olivia says, โYes, but it didnโt go very well. I met Prince William at a dinner and he asked what I was doing at the moment before he quickly added, โActually, I know what youโre doingโ. I was so excited and asked, โhave you watched it?โ His answer was a firm, โNo.โ But he was very charming and very lovely.โ
Helena, asked if sheโd like to put the record straight about her recent encounter with a psychic, she says. โThis story has gathered its own momentum. I actually went to see a friend about something else, but she has a talent for mediumship and she suddenly said, โMargaret is here. Does that mean anything?โ I hadnโt actually said yes (to the part) yet, but thought Iโd ask her if I should take the role and she said, โYouโll be better than the other oneโ. There was actually someone else up for the part and it was typical of Margaret. Iโd met her a few times and you never really knew where you were with her, she had a way of complimenting and putting you down at the same time.โ
Chadwick interjects, โI had a similar experience with James Brown because I had a lot of questions about playing him. Iโd actually said no to the role a few times. But after I accepted I was really worried about his movement, his walk, his voice, all of it. I went to sleep one night and when I woke up I was kind of doing his voice and โheโ said, โyouโre going to be good, but you ainโt going to be better than me!โโ
Asked about his new movie 21 Bridges, he says, โI canโt say much because I donโt want to give anything away.โ
Talking about the success of Black Panther, he says, โItโs quite hard to grasp and quite overwhelming. I canโt go anywhere without people reminding me of it by asking me to do the Wakanda pose. People even chase me in their cars, doing the pose over and over with both hands off the wheel to get my attention!โ
Richard, talking about his character in The IT Crowd, and asked if he had to do much research to play such a geek, says, โThe writer Graham (Linehan) said, โMaurice Moss is the nerdiest person in the world and I thought of you.โ I asked if I should do a voice to make me sound like the nerdiest person in the world and he said, โNo, just use your own voice.โโ
Talking about his new book Ayoade on Top, he says, โI was haunted by the film View From the Top with Gwyneth Paltrow, so my book goes through it in forensic detail with things from my life intertwined. When I initially pitched it to my publisher he wept!โ
Asked if Gwyneth knows about the book by Helena, Richard jokes, โShe hasnโt emailed yet. She might be in the middle of a cleanse!โ
Lady Glenconnor joins Graham for a chat about her memoir Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown.
Greeting Graham, she says, โIโve always wanted to be on the red sofa!โ
Asked why she wanted to write about Princess Margaret, she says, โBecause I was so fed up with people writing such horrible things about her.โ
Talking about writing about her colourful life, she says, โReliving it all was like going to a psychiatrist.โ Adding, โI am 87 now and Iโve never had such a good time!โ
Laughing about some of the more outrageous stories in the book, including her rather unconventional wedding night, she says, โEveryone thought Iโd write a lavender scented memoir. They were wrong. And, some people have told me that they are going to buy it for their mother. I said, โWell, I do hope sheโs broadminded.โ
Niall performs Nice to Meet Ya live in the studio, before joining Graham for a chat about his new album and his upcoming US tour.
And finally, Graham pulls the lever on more foolhardy audience members brave enough to sit in the Big Red Chair.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC Brit, Tuesday 12th November 8 PM.
Image Courtesy: Supplied
