Richard E. Grant cuts off friends over wife's death

Actor Richard E. Grant has revealed he has permanently cut off friends who failed to contact him after the death of his wife, Joan Washington, in 2021. In a recent interview, the 69-year-old star described his approach to relationships as "all or nothing," stating that those who avoided him during his grief have been "edited out" of his life for good.

Washington, a respected dialect coach, died in September 2021 at the age of 74 following a battle with stage four lung cancer. The couple had been married for 35 years and shared a daughter, Olivia, who is now 37. Grant has spoken publicly about his grief since her passing, including the fact that he writes to her every night before bed.

In the interview, Grant explained that some friends appeared reluctant to reach out because they did not know how to approach him after his loss. However, he did not see their absence as simple awkwardness. "If I had done that to them, I wouldn't be able to look them in the face," Grant said. He concluded with a definitive statement: "No, portcullis down. Goodbye."

Grant emphasized that this is not a new pattern of behavior. Earlier in 2026, he disclosed that he had ended a 29-year friendship after...