Actor Gary Oldman receives knighthood
By Jordan Reynolds, PA
Oscar-winning actor Sir Gary Oldman said Britain's Prince of Wales told him he was a fan of TV series Slow Horses as he received a knighthood for services to drama.
The London-born film star, 67, said he felt “very emotional” after accepting the honour from William at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
William told the actor that every time he sees him on screen as veteran MI5 agent Jackson Lamb in Apple TV’s Slow Horses, “I just want to give you a good wash”, Oldman said.
The actor said he joked in reply: “Well, I think I’ve scrubbed up OK today.”
Slow Horses is based on the Slough House book series by British writer Mick Herron.
Oldman is known for his versatile acting, having portrayed a range of figures from former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill to Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious.
After being awarded the knighthood, Oldman said: “It was emotional. Very emotional. We spoke (for) a minute, but I almost couldn’t find my voice.
I thought the Oscar was a big deal. No disrespect to the academy, but it sort of pales in comparison to this. It's just been wonderful
“I think I feel very honoured, very humbled and flattered, I think in equal measure.
“It compares to nothing else. It’s a singular event, that is what it is.
“I thought the Oscar was a big deal. No disrespect to the academy, but it sort of pales in comparison to this. It’s just been wonderful.”
Of his conversation with the prince, Oldman said: “He mentioned The Fifth Element and Churchill of Darkest Hour.
“He said he was very happy that I was here today and that it was him that had the opportunity to present me with (the honour).
“A fan of Slow Horses. And he says, ‘every time I see you, I just want to give you a good wash’.
“And I said, ‘well, I think I’ve scrubbed up OK today’.”
“He’s a fan yeah.”
Oldman said it was a bonus when you worked on a film or a show and it was appreciated, adding that at Windsor Castle, people had been coming up to him saying they were waiting so they could binge-watch Slow Horses or asking if he would do another series.
The actor said it was “a lot of fun” playing Jackson Lamb, adding: “He’s got sort of an acid wit, sarcastic, he drinks too much, smokes too much, eats all the wrong things.
“Who wouldn’t want to play that?”
Across the Noughties and into the 2010s, he appeared in some of the Harry Potter films as Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black, and said he would have given it some thought if he was asked to play Dumbledore in the upcoming new series.
He said he was “intrigued” about the new series and thought he would watch it.
Oldman said: “Good luck to them. We were our thing. It was wonderfully received, hugely successful.
“But a lot of the books got cut, because you do have a window of two hours, two-and-a-half hours, and some of them even three hours.
“I’m intrigued. I think I’ll watch it, because I’m intrigued to see, I think they’re going to do it word-for-word. That’s what I believe.”
Asked if he would consider returning as Sirius Black if he was asked, Oldman said: “No, I’m too old for Sirius Black, I’d have maybe given Dumbledore… I wouldn’t have said no to it immediately. I’d have given it some thought.
“But I think my days of Sirius Black are behind me.”
On his favourite character he has played, the actor said he enjoyed playing Churchill and Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and added that this was a character he “oddly missed when I stopped doing it”.
He said that he was enjoying Slow Horses as there were still stories to be told and that “the crew and the cast are just adorable”.
Oldman said: “It’s truly one of the most enjoyable jobs I’ve had in 47 years doing this.”
His directorial debut, a semi-autobiographical piece about his childhood titled Nil By Mouth, was released in 1997 and lauded as a brilliant but gut-wrenchingly emotional film.
The acclaimed film earned him Baftas for outstanding British film and best original screenplay in 1998.
