The Lesson director on how Richard E Grant brought personal loss to role
"The sense of a loss and a deep grief in a family really echoed to him."
New thriller film The Lesson is out in cinemas now, and it follows Liam (Daryl McCormack), a tutor and aspiring writer who goes to work at the family estate of his idol, renowned author JM Sinclair (Richard E Grant). However, he soon realises that he is ensnared in a web of family secrets, resentment, and retribution.
The film comes from writer Alex MacKeith and director Alice Troughton, who makes her feature debut here after working on shows including Doctor Who, Baghdad Central and The Midwich Cuckoos.
Troughton spoke with RadioTimes.com exclusively about the film, and opened up about why Richard E Grant was perfect for the role of Sinclair, and why he was so interested in taking it on.
Troughton explained: "Richard has done so many different eclectic pieces of work, and he's going to be seen in Saltburn, The Emerald Fennell film. But he's a supporting actor in that film, and I think the chance to see him as a lead actor and to show really what a treasure and what a superb actor he is, that was a great chance, and Richard took the script for that reason."
In the film, the Sinclairs are seen mourning the loss of their first-born son Felix, whose memory still effects the members of his family deeply and in different ways.
Troughton continued: "He took the script for a couple of reasons, and I will speak from my actors because they are on strike, but they're happy for me to be their voice piece.
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"Richard was in mourning, he describes it in A Pocketful of Happiness, his book. He had lost his wife and he read this script six months after her death.
"And I think for him, the sense of a loss and a deep grief in a family really echoed to him. And he knows people, Richard did a whole series of interviewing writers - he understands the creative ego like nobody else does."
Troughton also explained why McCormack was cast in the role of Liam, explaining that he came on to her and her team's radar just after he had appeared in Good Luck To You, Leo Grande.
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She explained: "He had just done Leo Grande and I had just seen Leo Grande and I think it was before it won all the awards that he came on to mine, my producers' and my casting directors' radar. Because we knew we wanted a movie star and he is going to be a movie star. He's got that essence when you see him on screen."
Alongside Grant and McCormack, the film also stars Julie Delpy as Sinclair's wife Hélène, Stephen McMillan as their son Bertie and Crispin Letts as their butler Ellis.
The Lesson is released in UK cinemas on Friday 22nd September 2023. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
