Richard E Grant has revealed his mother Leonne Esterhuysen has died at the age of 93.
The actor, 66, shared the news of her passing in a lengthy Twitter video, where he reflected on their ‘complicated’ relationship.
He captioned his post: ‘Complicated gratitude to my Mother, who died this morning at the age of 93, for giving me the Gift of Life.’
In the video, Richard shared her mother had passed away in Africa while he was filming, and described her as ’emotionally withdrawn.’
He added that she ‘withheld her approval of anything,’ and he felt ‘resignation’ after her death, but ended his reflection by sharing his gratitude she ‘gave him life.’
Sad news: Richard E Grant has revealed his mother Leonne Esterhuysen has died at the age of 93, reflecting on their ‘complicated relationship’ in a video shared with his Twitter followers on Thursday
Insight: The actor, who described his mother as ‘untactile’ said he felt ‘resignation’ about her death, sharing his gratitude she ‘gave him life’ (pictured with his mother, right and daughter Olivia)
Richard told his followers: ‘During a filming break this morning I saw that I had eight missed calls from Africa and knew weirdly why, which proved to be that my 93-year-old mother died this morning.
‘We had an incredible complicated relatonship, and she was somebody that for me anyway, emotionally withdrawn, withheld her approval of anything.
‘So nothing was ever quite good enough, but what that proved to be was a great motor for ambition and determination to try and prove yourself be the best you possible can, and ironically whatever she demanded she got.
‘Applause, approval from everybody around her, including me.
‘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 your visit was an absolute disaster, we only have two things in common, books and classical music.”
‘She was very physically untactile, I’ve gone the opposite extreme, and been a very tactile and loving father and husband 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.’
Last year, Richard revealed that as a child he accidentally witnessed his mother and her secret lover together, and his parents’ marriage broke down years later.
Reflection: He captioned his post: ‘Complicated gratitude to my Mother, who died this morning at the age of 93, for giving me the Gift of Life’
Words: ‘She was very physically untactile, I’ve gone the opposite extreme, and been a very tactile and loving father and husband in response to that,’ he said
Speaking on Desert Island Discs, he said: ‘I inadvertently witnessed my mother bonking my father’s best friend on the front seat of a car late one evening.
‘We were coming back from a cricket match and I was obviously asleep on the back seat and then woke up to the rhythmic movements of the car, which is something that you can well imagine!
‘I tried God and got no response. I obviously couldn’t tell my father or my mother or my friends, so to try to understand what had happened I started keeping a diary.
‘And it’s continued to be something I’ve done every day to make sense of the world that I live in.’
Richard and his mother were estranged for many years before reconciling.
It comes after the Star Wars actor revealed earlier this month that after the death of his wife of 30 years Joan Washington, he was placing their idyllic farmhouse in the South of France on the market.
Joan, a renowned dialect coach died after a battle with cancer in September 2021 aged 74.
Grant wrote on social media: ‘Heart sore to sell Le Pigeonnier in Provence after 30 Summers. Sleeps 7. Pool, badminton, olive and fruit trees.’
Last year Grant spoke of his sadness at returning to the property to sort through Ms Washington’s belongings.
He said: ‘Thirty-three years ago my wife and I bought a little house here in the South of France when my daughter was just six weeks old, and it’s very emotional being here having to sort through her clothes and deal with other things.
Throwback: Richard is pictured at the age of five in 1962
Parents: Grant’s mother Leonne is pictured alongside husband Henrik Esterhuysen
Heartbreaking: Richard’s wife Joan Washington, a vocal coach, died in September 2021 just eight months after being diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.
The family would visit the home with their daughter Olivia, 34, and Grant’s stepson Tom, from Ms Washington’s previous relationship.
Announcing her death, Grant said alongside a video of him and his wife dancing: ‘Our hearts are broken with the loss of your Life last night.
’35 years married & 38 together. To be truly known and seen by you, is your immeasurable gift. Do not forget us, sweet Monkee-mine.’
Speaking to Radio Times about her passing, he said: ‘The hardest part is in the evening, when I can’t FaceTime Joan and tell her about the minutiae of my day.
‘I have an ongoing conversation with her in my head, knowing there will be no reciprocity.’
Grant told how he misses his wife more around the winter period during Christmas and their wedding anniversary in November.
He said: ‘Our wedding anniversary is on 1 November; Joan’s birthday is on 21 December; there’s Christmas Day and then Oilly’s [his nickname for his daughter Olivia] birthday is 4 January.
‘Last year, Oilly and her partner Florian very generously invited me to Venice and then to visit his family in the south of Austria, which was absolutely magical.
‘This year I’m going with the two of them to the Caribbean, so that I’m not in London at Christmas.’
