The name Hugh Grant represents something different to every person who hears it. Some might remember him from his heartbreaking love affair with Julia Roberts in the great movie Notting Hill. Others will think about his Award-winning project Four Weddings and a Funeral. And some people will be reminded of his Christmas rom-com Love, Actually.
Hugh's career is large and colorful, and almost every person who reads this will most definitely have watched some of his work. But how much do people actually know about the man behind the roles? Here's everything fans need to know about Hugh Grant's personal life.
9 Having Children Has Changed His Art
Many people talk about how parenthood has changed their perspective of life, but for Hugh Grant, it was something more than that. He has always been an incredibly talented actor, but he said that having children and falling in love made it even better. The reason for this, he explained, was because he "suddenly, instead of being a half-atrophied, middle-aged golfer, I’m a man with a life full of love. I love my wife, I love my children. They love me. And, suddenly — very unusual for an Englishman — I have all this access to emotion. Almost too much access. Sometimes it’s hard to keep it down."
8 It's Sometimes Hard For Him To Keep Up With His Kids
Despite not looking like it, Hugh is a 60-year-old man, and he has five children under the age of ten. Taking care of young kids is a challenge in and of itself, but it's especially difficult given that Hugh is in a different stage of his life.
"It’s completely knackering trying to be a young father in an old man’s body," he admitted, "and I’ve found that if you’re 60 and there are five small children in the house you can’t have a hangover either. But it's worth it. Absolutely."
7 His Views On Family Changed Completely
Hugh Grant enjoyed his life as a bachelor and didn't really want to let go of it. That changed completely, and he has no problem admitting that he was wrong in his perception of parenthood and marriage.
He has always liked kids, but he wasn't particularly thrilled about being a father and didn't think he would ever change his mind. Obviously, family life is not for everybody, but when he had his own kids, Hugh discovered that he was, indeed, made for it.
6 He's Had Tough Time During Quarantine
"Well, apart from the fact we’re having a second spike of coronavirus and we’re about to be smashed by a no-deal Brexit, and food shortages and medicine shortages, and everyone is furious and terrified in the streets, and my children won’t sleep and I’ve got a terrible hangover, everything’s perfect," Hugh said sarcastically.
Much like everyone else in the planet, Hugh does not miss 2020 at all. Both his wife and him were exhausted, dealing with five young kids who were understandably anxious with the whole situation, and trying to come to terms with the tense political situation. Hopefully, 2021 will be a better year for the Grant family.
5 He Missed His Kids Terribly While Shooting 'The Undoing'
When in 2019 Hugh Grant accepted the offer to go to New York to film The Undoing with the great Nicole Kidman, he didn't think being away from home would be so difficult for him. He missed his family a lot more than he thought he would and regretted not doing what his co-star did. Nicole knew she would miss her husband Keith Urban and their kids, so she brought the family with her. She remembers how miserable Hugh was, and how he ended up flying back and forth between London and New York at every chance he got.
4 He's The Godfather For Elizabeth Hurley's Son
Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley took the term 'friendly breakup' to another level. The two actors dated for over a decade, and when they finally broke up, there were no hard feelings and they still loved each other very much.
Hugh admitted to cheating on Elizabeth while going through a tough time personally, but the actress forgave him and still thinks of him as a friend. They get along so well that Elizabeth chose him to be her son's godfather.
3 His Feud With Robert Downey Jr.
For years, Hugh didn't get along with Robert Downey Jr., and neither of them really tried to hide it. A long time ago, Hugh said that, when the two of them starred in the movie Restoration, their relationship was at their worst, and he felt that Robert wanted to kill him whenever he looked at him. However, a couple of years ago, Robert suggested a truce, and Hugh was happy to accept.
"A lot has happened over two decades! I respect how Mr. Grant has matured as an artist & voice against violations of privacy. Let’s break bread together soon," Robert tweeted, using the hashtag #burythehatchet2018.
2 His Wife Never Liked His Romantic Movies
Hugh and his wife Anna Eberstein have totally different tastes in movies. In fact, as in love as Anna is with her romantic husband, she wasn't a fan of his famous romantic comedies.
"(My wife) likes violent films, gangster films while I'm sitting there watching Roman Holiday or The Sound of Music or something," he explained. "So she's never liked those films I did in the past, which are all romance and stuff. But now she's starting to get a taste for (my work)."
1 His Friendship With Reneé Zellweger
Hugh worked with Reneé Zellweger in all the movies from the Bridget Jones franchise, and the two of them have been friends ever since. He has a lot of respect for her as an actress and as a person and said she's one of his only friends from Hollywood.
"I love Renée. She's one of the few actresses I haven't fallen out with. We got on very well together and we still exchange long emails. Hers in particular, at least 70 pages each, interesting stuff, but quite hard to decipher and, she's a properly good egg and a genius," he said. "Did you see her Judy Garland? About as good as acting gets."
His Philanthropic Work In Cancer Care
[caption id="attachment_1129307" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
via Factinate[/caption]
After tragically losing his mother to cancer, Hugh learned to appreciate the work of the Marie Curie Cancer Care organization, a charity that helps terminally ill patients leave this life peacefully at home. Every year he promotes the Great Daffodil Appeal, a big fundraising event for the organization.
"I know from my own experience just how important it is for terminally ill people to have the choice to be cared for at home," Hugh said. "When my mother died of cancer she wanted - as most of us would - to spend her last days in the familiar surroundings of her own home. The care provided by Marie Curie Nurses made this possible."