Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe weeps for guru Richard Griffiths
HARRY Potter star Daniel Radcliffe broke down in tears yesterday at the funeral of his acting mentor Richard Griffiths.
Radcliffe was one of 300 stars from the world of entertainment to pay their final respects to Griffiths who died aged 65 last month following complications during heart surgery.
After the veteran actor’s death Radcliffe, who starred alongside Griffiths in the Harry Potter films, said he made any room “twice as funny”.
Yesterday the 23-year-old star sobbed during the service at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire – where William Shakespeare is buried.
One mourner said: “Daniel was clearly very fond of Richard, as anyone who ever met him was, and was crying quite openly in church. It was a beautiful service and Richard would have been touched by how many people turned up to say goodbye.
“Richard was a tremendous character and the service was full of laughter and tears as his life was remembered with immense warmth and affection.”
Griffiths – Uncle Monty in the cult film Withnail And I – leaves his wife of 33 years, Heather.
Inside the order of service a portrait of Griffiths playing Hector in the Alan Bennett play The History Boys was printed along with the poem Late Fragment by Raymond Carver.
Among the mourners were Nigel Havers, Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes and comedian Jack Whitehall. There were flowers from Dame Judi Dench and Withnail’s Richard E Grant.
Fellow RSC actor Paul Jesson read an excerpt from Kenneth Grahame’s Wind In The Willows before two more poems were read by family friends Paul, Michael and Neil Anderson.
Former Bond girl Carmen du Sautoy read from Ecclesiastes before tenor Graham Neal recited Danny Boy.
Griffiths’ agent Simon Beresford spoke of his life, and actress Penelope Wilton read his favourite Edward Lear poem The Owl And The Pussycat.
After the hymn There Is A Green Hill Far Away, actor John Bowe read an excerpt from Shakespeare’s The Tempest.