1982–1986: Early roles and breakthrough thumb|right|170px|Grant gained acclaim for his role in the James Ivory directed film Maurice (1987). After making his debut in the Oxford-financed film Privileged (1982), Grant dabbled in a variety of jobs, such as working as an assistant groundsman at Fulham Football Club, tutoring, writing comedy sketches for TV shows and working for Talkback Productions to write and produce radio commercials for products such as Mighty White bread and Red Stripe lager. At a screening of Privileged at BAFTA in London, he was approached by a talent agent offering to represent him. Still intending to begin his MPhil at the Courtauld Institute, Grant declined, but then later reconsidered, thinking that acting for a year would be a good way to save some money for his studies. Soon afterwards he was offered a supporting role in The Bounty (1984) starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins, but was prevented from playing the role because he did not yet have an Equity card, which could only be earned through acting in regional theatre. To obtain his Equity card, he joined the Nottingham Playhouse and lived for a year at Park Terrace in The Park Estate in Nottingham. Richard Digby Day directed him in small roles at the Nottingham Playhouse in Lady Windermere's Fan, an avant-garde production of Hamlet, and Coriolanus.Smith, Madeline C.; Eaton, Richard (eds). Eugene O'Neill Production Personnel: A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Directors, Producers, and Scenic and Costume Designers in Stage and Screen Presentations of the Plays. McFarland & Company, 2005. p. 80.
1982–1986 Early roles and breakthrough thumb|right|170px|Grant gained acclaim for his role in the James Ivory directed film Maurice (1987) After making his debut in the Oxford-financed film Privileged (1982) Grant dabbled in a variety of jobs such as working as an assistant groundsman at Fulham Football Club tutoring writing comedy sketches for TV shows and working for Talkback Productions to write and produce radio commercials for products such as Mighty White bread and Red Stripe lager At a screening of Privileged at BAFTA in London he was approached by a talent agent offering to represent him Still intending to begin his MPhil at the Courtauld Institute Grant declined but then later reconsidered thinking that acting for a year would be a good way to save some money for his studies Soon afterwards he was offered a supporting role in The Bounty (1984) starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins but was prevented from playing the role because he did not yet have an Equity card which could only be earned through acting in regional theatre To obtain his Equity card he joined the Nottingham Playhouse and lived for a year at Park Terrace in The Park Estate in Nottingham Richard Digby Day directed him in small roles at the Nottingham Playhouse in Lady Windermere's Fan an avant-garde production of Hamlet and CoriolanusSmith Madeline C; Eaton Richard (eds) Eugene O'Neill Production Personnel A Biographical Dictionary of Actors Directors Producers and Scenic and Costume Designers in Stage and Screen Presentations of the Plays McFarland & Company 2005 p 80