The Graham Norton Show

Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law discuss their wand skills, Melissa McCarthy talks about Sean Spicer, Emma Stone jokes about being corseted and Rick Astley performs live in the studio.

Eddie Redmayne, explaining why he is sporting a leg brace and a crutch, says, "You know how Tom Cruise did that thing to his ankle when he leapt across a tall building? Well, I was on set of a quite hard core 'stunty' thing about two people in a hot air balloon and they had this crash mat beneath the balloon in case you fell out. I walked on to the crash mat, tripped on it and fell and sprained my ankle. Now I look like RoboCop - they told me I had to wear it and I am being obedient!"

Talking about his role of Newt in the new Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, he says, "When you get to be in JK Rowling's world, you suddenly get a wand - you've pretty much waited all your life for this moment and you think you are going to be a pro at it, but you really don't know what to do with it. So, I actually got a movement coach to help me work out how to use it - whether to do it over the top or minimal - we really studied it!"

Jude Law interjects, "I took it very seriously too. I actually studied these wonderful films of Picasso painting through glass to see how he held his brush and I watched films of conductors conducting, and I get to do just one spell in the film and it was at a distance where I vaguely waved it in the air. It was so disappointing." Adding, "I also worked with a magician so I could do all the sleight of hand tricks and when I got there, they said, 'Nah, we CGI all of that stuff!"

Revealing that his children are very excited that he is playing the young Dumbledore, Jude says, "They are, but of course I can't tell them anything about what I am doing. It's all a secret." Adding, "I, like so many other parents, had read the books to the children as they grew up using lots of accents - scary and funny voices - and I actually had a voice for Dumbledore. I'd had years of preparation for the role."

Explaining why he wanted to meet JK Rowling when he got the part, he says, "I wanted to question her about the backstory and the life of this incredible character because he is hugely beloved and I felt it was a big responsibility. So, she talked through his childhood and up to the point of the new film and a little beyond. She only told me about Albus so I do know a little bit but I am sticking to the 'don't talk about it' clause! I am that really boring person that will not spill anything!"

Melissa McCarthy, talking about bonding with actor Richard E Grant during the making of their new film Can You Ever Forgive Me? she says, "We met on a Friday and started working on a Monday and I was barely through the threshold when I was thinking, 'Oh, I like him a lot!' I am sure he thinks I am crazily stalking him but I'm constantly bumping into him on this tour and asking him to go out to dinner. I just found him to be a magical creature. For my wedding anniversary, I gave my husband the gift of Richard E Grant. He came to dinner and we just listened to all his stories. I'm now expecting him every year!"

Asked how she came to be portraying Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live, she says, "One of the writers called and asked if I would play him and I said, 'I don't even understand the question. How would that work? And, how in the world am I going to look like Sean Spicer?' The special effects guy said they just needed 18 minutes, which was a bit of an ego blower! I said no initially and then I saw one more press conference that seemed even more astoundingly aggressive and insane and I thought, 'Maybe we can hold a mirror up to that.' It was even funnier because he was upset that a woman was making fun of him."

Emma Stone joins Graham for a chat about her upcoming film, The Favourite. Asked about playing an English character, she says, "Being the only American I thought if I messed it up it would stick out like the sorest thumb. It would maybe ruin the entire movie so I tried to work hard on it."

Talking about working with Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz, she says, "I had so, so much fun. It was amazing to find one part that is really hilarious, layered and complex, particularly for a female, but there were three. Reading through the script it was insane that these women are so full bodied and fantastic, it was so exciting."

On wearing a corset for the role, she says, "Women existed like that for such a long time, which gives you a lot of sympathy for that time period and what they were going through. For the first month, I couldn't breathe and I would smell menthol and it would make me think I was in a wide-open space and could breathe for a moment in time. After a month, all my organs shifted - it was gross and if you don't have to, don't do it!"

Rick Astley performs Try live in the studio, before joining Graham for a chat. Talking about his new album, he says, "I was overwhelmed by the first, which I made for fun in my garage. I wasn't thinking about having a career again in releasing records but it just took off so I grabbed hold and ran with it."