On this week’s show (6th February), Graham welcomes Hollywood stars Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, and Amanda Seyfried, Strictly Come Dancing star Johannes Radebe, and BRIT award-winner Jacob Alon.
Margot and Jacob chat about starring together in Emerald Fennell's film adaptation of Wuthering Heights.
Asked about starring in the film, Margot says, “I wasn’t always going to be in it. I was thrilled to be the producer but at some point, we were talking about Cathy, and I decided to throw my hat into the ring. I’ve always wanted to be one of Emerald’s actors and fortunately, she felt the same way. It worked out wonderfully.”
Talking about being cast, Jacob says, “I didn’t know Emerald had seen and liked me in Saltburn. I was travelling when I got a text message from her saying, ‘Do you want to be Heathcliff?’ and I wrote ‘Yeah.’”
Explaining the premise of the new movie, Margot says, “Emerald loves the book and she really focused on the feeling it gave her when she first read it at 14. She channels that raw emotional experience so it’s an interpretation rather than an adaptation. In my opinion it is one of the greatest love stories of all time and it has a great cast and incredible actors. It’s a great film.”
Jacob, congratulated on the Oscar nomination for Frankenstein, and asked if he really said he thought the role was ‘written in the stars’ says, “I kind of regret saying that now, but when I made my first film The Kissing Booth, someone said, ‘This plank of wood is so boring he could only play Frankenstein’s monster.’ I actually thought it was a great idea and behold, six or seven years pass, and Guillermo del Toro cast me.”
Asked if he had ever wanted to star in an Australian soap like Margot had, he says, “I tried so hard. I auditioned for Neighbours twice and for Home and Away maybe three times, but they just didn’t cast me.”
Margot, reminiscing about the success of Barbie, and asked if she always knew it would be a hit, she says, “We sounded insane in pitch meetings when we said it would take a billion dollars and be a global moment. Thank God it did as everyone thought it was risky.”
Amanda, talking about her epic historical drama The Testament of Ann Lee, says, “It is an interpretation of late 18th century drawings and paintings of the Shaker movement. Ann was brave and it was empowering to play an empowered woman. It is an incredible experience I think as a movie goer and it’s not the kind of movie you will ever see again.”
Asked about her Manchester accent for the role, she says, “Boy, it was tough.”
Margot interjects, “When I started on tv I had to have a dialect coach because I come from Queensland and I was thought too Australian for Neighbours! I couldn’t hear I had a bad accent, but they said, ‘You are just awful to listen to!”
Asked if she will be in Mamma Mia 3, Amanda says, “If I don’t get it, I will be pissed. I really want to be in it, but I don’t know much else about it.”
Johannes talking about the new production of the musical Kinky Boots, says, “I feel like it was meant to be. I secretly told people for a long time that I would love to do it. The way it came was by luck and magic, but I turned it down the first time. But then I thought ‘give yourself this opportunity’ so, I got a singing and acting coach two years before I auditioned.”
Talking about the film version of his life, he says, “It is in development stage, and I just read my first script which is lovely, but it takes such a long time. I am hoping not to play myself, but I might make a cameo appearance.”
Asked if he is returning to Strictly, he says, “I will do that show for as long as they will have me. It’s a magical sparkling world. I love it.”
Jacob Alon performs their new single Don’t Fall Asleep live in the studio before joining Graham for a chat.
The Graham Norton Show BBC One and iPlayer Friday 6th February 10.40pm
Next week (13th February) Graham’s guests include Stephen Graham, Kaley Cuoco, Adrian Lester and Gorillaz.
Picture: BBC/So Television/The Graham Norton Show/Christopher Baines
