The Graham Norton Show Series 19, Episode 4 - Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Keeley Hawes, Joe and Jake - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Meryl Streep reveals she is addicted to Homes Under The Hammer, Hugh Grant says he feared emotional scenes with Meryl, and Keeley Hawes says she was surprised to return to Line Of Duty, while Joe & Jake perform live in the studio.

Meryl Streep, talking about her new movie Florence Foster Jenkins, and asked if she ever thought she would act with Hugh, says, "No, because I thought I was too old, but then he got older!"

Asked if there is any of her many films in which she doesn't rate her performance, she say, "Oh yes, but, I'm not going to tell you which film. You won't guess because I collected awards for it and it was venerated but I was young and new at it and I wasn't living the role." Revealing she is talking about The French Lieutenant's Woman, she adds, "You always want to do better after the fact."

Revealing a soft spot for British telly when she's in the UK, she says, "I'm addicted to everything where they do real estate. I love Grand Designs and Homes Under The Hammer. Also Come Dine With Me is fabulous."

Talking about playing Margaret Thatcher, Meryl says, "I went out on to the street as her and it was fantastic - no one recognised or noticed me. I was a little old lady and invisible in a way. I thought it was great at first and then I thought it was awful."

Asked about being recognised as herself, she says, "There was a change that happened after The Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia and the sky came down on me. I used to be able to float about between characters and somehow things changed. Everything was much bigger and I became a celebrity rather than an actress - there's a difference. Everyone is really kind but it just gives you hyper self-awareness, which is not the greatest thing."

Hugh Grant, asked why Florence Foster Jenkins had coaxed him back to acting, he says, "I do a lot with Hacked Off and Stephen Frears has been along to a few parties and kept saying, 'Let's do a film,' and I said, 'No, I think showbiz is in my past,' but then he sent me the script and it was classy and I don't do classy films. This was Meryl Streep and a rather good part." Congratulated on his performance, he says, "I'm less bad than normal."

Asked if he approached the new film differently knowing he would be working with Meryl, he says, "I've never felt such fear. I had a whole year to dread actually having to do emotional scenes with Meryl Streep. So I did enormous amounts of preparation, which was all probably utterly useless."

Keeley Hawes, talking about Line Of Duty and her character's reappearance in the current series, says, "I thought she had gone so it was a huge surprise to me to be back. People responded really well and loved it. When I found out I was coming back I had to lie to people to keep the secret and felt awful but also quite pleased!"

And, on working with Judi Dench and Benedict Cumberbatch in Holly Crown, she says, "I got to the age of 38 and I had never done Shakespeare and then I arrived on set with Judi, the greatest Shakespearean actress ever. It was nerve wracking but she was heaven."

Asked about her latest role in The Durrells, she says, "I am so relieved people like it - you never know what people will think." Confirming a second series has been commissioned, she says, "So it's back to Corfu - it's a hard gig!"

Joe & Jake perform You're Not Alone live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat. Asked about having a single and representing the UK in Eurovision, they say, "It's fantastic. We are living the dream."