Andrew Scott says his late mum’s spirit is “so alive”.
The 47-year-old actor was left devastated when his mother Nora passed away following a “sudden illness” a month before his hit ‘Ripley’ show was released on Netflix, and has now opened up about how he still feels connected to her – and how her passing sent him reeling as it came when he had a string of high-profile projects coming out.
He told Variety: “It came very suddenly to our family, and it’s landed in the middle of all of this stuff.
“Her spirit is so alive in me in the immediate aftermath of her death… her way of dealing with people was so kind, but she wasn’t very good at small talk.
“She connected with people in a very particular way. What I was taught was the idea of being authentically yourself… it’s a really funny thing, to be honest.
“I can’t disappear the fact that this has happened in the midst of all this.
“The juxtaposition of these two extremes in my life where all these projects are coming out, and I’ve had to be much more public-facing than I usually am, at a time when I’m going through this extraordinary personal loss.”
Nora Scott’s death was confirmed on 9 March, days before the UK’s Mother’s Day.
Her family confirmed she had died on 7 March surrounded by her family at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.
An obituary said: “It is with our deepest sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Nora Scott (née Boyle), beloved wife of Jim, mother of Sarah, Andrew and Hannah.
“Scott, Sandymount, Dublin, formerly Omagh Co. Tyrone, March 7th 2024 peacefully surrounded by her loving family and best friend Anne, in St Vincent's Hospital following a sudden illness.
“Nora will be deeply missed by her beloved husband Jim, her loving children Sarah, Andrew and Hannah.”
In 2018, Nora revealed Sir Anthony Hopkins sent her more than “three dozen red roses” after the ‘Hannibal’ actor, 86, found out she was ill when the ‘Hannibal’ actor, 86, spoke to Andrew on the set of a BBC adaptation of ‘King Lear’.
She told RTE at the time: “There was probably more than three dozen red roses and attached to them was a little card from Anthony saying, ‘Be well, sending hugs’, and all sorts of things.
“I was thrilled to get such a gift and for the kind thought that promoted it.
“Now I have recovered, I can enjoy these exquisite roses that grace our hall. It was such a beautiful gift.”