Maybe it’s my age, but I have, like, perfect recall of Hugh Grant’s entire career? He became a big deal because of Four Weddings and a Funeral, and followed that up with a wonderful turn in the Oscar-winning adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. There were years where he tried to be a “dramatic actor,” and it felt like he was just saying yes to any script that came his way. Then he did Notting Hill, then Bridget Jones’s Diary and everybody just sort of acknowledged that Hugh was a romantic leading man and that’s all. As he got older, he worked less but he did start getting some “deeper” roles here and there. He’s always been self-effacing about his rom-com-heavy career, as if being a good romantic lead is somehow something to be ashamed of. I think it’s more like Hugh doesn’t respect the genre of romances and romantic comedies though. He doesn’t think they’re realistic about “happily ever after.”
Hugh Grant wants to know what happens after the credits roll. The 60-year-old actor recently took part in a question-and-answer session for HBO pegged to the release of his new thriller miniseries The Undoing, joking that he would be down to star in a follow-up to his 1999 romantic comedy Notting Hill — with one stipulation.
“I would like to do a sequel to one of my own romantic comedies that shows what happened after those films ended,” said Grant. “Really, to prove the terrible lie that they all were, that it was a happy ending.”
In Notting Hill, Grant plays London bookstore owner Will Thacker, who meets American actress Anna Scott (played by Julia Roberts, now 52) after she enters his shop. The two then embark on an unlikely romance filled with hurdles surrounding Anna’s fame and associated tabloid drama but end up happily married with a baby on the way.
“I’d like to do me and Julia and the hideous divorce that’s ensued with really expensive lawyers, children involved in [a] tug of love, floods of tears. Psychologically scarred forever,” he said, laughing. “I’d love to do that film.”
I… honestly wouldn’t mind seeing that film either?? That being said, of all his rom-coms, I think the fictional couple of Will and Anna probably would have worked out long-term. They would have split their time between LA and London. They would have two kids and Anna would probably get Will a job as some kind of screenwriter or associate producer. IDK, I think they would have worked out? Now, Bridget Jones’ Daniel Cleaver would have ended up in a ditch and/or being married and divorced five times. His character in Four Weddings wouldn’t have been happy, long-term, with WhatsHerGuts. And his prime minister character in Love Actually would have dumped Natalie after a few years.
Would you like to star in a romantic comedy again? pic.twitter.com/RvKuCzy8RG
— HBO (@HBO) October 26, 2020
Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.
Hugh Grant is a notorious misanthrope. Liz Hurley is apparently the only person able to tolerate him in high doses. Of course he has a nihilistic view of Romcoms.
Nooooo! That last scene with them on the park bench is what made me want to get married and have a baby! Not really but it’s one of the top romantic tv/movie scenes of all time for me. Patrick serenading David in Schitt’s Creek is #1.
Can he also throw a pie in Julia Robert’s face? Over and over again? I would so pay to see that.
Wow! Can’t believe he’s 60 (but then I also can’t believe the age I’m at…!) He’s messy as all get out but he’s always been enjoyable to watch..
Loved him in Music and Lyrics. I can see those two driving each other nuts and doing the on-again, off-again thing for years.
Sure. #2020
Yeah okay Hugh but we’re gonna go full in on this. Anna cheats on you with a younger costar on a location shoot but it’s because you weren’t there for her emotionally. She has to balance being a movie star, a mother, and a powerhouse and in a moment of loneliness she just kisses her younger hotter costar because she is feeling vulnerable from the loneliness, it’s also part of the scene she is rehearsing for her work that you do not support but it goes beyond stage kiss before she breaks away, realizing what is happening. The acrimonious divorce that you invoke because of your hurt pride brings out your failures as a husband, and you see her with renewed eyes and want to get back together with her because it was ultimately you who messed up but Anna has also found her strength in being dragged through a divorce and she gets to walk away tall and strong knowing what she wants from her next partner while you have to grieve your failures. We end again on the bench, where you are now co-parents watching your kids play, and Anna has remarried we see her ring and your empty finger as you absently touch what used to be, you have not, a wistful look on what you lost.
You know…I COULD get behind this…IF it was anyone else but Julia Roberts playing the Anna lol
I would definitely watch this!
I love Hugh, I actually recently Re-watch a few of his films. He’s kinda timeless, he’s always has so much charm and charisma on screen. I was thinking after watching Notting Hill recently, how Hughs leading ladies are always so secondary in his films. Julia Roberts in Notting hill and Andie Macdowell are so boring and basic as female leads, and Hugh absolutely owns the screen. But then again I guess those rom coms are aimed at female looking to fall in love with the leading man.
I unapologetically love rom-coms ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . I loved Hugh’s especially (he is rather easy on the eyes, and I’m a down and out sucker for an English accent lol). That said, I think he’s an even better dramatic actor. He was amazing in An English Scandal, and He’s REALLY good in The Undoing (so far).
Yeah, as a human being, he has, uhm…some personality deficits lol, but I do like his snarky sense of humor, and yeah, I would hit it…every day and three times on a Sunday, too!
I love older Hugh Grant. He’s doing much more interesting stuff, even if it’s fun stuff. LOVED him in Paddington 2, and in Florence Foster Jenkins. I haven’t seen A Very English Scandal yet but it’s on my “to watch” list during my maternity leave this winter.
I did rewatch Notting Hill a few months back and sweet Jesus I think it’s the worst romcom I’ve ever seen. So damn boring and charmless.
Paddington 2 and Hugh in it are amazing. His song and dance number at the end is just perfection.
being a good comedic actor is a lot harder than drama, but it’s not viewed as and comedy is often looked down
I love older Hugh too!
I’ve always enjoyed his self-deprecating & miserly sense of humour and I have particularly loved how he occasionally gives the gossip-hungry world these slight nod’s regarding his unconventional path to fatherhood.
I’d be up for any of those rom-coms showing a divorce based, not so ‘happy-ever-after’ type of sequel but out of all of them, my mind went to ‘Love Actually’ when I was reading this story; those two characters were so mismatched to me and would never have lasted the distance.
Of course, a sequel to that story would destroy the entire premise of the film so I know it would never happen.
Romcoms are not my thing, but I don’t see how they are any less realistic than 99% of other genres. I hate that art aimed toward women or gay men is automatically looked down upon as less worthy than art made for straight men. It’s just intellectual misogyny/homophobia.
(And yes, I believe Grant dislikes his romcoms because they’re not serious straight man movies.)
ALSO – maybe the reason he thinks love never works out is because he himself is too mercurial and afraid to make a real commitment to someone else.
Yes, ma’am!
I agree with this bias generally, but I do want to add that not many action or sci-fi films are regarded as “serious” art either…
I never thought I’d say this, but he looks hot now. I’ve been seeing ads for The Undoing and noticing how well the gray suits him. I still don’t like him as a person or much as an actor (though I will watch movies that he happens to be in), but there ya go, another 2020 surprise.
It wouldn’t actually be a bad idea if it doesn’t devolve into sexist stereotypes or a mashup of Entourage and Marriage Story with British accents.
Actors should really get over themselves and their false belief they are high artists shattering artistic norms and standards with every performance. Guess what, you’re nothing more than entertainers and we pay you to entertain us and provide escape from reality. That’s it. You’re not Shakespeare and you never will be. You get your multimillion dollar paycheck based on how popular you are, not how talented you are. It’s sad but true. So get over yourself.
That being said, I actually like Hugh and his usually spot on cynic outlook on life. His best movie is About a Boy. If you haven’t, definitely watch that one.