Hugh Grant is enjoying a career resurgence.
He was a leading man in the ’90s and early 2000s – and no doubt the charming face of the rom-com genre for years – thanks to his roles in films including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Music and Lyrics, Love Actually and Bridget Jones.
In the years since, he had roles in films including Paddington 2. But now, he’s back in the spotlight – like many ’90s stars – thanks to films including Wonka, Heretic, and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
Not only was he a fan favourite face on screen and a heartthrob, but Grant, now 64, had a colourful love life that made headlines over the years – including his 13-year relationship with Liz Hurley.
He was once caught with a sex worker in LA, but Hurley stood by him after his arrest and public apology.
They are even close friends to this day.
Grant soon turned his life around following the scandal. Now, Grant is not only a leading actor but a family man – quietly marrying Swedish producer Anna Elisabet Eberstein in 2018 and being a father-of-five.
9honey Celebrity takes a look back at Grant’s career and life over the years.
Hugh Grant’s family life
Grant is now a proud father-of-five. He shares Tabitha Xiao Xi, 13, and son Felix Chang Hong, 11, with his ex Tinglan Hong.
He has three children with wife Eberstein, 41; son John Mungo, 12, and daughters Lulu, eight, and Blue, six.
Grant hilariously told 9honey Celebrity in a fun interview that he doesn’t think any of his children will be following in his acting footsteps and he’s not really for the idea anyway.
”I’m against it,” he said with his characteristically dry sense of humour.
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“Luckily I’ve seen all my kids now in school plays and they’re all hopeless, completely talentless. It’s a huge relief.”
Despite once saying that having children is “life-changing” in the best possible way, the actor recently said in an interview that he had children rather late in life, but it’s made him a better actor.
“Well, we think it’s five. But I had them much too old in life, you know I started when I was 52,” he said on the SmartLess podcast.
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He added: “I think I was a dried-up, middle-aged, golf-addicted Englishman. Then I had children and suddenly I had heart and I had more layers or something.”
Speaking about marriage, he told Today: “I should have done it before. I’m just lucky. I’m lucky. I’ve got a great wife. I love her.”
He also gave a glimpse of his home life to Vogue UK recently and said he “can’t stop buying Le Creuset” and has a new-found passion for cooking and barbecuing.
The Liz Hurley relationship and sex worker scandal
Grant dated the likes of Elizabeth Hurley and Jemima Khan during his time in the spotlight.
But his romance with Liz now almost goes down in showbiz history for they were the ”It couple” of the ’90s.
He and Liz dated from 1987 to 2000 and their romance made headlines at the time, not only for some incredible red carpet appearances, but a scandal too.
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The pair met on a film set, but in 1995, a mugshot came out of the actor after he was arrested in LA for “lewd conduct” in a public place after paying a sex worker for oral sex. He was at the time in California promoting his film Nine Months.
“Last night I did something completely insane. I have hurt people I love and embarrassed people I work with. For both things, I am more sorry than I can ever possibly say,” a statement at the time read.
He added to Jay Leno on the Tonight Show at the time: “I’ve done an abominable thing, and she’s [Liz Hurley] been amazing about it, and contrary to what I read in the paper today, she’s been very supportive, and we’re going to try to work it out.”
The pair went on to date for a few more years before calling it quits but still call each other “best friends”. They are even godparents to each other’s children.
Hurley, who was engaged to late Australian cricketer Shane Warne, reportedly said of Grant at the Bazaar At Work summit in London in December: ”[I] think it gives you a bond when you sort of go to the trenches with someone. I mean, he’s married with five children. I hardly ever see him, but he’s still very close to my heart.’’
Grant’s most iconic roles
Grant is known for films including About a Boy, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Two Weeks Notice and Notting Hill.
Hailing from London’s Hammersmith, he actually studied literature at Oxford before turning to acting with theatre shows.
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But his film debut was 1982’s Privileged. He then did a number of TV miniseries before really hitting the big time with Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994.
He reportedly now has a networth of a cool $US150million, or $241million.
More recently, for 2024’s horror film Heretic, he’s won acclaim from critics for the role and even Oscar buzz.
Reflecting on “navigating fame and success” with The Hollywood Reporter recently, he said: ”Every decision I ever made was probably wrong.”
Seemingly referring to all the rom-coms he’s made, he said: “…after Four Weddings, and the world was my oyster, I should’ve made interesting decisions and done different stuff. Instead, I repeated myself almost identically about 17 times in a row.”
Returning as Daniel Cleaver in Bridget Jones
Grant’s return as bad boy and Lothario Daniel Cleaver in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is extra special for fans, as he was only in the first and second films which came out in 2001 and 2004. He was noticeably absent from 2016’s Bridget Jones’ Baby.
He told Vogue UK in an interview with co-star Renee Zellweger about the appeal of the franchise and Bridget.
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“In a nutshell, I say it is the antidote to Instagram. Instagram is telling people, especially women, ‘Your life’s not good enough.’ It’s not as good as this woman’s or this woman’s, making you insecure,” he explained.
Stars at the Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy premiere
“Whereas what Helen did with Bridget is to celebrate failure, while making it funny and joyful,” he said.  
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