Sir Derek Jacobi, the giant of stage and screen, is 87 years old and still hates looking in the mirror. At home with his husband, Richard Clifford, he talks about weeping, sleeping with Daniel Craig, terrifying directors, and the joys of white wine and a nap.
A Life in Theatre and Television
Jacobi is best known for his roles in I, Claudius, Vicious, and Last Tango in Halifax. He has also performed extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Despite his success, he admits he would have liked to be a movie star like Rock Hudson.
“I think I can act. But I didn't have the looks to go with my acting,” he says. “If I had had the looks as well as my acting ability, I think my world would have turned out differently.”
Meeting Richard Clifford
Jacobi and Clifford have been together for 47 years. They met when Clifford was 22 and Jacobi was 39. Clifford is an actor and director who has worked with the Old Vic and directed Jacobi in plays. He also designs their home and runs Jacobi's life.
“He's much better at life than me,” Jacobi says. Clifford adds, “In our relationship, he has stayed the child.”
On Acting and Directors
Jacobi recalls working with Laurence Olivier, who taught him humility. He also had difficult experiences with directors John Dexter and William Gaskill, who he says were “hateful” and “nasty.” Jacobi tried directing but admits he wasn't a natural. He directed Kenneth Branagh in Hamlet and would demonstrate every note.
Personal Life and Health
Jacobi came out as gay to his mother at age 21, which was brave for the time. He and Clifford lived through the Aids crisis, losing many friends. Jacobi says it was “a terrible plague time” and felt like they were being punished.
Despite his age, Jacobi remains active. He retired from live theatre in 2022 due to memory issues but still does a two-man show with Clifford. He also continues to work in film and television.
Ageing and Ambitions
Jacobi wants to live to 100, but Clifford is less enthusiastic. “When we've been together 50 years and Del will be 90, we're going to sell the house, have a big party and then drive off Beachy Head,” Clifford jokes.
Jacobi admits he has let “the old man in” recently, but says it's not about giving up. “I just see the inevitability that there is a big disparity in our ages,” he says.
Daily Routines
Jacobi cannot cook and relies on Clifford for meals. He enjoys two glasses of white wine at lunch and a siesta. “I think I'm of an age that I've earned that,” he says.
The interview ends with Jacobi sneezing uncontrollably, and the couple laughing together. His latest film, Moss and Freud, is out in the UK on 29 May.
