Munificent: ( adj.) extremely generous
Munificent is a word often used in reference to someone who makes large donations to a worthy cause–a munificent supporter of the American Cancer Society or the humane society or a college scholarship fund, for example.
But a munificent person can also be someone extremely generous in other ways: generous with their talents, creativity, time, compassion, kindness, friendship, humor.
Surely, then, our Richard is a not only amazing, marvelous and magnificent, but also munificent? Of course, he is a supporter of a number of charities himself and seems to engage whole-heartedly in efforts to help raise funds to “raise up Christchurch” after the earthquake in New Zealand.
Richard posing with an official at one of the Christchurch fundraisers he and fellow TH cast members participated in.
But he is munificent in other areas of his life, too. Witness the recent meetings with fans and their family members on the Black Sky set. Richard was under no obligation to take the time out of his busy work schedule to talk with fans, pose for photos and sign autographs. But he chose to do so in a truly munificent manner.
Photo courtesy of RAlover of Richard obligingly posing for pix on the set of Black Sky.
Lucy Griffiths described RA as a great screen partner. It seems he was munificent as he worked with this younger and less experienced actress. There was certainly a lot of enthusiasm in her voice when she talked about Richard (but then again, can we blame her?).
Screencap courtesy of RANet of Richard and Lucy as Guy and Marian in Robin Hood.
And our hard-working actor who keeps putting his all into his parts, who researches each role, creates bios for his characters, a man who has mastered sword fighting and archery and horseback riding and dealing with his water phobia, a man who can hair act–this, dear friends, is a man who is truly munificent with his gifts and talents. And we all benefit from his munificence, don’t we?
Richard Crispin Armitage: a munificent man in many ways.
Such a perfect word to describe him! He does so much for the good of others.
The picture with RAlover and her husband worries me somewhat as I think he looks awfully thin. Even his jeans aren’t snug around his thighs there although I think he is bending his knees slightly for the shot.
Another fan who met him and had her picture taken with him remarked “slender but solid.” If he’s eating Michigander food, he’ll be gaining weight. The food is hearty Midwestern-style “hot dishes” (aka casseroles), chicken with dumplings, etc., meant to feed farmers and industrial workers. There is always pie and ice cream for dessert.
Yeah, lean but quite muscular beneath his clothes were the sort of comments from all those lucky people who got to put their arms around his waist
Stick to your ribs food, right, Leigh? 
That’s right, meant to keep you set up through a long winter day. Lots of Netherlands and Scandinavian influence, too, so you get a Northern European kind of diet. I can do without the potato bologna and the salt cod, but that’s usually in December.
Potato bologna? Never heard of it? What’s it like? Anything like spaghetti bolognese?
Imagine boiled, salted potatoes mushed up with some other stuff and packed into a large sausage casing, allowed to chill and set up before being steamed. A friend calls it “bologna” because it resembles the shape of mortadella that Americans call “bologna”.
Thanks for the info… not sure about the sausage casing but the rest sounds OK.
I think there may be some camera distortion going on there. While he is leaner than he was back when they held that press conference for TH, judging by other photos taken on set, he is not early Lucas thin.
He looks very fit to me, lean, sure, but fit, not thin as in “give this guy a hamburger quick”!
I can only think that all he went through to play Thorin–a physical role requiring a heavy costume–must have helped him burn a lot of calories but also stay strong with plenty of lean, taut muscle. And from his conversation about the Canadian restaurant it sounds to me as if he still enjoys his chow.
Hmmmm, definitely! If I were living in the vicinity of that restaurant, they would have to take me in the inventory, as I’d be there all the time..Sorry did I sound stalker-ish?
Ah, well, we all do a little bit on certain occasions.
Just a little!
Don’t worry I was joking. I’d never stalk you Rich, I’m way too shy for that!
When I said he looked thin I didn’t mean early Spooks 7 thin but he certainly has lost his Porter musculature. I think all these months with all the padding and the heavy costume he without a doubt would have used lots of calories AND sweated!! He didn’t call the smelly dwarves for nothing!!
Now if only I’d lived in Eastern Canada instead of the far West!! I might have plucked up the courage to contemplate a trip to Michigan or even to Cook’s Restaurant in Windsor! I could have made the excuse that I wanted to try out all the dishes they made.
I think the Porter muscles must have been a lot of work for Richard to maintain. He’s not a guy, I am thinking, who naturally bulks up that easily–almost like he’s a cross between a mesomorph and ectomorph (slender with delicate frame and lean muscle mass crossed with athletic hard body with well-defined muscles). He has broad shoulders and those strong thighs, but then such delicate wrists and ankles in comparison.
I think if a lot of us had been living closer to Windsor and known he was frequenting that restaurant, we would have felt a sudden urgent need to check it out.
I really like that whole description there Angie; “(slender with delicate frame and lean muscle mass crossed with athletic hard body with well-defined muscles.)” Then you went and added the bit about the “broad shoulders”, those “strong thighs”, “delicate wrists and ankles”! Yep!! He’s pretty gorgeous alright.
*swoon*
Great way to put it Angie, and now I’m drooling all over my keyboard!
Why do you think my napkin is tucked in at my neck, like a bib?
He’s very, very special, isn’t he? Just such an magnificent combination of awesome qualities..
We do benefit greatly and so many ways. I hope you don’t mind if I insert a plug for RAnet as an Amazon affiliate. If you use their portal to order anything from Amazon (UK or U.S.), they donate their entire commission to Richard’s designated charities. You don’t pay extra. Everybody wins. And Richard’s munificence gets passed along.
Absolutely not, I meant to mention something myself and I got sidetracked.
Unfortunately this doesn’t apply to Amazon.ca so I have to weigh up, depending on what the Canadian $ is worth against the American $ or the British pound, which is the most cost-efficient for me to order from! Having to order from other countries means I also have to pay postage and shipping costs which I don’t have to do if I order from Amazon.ca. Being a senior doesn’t always give me a lot of cash to spend. Of course for Richard I’d happily go without other things!
I fully understand having to go the most economical route. No need to apologize! Yes, it is only appicable to AmazonUS and UK. I’ve actually often found videos cheaper even with the shipping costs ordering from UK than US. There is an awful markup on many of the Brit vids here in the states, alas–especially at the BBCA Shop.
Oh, I got notice that the movie tie-in edition of TH has shipped so I should have it by Tuesday. 
When the British pound was low the prices of their DVD’s made it worth my while to buy through Amazon.uk even though I did have to pay for the shipping! As for the tie-in book for TH, I got mine last week, Angie! I wish it had a picture of Thorin on it! Now I think I will have to order the annual.
They just released it here, as I had pre-ordered it from Amazon. It’s supposed to arrive Tuesday. You will want to get the annual. The artwork of Thorin alone makes it worthwhile and there’s a lot of other fun and interesting stuff.
Naturally if I do order anything through either Amazon.com or .uk I will do it through Ali’s website.
I had no doubt you would.
Thanks Angie!:) I was looking for suitable expression but uncle Google suggested only: benevolent, geneorus and well-spirited.
Well, I am glad I could be of service, my dear.
He’s munificent all right, and I love him for it! This was a new word for me.. Thank you! Educational as ever!
It’s always good if you can not only be entertaining and fun, but also instructive.