Richard Gadd revealed to Claire Danes that he once wrote an entire school essay about the way she cries during a warm on-air conversation for American television.
The Scottish writer and performer, whose hit series Baby Reindeer brought him international recognition, made the admission while he and Danes interviewed one another for CNN’s Actors on Actors.
Speaking candidly about his admiration for the actress, Gadd said it felt “surreal” to be sitting down with her.
He went on to explain how deeply he had been affected by Danes’ performance as Juliet in Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film Romeo + Juliet.
Gadd, who attended Madras College in St Andrews, recalled: “I’ll tell you a little fact. Back at school, I think I must have been about 13 or 14, and to get us to learn Shakespeare, they let us watch Romeo + Juliet.”
He added: “I remember writing an essay on Romeo + Juliet, and one moment in particular stayed with me — the scene where you wake up and Romeo is dead. You do this amazing, guttural sob.”
‘I remember writing paragraphs about that sob and how impactful it was. So, there you go.’
Danes seemed flattered when Gadd told her how her performance inspired him
Gadd said the essay he wrote about Danes’ performancewas given an A by his teacher
The scene from Luhrmann’s modern take on the play, shows Juliet wakening up from a drug-induced coma to find a distraught Romeo beside her.
Believing she is dead, Romeo drinks poison before Juliet realises what he is doing. He then dies in her arms with a grief-stricken Juliet left alone and crying before taking her own life with Romeo’s gun.
Danes appeared touched by Gadd’s essay revelation, replying: ‘And then you mastered the guttural sob. You saw my guttural sob and you raised it.’
The actress said she still remembers the scene distinctly, saying her performance was helped by Luhrmann’s ‘epic’ scenery, which involved a vast tomb, filled with hundreds of flickering candles, tributes and religious icons.
She added: ‘The world he creates helps elicit that feeling.’
Luhrmann’s modern take on the Shakespearian classic featured music video-style editing, a pop soundtrack, car chases and gun battles.
During the chat with Gadd, Danes also revealed she was chastised by DiCaprio on the set of the film for playing around with a prop gun that featured in the death scene.
Danes was only 16 when she filmed Romeo + Juliet, while DiCaprio was older at 21.
Danes described Luhrmann’s set in Romeo’s death scene as ‘epic’
Danes was also complimentary of Gadd’s work on Baby Reindeer, above
The chat between Danes and Gadd is part of the series Actors on Actors
She said: ‘I remember just blithely playing with the prop gun and putting it to my head and Leo getting very serious and saying “Claire, we don’t do that. Don’t eff around”.
‘And he was right and I was just being a doofus.’
She added: ‘I remember the shock of the moment and being startled by my response, which is what we hope for and it doesn’t always happen.
‘But it got a good essay out of you so it was all worth it.’
Gadd, from the village of Wormit, in Fife, went on to reveal that his essay on the film was given an A grade by his teacher, adding: ‘I owe it all to you.’
The chat between Danes and Gadd, which can be watched on Variety’s YouTube channel, is part of the series Actors on Actors.
Produced by broadcaster CNN in collaboration with entertainment magazine and website Variety, the shows see stars interview each other about their work.
Previous shows have seen stars Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey talk to each other about their craft and high points in their respective careers.
