Richard E Grant said he is a “complete virgin” when it comes to award show nominations as he looked forward to the Golden Globes.
The British star, 61, is nominated for the best supporting actor prize for his role in biographical comedy-drama Can You Ever Forgive Me? alongside Melissa McCarthy.
He faces heavyweight competition in the form of Green Book’s Mahershala Ali, Beautiful Boy’s Timothee Chalamet, BlacKkKlansman’s Adam Driver and Sam Rockwell in Vice.
Grant, whose previous films include Withnail And I, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Gosford Park, has picked up a string of award nominations for Can You Ever Forgive Me? and said it is the first time in his career.
Speaking at the Bafta Los Angeles Tea Party, he told the Press Association: “I’m a complete virgin to all of these award nominations events, I’ve never been nominated for things before so I am wide-eyed in Babylon about all of them.
“I feel as starstruck as I did when I was 16 years old so I’m thrilled to be in that room with all those people. I can’t believe it.”
Grant is just one many British stars nominated at the 76th Gold Globe Awards, which honour the best in film and television and take place in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Other homegrown contenders include Olivia Colman for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite, Emily Blunt for the title role in Mary Poppins Returns and Claire Foy for her role in astronaut biopic First Man.
A Private War’s Rosamund Pike is up against A Star Is Born’s Lady Gaga for best actress, with The Wife’s Glenn Close, Destroyer’s Nicole Kidman and McCarthy also in the running.
On the small screen, Hugh Grant and Benedict Cumberbatch will compete against each other for best actor in a limited series, for A Very English Scandal and Patrick Melrose respectively.
Richard Madden is nominated for best actor in a TV drama for his role in the BBC’s Bodyguard and will be up against Welsh star Matthew Rhys for The Americans.
Londoner Sacha Baron Cohen is up for comedy actor for his satirical TV show Who Is America?
Grant said that while the host of nominations proved Britain is producing top acting talent, the “generosity of Americans” was also a factor.
He said: “That they are so accommodating of so much British talent, that for me is extraordinary because I don’t know that it’s reciprocated at our end to quite the degree that they accommodate us.
“It’s an amazing time.”
Grant has enjoyed what one critic called a career resurgence and has been critically lauded for Can You Ever Forgive Me? which sees Bridesmaid star McCarthy star as a celebrity biographer who turns to nefarious tactics when facing money troubles.
Grant, who found fame after starring in 1987 cult classic Withnail And I, said it was an “astonishment” that he remains successful.
He said: “It’s been a big surprise for me because I’m about to turn 62 and I never thought any of this would happen at this late stage of my career and in my life and the fact that it has is an astonishment to me.”
And he revealed fans approach him on “a daily basis” to quote Withnail And I.
The 76th Golden Globes will take place at The Beverly Hilton and will be presented by Killing Eve star Sandra Oh and Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andy Samberg.
Political biopic Vice leads the way in nominations on six, followed closely by The Favourite, Green Book and A Star Is Born, all on five.
Presenters include Gary Oldman, Saoirse Ronan and Michael B Jordan.
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