A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE - DOUGLAS HODGE INTERVIEW

Romance is in the air and found in the most unusual place in the new romantic comedy, A Grand Romantic Gesture.

Shot in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, A Grand Romantic Gesture stars veteran British actors Douglas Hodge and Gina McKee.

When Ava is forced into early retirement her husband and daughter encourage her to learn gourmet cooking and prepare to be a grandmother. Instead she signs up for a drama class where she is cast as Juliet - and falls in love with her Romeo.

The film is a sweet and realistic view on finding love in your later years and not being ashamed of it.

Writer-director Joan Carr-Wiggin breaks up the continuity with testimonials/confessions to the camera, ( much like in The Office) where Ava, Simon and Simon’s wife Roz (Linda Kash) turn to the audience for advice they will never get.

Douglas Hodge Douglas Hodge who is a Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk and Outer Critic Circle award winning actor, composer, director and writer has been quite busy throughout his career.

Recent films include Alfred in Joker, Gemini man The Report and Red Sparrow. Recent TV includes The Great, Black Mirror, Lost In Space, Catastrophe and Penny Dreadful. Tony and Olivier awards on Broadway and the West End for La Cage Aux Folles and originated the role of Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Drury Lane in London's West End.

Ten years working as an actor and director with Harold Pinter. Major Shakespearean and classical roles at the Royal National Theatre and R.S.C. and The Globe. New plays by Pinter, Barker, Penhall, Johnson and more at the RoyalCourt, Almeida, Classic Stage and Donmar Associate Director at Donmar Theatre and director of many plays on West End and on Broadway Stiles and Drewe Best Song Award and composer and lyricist of 101 Dalmatians, Meantime and Wigmaker on the West End.

Trained at RADA and a council member alumni of the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain for many years.

A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE on digital platforms on February 8, 2022 and in Canada on VOD/Digital March 8, 2022

A GRAND ROMANTIC GESTURE stars BAFTA Winner Gina McKee (My Policeman, Notting Hill), Tony Winner Douglas Hodge (The Great, The Undoing), Rose Reynolds (I’m With Me), and Dylan Llewellyn (Derry Girls, Pistol “Sex Pistols”). The comedy-drama was written and directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin (If I Were You, Getting To Know You).

I spoke with Douglas Hodge via ZOOM about working on the film, shooting in Northern Ontario and his long and varied career.