Richard E Grant ‘levitating’ after first Oscar nomination

Richard E Grant has said he is “levitating” after he picked up his first Oscar nod alongside fellow British nominees Olivia Colman, Christian Bale and Rachel Weisz.

During a ceremony in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Colman’s regal black comedy The Favourite and Alfonso Cuaron’s black-and-white epic Roma each picked up 10 nods, more than any other film.

Grant is nominated in the best supporting actor category for Can You Ever Forgive Me? and will compete against Sam Rockwell for Vice, Adam Driver for BlacKkKlansman, Sam Elliott for A Star Is Born, and Mahershala Ali for Green Book.

He celebrated his Oscar nomination with a video post on Twitter, filmed on the street outside a flat where he used to live.

With a smile on his face, he said: “I’m absolutely overwhelmed, 36 years ago I rented this bedsit here, which was one room in Notting Hill Gate, for £30, which is about 50 dollars, and I cannot believe that 36 years later, I’m standing here as an almost 62-year-old man, having an Oscar nomination.”

He captioned the clip: “Am levitating at this astonishing news. Thank you to @TheAcademy for this nomination in such incredible company.”

Norwich-born Colman, 44, earned a best actress nod for her starring role in The Favourite, while Bale was recognised in the actor category for his portrayal of controversial former US vice president Dick Cheney in Vice.

Bale, already an Academy Award winner for 2010’s The Fighter, is up against Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born, Willem Dafoe for At Eternity’s Gate, Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody, and Viggo Mortensen in Green Book.

Colman is in a category alongside Glenn Close for The Wife, Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born, Yalitza Aparicio for Roma, and Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me?

It is veteran actress Close’s seventh nomination, and she is yet to win.

Colman’s The Favourite co-star Weisz also picked up a nod in the supporting actress category and thanked the Academy for recognising the film in so many categories.

She added: “I’m immensely proud to be part of it and to be nominated in the company of such talented women.

“Congratulations to my incredible fellow actors Emma and Olivia, our brilliant director Yorgos, and to everyone who participated in the making of this extraordinary film.

“Thank you to Fox Searchlight for their unwavering support and for having the guts to make a film with three complex female protagonists.”

Weisz is up against Amy Adams for Vice, Marina de Tavira for Roma, Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk, and Emma Stone, also for The Favourite.

The Favourite and Roma are both nominated in the best picture category, alongside A Star Is Born, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Vice and Green Book.

Roma’s nod is Netflix’s first in the best picture category, while Black Panther is Marvel’s maiden nomination.

Spike Lee earned his first directing nod from the Academy in the best director category for BlacKkKlansman.

He is up against Cold War’s Pawel Pawlikowski, The Favourite’s Yorgos Lanthimos, Roma’s Alfonso Cuaron and Adam McKay for Vice.

Notably absent from the category is Bradley Cooper, who was widely expected to pick up a nomination for his directorial debut A Star Is Born.

The Academy did not nominate any female directors.

The nominations were announced on Tuesday by Tracee Ellis Ross and Kumail Nanjiani.

The 91st Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on February 24.