Richard E Grant, 64, revealed he was way ahead of the times when it came to preparing for Covid, having been warned by a medical professional pal to get some latex gloves and a mask before the illness hit with full force. With the virus still very new at the time, the actor wasn’t taking any chances and wore them wherever he went.
In a new interview, he admitted his preparation was deemed odd to other people, who at the time weren’t aware of the severity that Covid would soon pose.
“I’ve been vigilant about it,” he explained, “I’m not a hypochondriac, by any means, I’ve just been careful.”
Just before of the first UK lockdown, Richard attended a dinner party in New York where he and others were warned about the looming threat.
“Another guest, who was in the medical profession, said, ‘Get face masks and gloves,'” he recalled.
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During one historic episode, he entertained the likes of former President of the United States, who has a number of hotels scattered across the world under the Trump organisation.
“He was with me for two hours,” he said of the encounter the then future president, which was supposed to only last 10 minutes.
“He couldn’t be stopped; he was like a little Barnum and Bailey circus performer.
“I was thinking how the hell do I pull this off? Trump arrived with two wardrobe-sized bodyguards and he was very aggressive,” he continued to tell Radio Times.
“I’m intrigued by the status somebody adopts coming into a room and Trump was ten out of ten, very high status.
“I knew I had to lay myself down and put on my female hormones; I had to placate him and flatter him.
“He did that stomping out of the door thing at the end and said, ‘Good job, you could go far doing
this.’”
Richard’s full interview is available to read now in Radio Times.
