Nick Frost Reveals Knitting Lessons for Hagrid Role and Tarantino's Cinema Display
British actor Nick Frost has shared fascinating insights into his career, including learning to knit specifically for his upcoming role as Hagrid in HBO's Harry Potter series. In a candid interview, Frost discussed this unusual preparation alongside his thoughts on Strictly Come Dancing and an unexpected connection with filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
From Pies to Potter: Frost's Domestic and Professional Life
When asked about his famous pie-making Instagram posts, Frost revealed his culinary preferences. "I like to have a little block of shop-bought shortcrust or flaky pastry in the fridge," he admitted, explaining that his most frequent creation is a double-crust steak and minced beef pie with roasted shallots that his children enjoy. For vegetarian options, he mentioned chicken and mushroom with leek, while his partner prefers a labor-intensive fish pie with boiled eggs. On the sweet side, he favours apple and cinnamon pie with a Demerara sugar crust, though he humorously described cherry pie made with "that really shit fake filling."
The Hagrid Manifestation and Unexpected Skills
Frost's journey to playing Hagrid involved what he describes as manifestation. "Before I was cast as Hagrid, my partner suggested trying to manifest it," he explained. "So last Christmas, I watched all the films back to back on the Sky Harry Potter channel, while writing out the word 'Hagrid' 7,000 times." This dedication extended to practical skills, with Frost taking knitting lessons for the role. "I had lessons and thought: 'Yeah! I can knit!'" he recalled enthusiastically.
The actor also mentioned other unusual abilities he's acquired through his work, including being able to strip an MP5 gun blindfolded, a skill he developed for his role in Spaced.
Tarantino's Cinema Display and Strictly Concerns
One of the more surprising revelations involved Quentin Tarantino. "Tarantino loves Ed from Shaun of the Dead and I'm always amazed that he has pictures of me up in his cinema," Frost shared. "I've been there and seen them, because he and Edgar [Wright] became friends. That's quite weird – being a fan of cinema as a younger man, and watching Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, then suddenly the director has your stupid face in the foyer of his cinema."
Regarding Strictly Come Dancing, Frost revealed he was "mooted to do Strictly" after his role in Cuban Fury but ultimately declined. "When I worked out how much work it would be, compared to the fee, it was a no," he explained. He also expressed concerns about how the show dresses larger contestants. "I was super fat, and I've always had an issue with the way they dress fat contestants on Strictly. They end up looking like a ball of satin, or like Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka, who turns into a giant blueberry."
Personal Reflections and Career Choices
Frost opened up about his relationship with his appearance and how tattoos became "a suit of armour." After getting his first tattoo at 20 and fainting within five seconds ("When I woke up, there were two Hells Angels lifting me back into my chair"), he returned to tattooing after his father's death at 40. "It was a way to turn spiritual pain into physical pain, and try to exorcise it," he said. Now 53 with his upper body covered, he noted that tattoos helped shift focus from his weight.
On stage work, Frost confessed he's only performed once in his 25-year career. "As much as I loved it, it was quite stressful," he admitted, though he'd be open to Shakespearean roles in film. He also humorously addressed his long-standing collaboration with Simon Pegg, joking that Pegg keeps him "chained up in his shed" with only an hour of daily exercise between 2pm and 3pm.
Other Projects and Lost Opportunities
The actor touched on other career aspects, including his upcoming film Whistle and a lost opportunity with Captain Pugwash. "That was nearly 10 years ago," he said of the live-action remake. "There was quite a good script. I think the money was coming from China, and I'm not sure they'd seen Captain Pugwash before. I think it was one of those things that never quite reached escape velocity." He noted the adaptation would have used normal names rather than the double entendres like Seaman Staines that people associate with the cartoon.
When asked which film he'd remake with West Country accents like in Hot Fuzz, Frost suggested Downfall or Saving Private Ryan, imagining "Downfall set in a small village in Somerset."
