Actor Richard E. Grant has shared a funny story about the late Roger Moore from the set of Spice World. The film is a rockumentary-style comedy that features the pop group, the Spice Girls, living their musical adventures throughout London. Grant played the role of their manager, Clifford, who does everything he can to cash in on the group's success, while getting them from one venue to the next. A classically trained actor, Grant is no stranger to taking on comedic or offbeat roles, as well as dramatic ones, including memorable parts in movies like Hudson Hawk, The Player, and Bram Stoker's Dracula. He also dabbles in the big-budget world with roles in movies like Logan and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Roger Moore had a small role in Spice World, playing the band's label head, The Chief. Moore dressed as his Bond nemesis, Ernest Blofeld in the film, wearing the signature pajama-like top and feeding a baby pig (in lieu of a hairless cat). Having played James Bond in seven films, Moore was already a well-respected presence in Great Britain, and he was no stranger to playing a comedic variation of the character, which he also did in 1981's Cannonball Run.
While working with Moore on Spice World, Grant recalls meeting the actor for the first time in an interview with Vulture, and how hushed everyone was when he showed up on set. Grant says that Moore broke the ice by saying aloud, "Do I owe anybody any money in here?" This seemed to relax the cast and crew and prompted Grant to reveal an even more hilarious story to Moore. Grant told the legendary actor that an ex-girlfriend had named his penis "Roger Moore" due to it only having two expressions, which Moore thought was quite funny. Check out his full retelling of the story below:
"Oh, completely; we did everything within that whole day. In the studio when we were working, everybody went very quiet [when Moore showed up]. I hadn’t experienced that before, but it was Roger Moore — a legend. And in this total silence, he just said, “Do I owe anybody any money in here?” And that broke the ice. He was really, really charming and very nice. When he introduced himself, I’d said to him that a girlfriend I’d had nicknamed my dick Roger Moore because it only has two expressions: one eyebrow up or down! [Laughs.] I told him this, and he thought that was funny."
Moore passed away in 2017 at the age of 89, but left behind a long legacy of films, the most notable being his seven Bond films. The actor began his career in Hollywood features starting in the 1950s, starring in a number of films and TV shows, including a role as Beau Maverick in the Maverick series. From there, he was cast in the spy series, The Saint, which was later remade in the '90s with Val Kilmer as a feature. After his Bond days were over, Moore rarely acted, taking a long break and popping up in odd roles from time-to-time, including Spice World.
Grant has been a staple character actor and has worked steadily in Hollywood since 1987. His most recent work includes an appearance as Classic Loki in Marvel's Disney+ series, Loki. Grant stole the show when he was on screen, once again proving his weight as an actor and the credibility he can bring to any role, even when dressed in a silly costume. The actor's sense of humor and professionalism are always on display, and he's even shared similar tales to the one with Moore in his autobiography, With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant. Whether he's playing Clifford in Spice World, Renfield in Bram Stoker's Dracula or Classic Loki in Loki, Grant continues to be a consummate professional and a welcome addition to any project he's a part of. And, more than likely, he's probably got a lot of great stories to tell on those sets.
Source: Vulture