The Graham Norton Show - Series 8, Episode 19 - Stanley Tucci, Jimmy Carr, Miriam Margolyes, Bruno Mars - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)

Graham is joined by Oscar-nominated actor Stanley Tucci, star of The Devil Wears Prada, The Lovely Bones and the forthcoming Captain America; joke merchant Jimmy Carr; irrepressible Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes; and multi-Grammy nominated Bruno Mars, who chats and performs Grenade.

Stanley, talking about his career says: "I like to have a good time on films - I take the acting seriously but I like to have a good time. If you take yourself too seriously it's deadly."

And on working with Meryl Streep on Julie And Julia he says: "We decided we should cook together ahead of the film so we prepared an overly complicated meal, drank three bottles of wine and made everyone ill."

Complimenting Stanley on his Devil Wears Prada role, Graham says that Stanley, a straight man, has cornered the market playing urbane gay men.

Agreeing, Stanley says: "I know. It's weird and I don't know why, perhaps there is a distance or objectivity that a gay man wouldn't have."

Stanley also reveals that Graham too was up for the movie's gay fashionista role and says: "It really was a choice between the two of us."

Graham with mock chagrin says: "And I had put in the work - I had a life time to prepare for that role."

Commenting on the recent Oscars, Miriam says: "The Social Network was a horrid film. I absolutely hated it. Good acting but horrible people you wouldn't want to spend time with."

Claiming ownership of The Kings Speech she says: "I was thrilled our film won everything."

With a penchant for cheering cast and crew on set, she says: "When I was in Reds with Warren Beatty he was so grumpy so I mooned at him. On Age Of Innocence I didn't moon Martin Scorcese, I did these (indicating her breasts). It had been a long day and the crew were tired and listless so I flung off my bra to cheer them up."

On having to behave in front of the children on the set of Harry Potter, she says: "You have to be very careful - I was fined every time I swore - really, the world wildlife fund did very well that year."

She also reveals she was the first person to use an expletive on television: "I said the F-word on University Challenge when I got a question wrong. I was bleeped out."

Talking about swearing and his show 10 O'Clock Live Jimmy says: "It's genuinely live so they can't stop you saying anything - we have been told off afterwards for saying things we shouldn't. There is this weird thing which is like standing at the edge of a cliff and thinking I could jump off, I wouldn't because I don't feel suicidal but I could and I think I might. That's what live telly is like, I could say something career ending now."

Bruno joins the line-up and reveals his love of performing stems from when he was four years old and impersonating Elvis: "It was the real deal. I had bookings and appeared in Honeymoon In Vegas," and jokes: "I'm still available for weddings and Bar mitzvah."

On using the name Bruno Mars, he says: "It comes from my father - I was a chubby baby and there was a wrestler in my dad's day called Bruno Santino. He was kind of stocky and the name stuck. Mars comes from messing around in the studio, saying I am out of this world."

Bruno performs Grenade from his new album live in the studio.

And finally, Graham pulls the lever on foolhardy members of the audience brave enough to sit in the red chair.