Prince William couldn’t help but have a total fanboy moment over Gary Oldman, proving that even the royal family is just like Us around Hollywood stars.
William, 43, presented Oldman, 67, with his official knighthood at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, September 30. Following the ceremony, the Prince of Wales couldn’t help but praise the legendary actor’s work.
Oldman told reporters that accepting the honor was “very emotional,” according to Hello! Magazine.
“We spoke [for] a minute, but I almost couldn’t find my voice. I think I feel very honored, very humbled and flattered, I think in equal measure,” Oldman said of his newfound knighthood. “It compares to nothing else. It’s a singular event, that is what it is.”
He added, “I thought the Oscar was a big deal. No disrespect to the Academy, but it sort of pales in comparison to this. It’s just been wonderful.”
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Things took a less serious turn when William started to discuss Oldman’s Slow Horses character, Jackson Lamb. (The Prince also brought up The Fifth Element and Darkest Hour.)
Oldman said William teased, “I just want to give you a good wash,” in reference to his notoriously disgusting Slow Horses character, who is often farting throughout the Apple TV+ series.
“Well, I think I’ve scrubbed up OK today,” Oldman joked in response.
Oldman was also asked about joining the Harry Potter universe once again for the upcoming reboot series. (Oldman played Sirius Black in the original film franchise.)
“No, I’m too old for Sirius Black, I’d have maybe given Dumbledore,” he said. “I wouldn’t have said no to it immediately. I’d have given it some thought. But I think my days of Sirius Black are behind me.”
Oldman opted for a Paul Smith suit when getting dressed to receive the honor, which is often given to celebs as a way to provide national recognition for significant contributions in their careers. For Oldman, it was a celebration of his iconic British roles. (Oldman has received three Oscar nominations, winning one for playing former Prime Minister Winston Churchill.)
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“It’s not like you’re wearing one every other week,” Oldman told Esquire on Tuesday of his outfit. “So when this popped up — this whole knighthood thing — I thought, ‘Well, it would be really nice to be a little more traditional and go with something — I guess you might say — something appropriate to the occasion.’ So that’s really where it started.”
The actor also told the magazine that because of his Slow Horses character, he’s had to keep his hair on the longer side,which posed a slight problem when it came to such a fancy occasion. (Oldman said he decided “no wigs” at the beginning of the show.)
“Sometimes I tie [the hair] back. When it’s down, it looks like a rat’s nest. If you’ve seen the show, you know — there’s no style there,” he said. “And I’ll be bearded and with my hair tied back, that’s how I navigate the world at the moment until the show’s over. So it was a very good idea. To go natural. But there are times — like this, where you kind of regret it.”
