In case you missed Empire's LFF videblogisode of The King’s Speech gala, here's a very welcome nugget of casting news. While speaking with star Geoffrey Rush, he casually mentioned that he had recently been shooting some scenes with the delightful, brilliant Richard Griffiths.
The topic of conversation was Rush’s run of characters who mentor English monarchs – first as Sir Francis Walsingham in Elizabeth and The Golden Age, then as speech therapist Lionel Loeg to Colin Firth’s King George VI in The King’s Speech, and now, in the actor’s own words, “as a privateer in [George II]’s court, I mentor him as well – I’m creating my own fiercely independent genre.”
Despite a long and illustrious supporting cast already being announced, including Rush, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham and Gemma Ward already, this is the first mention of the Withnail & I and Naked Gun 2 1/2 stars’s involvement, and the news couldn’t be more welcome; roll on May 2011.