This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
Actor, writer and director Rupert Everett first came to prominence more than 40 years ago in Another Country, becoming a household name in films like My Best Friend’s Wedding alongside Julia Roberts, The Next Best Thing with Madonna and An Ideal Husband with Cate Blanchett.
Now 67, Everett has written three memoirs including Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins, which The Times called “the most truthful, witty and beautifully written celebrity memoir you will ever read”.
His latest film Madfabulous co-stars Callum Scott Howells and Ruby Stokes and tells the story of the extravagant 5th Marquess of Anglesey. Everett plays the Marquess’s butler, Gelert.
In the past you’ve played leading men, but now you do more character roles – is that a conscious choice?
I’ve enjoyed myself much more as I’ve got older. I think it has made acting much more fun for me. I don’t look very nice these days and it doesn’t bother me. Vanity was always being concerned about not looking good enough – letting go of all that was a great release. I feel lucky that I’ve stopped being as vain as I was. It started making me into a better actor. I feel like I’m kind of hitting my stride and I find acting much more exciting now.
In Madfabulous you play Gelert, the butler of the 5th Marquess of Anglesey – what appealed about the role?
The butler is always a great part in things like this because you’re an observer, and that’s always quite cinematic. I loved the idea of the faithful retainer, a character who’s been in service all their life who is kind of falling apart but keeps going. That was very appealing to me.
Who was the Marquess, Henry Paget?
He was a classic British eccentric. He didn’t see anybody’s rules as being applicable to himself and he was able to live his dream life. I don’t know if he was gay. From what I could grasp he seemed more asexual than sexual, possibly. I don’t think there are any records of lovers he had. So, whether he was gay and wasn’t able to express it, or whether he did express it and it’s been kept secret, I don’t know.
Did you know much about him beforehand?
I knew the fact that he’d invented the Butterfly Dance and that he converted his church into a kind of theatre. And he’d spent, I think, the equivalent of about £90 million in today’s money – everything he had – on performing.
You’re also in the new series of Rivals – what was that like?
Wonderful! I’ve always been a great fan of Jilly Cooper. When I saw the first series I loved it, and did my best to muscle my way in.
Did you know Jilly Cooper?
I did and I loved her. She was clever, humble, funny, curious, great fun and a hard worker. She wrote all day and evening. I was gutted when she died but thrilled to be part of Rivals. So, she lives on.
You starred opposite Bob Dylan in the 1987 rock movie Hearts of Fire. What was he like to work with?
He was a very warm character. He was very, very sweet to me and very funny. He had a totally different existence because he went to bed at maybe 4pm and got up again at 7, and then stayed up till 2, and maybe slept till 5, and then stayed up till noon. He was on a schedule that was just his own. I remember we played a big rock stadium together before a Bon Jovi concert. We went to film our concert scenes before this Bon Jovi concert in a stadium in Toronto packed with people. That was such a thrill for me.
The books you have written have all been well received – is that a different kind of validation from acting?
I’ve been very lucky in terms of validation from my writing. I haven’t had the same kind of bumpy, up-and-down experience in my writing that I had in my acting. So I’ve enjoyed it a lot. We all love praise, as opposed to condemnation! I’m working on another two books at the moment – a memoir and a novel.
What are you looking for in future acting roles?
In a way, there’s no such thing as a good actor. A good actor is only as good as the role. You can’t come out well in a bad part, even if you’re the best actor in the world. Whereas you can be in a good part and not be such a good actor, and you’ll come out looking good because it’s really in the writing.
You’ve said previously you like playing people who are older than you – why is that?
Trying to play older is my new thing. I copied that from Shirley MacLaine because when she was 50, instead of trying to have facelifts and go on playing 30-year-olds, she decided to play 70-year-olds. It seemed to me like a good idea because I’ve got quite weathered skin and can play 90 quite easily but still remember the lines. I thought it was possibly a winning strategy.
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Madfabulous is in UK cinemas from 5 June. Rivals season 2 is streaming now on Disney+. Sign up to Disney+ from £5.99 a month.
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