Richard E. Grant on Withnail & Jack Hock

This year, Richard E. Grant received his first Academy Award nomination for his role in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”. Grant plays a real-life grifter named Jack Hock, the co-conspirator and drinking buddy of literary forger Lee Israel (played by Melissa McCarthy).

Grant talks to Kurt about figuring out how to play Hock — despite the fact that Hock died in 1994, the only people the film’s researchers could find who knew him had themselves died and there are no known photos of him.

He also discusses his breakout role — the alcoholic, out-of-work actor Withnail in “Withnail & I” — and its surprising connection to Izembaro, his theatrical character on “Game of Thrones.”

Listen to Kurt’s interview with the real Lee Israel here.