Richard E Grant is mourning the death of his mum Leonne Esterhuysen at the age of 93.

Richard E Grant is mourning the death of his mum Leonne Esterhuysen at the age of 93

Richard E Grant is mourning the death of his mum Leonne Esterhuysen at the age of 93

The Oscar nominated ‘Withnail and I’ actor, 66, paid tribute to the woman who gave him the "gift of life" on Thursday (20.07.23) night as he shared the news with fans on social media – but admitted he had an “incredible complicated relationship” with his mother and recalled getting a “very terse” email from her when he was mourning the passing of his late wife.

Richard said in a video posted on Twitter: “I saw that I had eight missed calls from Africa and knew immediately why, which proved to be that my 93-year-old mother died this morning.

“We had an incredibly complicated relationship, and she’ll be somebody that was, for me anyway, emotionally withdrawn, and withheld her approbation or approval of anything, so nothing was quite good enough.

“What that proved to be is a great motor for ambition and determination to try and prove yourself, and be the best that you possibly can, and yet, ironically, whatever she did, she demanded and got applause and approval from everybody around her, including me.”

Swaziland-born Richard announced his wife Joan Washington had died in September 2021 after they married in 1986 and had daughter Olivia.

Richard added in his Twitter video about staying with his mum following her death: “I went to stay with her for a couple of weeks, six weeks after my wife had died, with Covid restrictions being lifted, and she sent me a very terse email at the end of the trip, saying, ‘I regret to say all of this was an absolute disaster. We only have two things in common, books and classical music.’

“So whereas she was very physically untactile, I’ve gone the opposite extreme, so I’ve been a very tactile, loving father and husband, I suppose in response to that.

“Do I feel sadness that she has died? I feel resignation more than anything, but most of all gratitude, for having given me life.”

Richard has spoken about being estranged from his mother after discovering her cheating on his father.

The teetotal actor also revealed his dad started drinking after their divorce, and once tried to kill him after he poured away his alcohol.

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