Hugh Grant, the eternal charmer and key figure of British cinema, has left his mark with unforgettable romantic roles. Today, in the horror film Heretic, the actor is back in the spotlight, bringing his private life also back in the headlines. Perhaps some people weren't aware that the famous Hugh Grant, who acted in iconic film Nothing Hill, didn't become a father for the first time until he was 52. Let's take a look at his eventful life.
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Hugh Grant, his own enemy
Who hasn't dreamed of being Julia Roberts in Notting Hill or Bridget Jones in the eponymous saga? Yet the actor himself doesn't have fond memories of one of his iconic characters. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Hugh Grant revealed his dislike of William Thacker, his character as the shy bookseller in Notting Hill. He said:
Whenever I’m flicking the channels at home after a few drinks and this comes up, I just think, 'Why doesn’t my character have any balls?'. I think he’s despicable, really.
The actor particularly abhors a scene in which his character remains passive in the face of paparazzi who have come to disturb Julia Roberts. He added:
I let her walk past me to open the door. It's horrible.
Going so far as to call William Thacker 'despicable', Hugh Grant proves that he's not afraid to turn a critical eye on his own work.
Being a father is his most important role
Although some of his roles leave a bitter taste in his mouth, Hugh Grant finds a very different kind of satisfaction in another role, a very real one this time: that of being a father. The actor, who previously dated Elizabeth Hurley, became a father for the first time rather late in life at the age of 52, with the birth of Tabitha and Felix, his children with Tinglan Hong.
Following the couple's separation, he rebuilt his life with Anna Eberstein, with whom he had three more children. Today, as the father of five children, Hugh Grant leads a life where serenity sometimes seems a distant memory.
A guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show on 14 November 2024, he shared the challenges of his daily life. The actor explained:
I mean, there's a lot to dread cause I'm old, and it's noisy, and it's unbearable.
He also revealed his technique for finding a little respite: isolating himself in the bathroom! Hugh Grant said:
And I do a lot of hiding in the loo. I do a lot of sleeping in there now. There's a lock, but they've pretty much broken it now.
A fulfilled father despite the challenges
But behind the jokes and confidences about his nights spent in the bathroom, Hugh Grant lets a deep love for his children shine through. He movingly told the Smartless podcast about the positive effect fatherhood has had on him:
I think I was a dried-up, middle-aged, golf-addicted Englishman. Then I had children, and suddenly I had heart, and I think I had more layers or something.
During his interview with Kelly Clarkson, he also talked about his favourite moments as a father, while he was tearing up:
I'm going home tonight, and you know, let's face it, the bit where they jump in your arms. The 6-year-old, you know, she calls it her chimpanzee hug. I quite like that. I've made myself cry.
This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag FR.
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Sources used:
Vanity Fair: Hugh Grant on His “Despicable” Notting Hill Role: “Why Doesn’t My Character Have Any Balls?”
Business Insider: Hugh Grant, 64, says he had his 5 kids 'much too old in life'
