Hugh Grant

Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor and film producer. Grant has received a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César for his work. As of 2018, his films have grossed a total of nearly US$3 billion worldwide from 29 theatrical releases. He first received attention after earning the Volpi Cup for his performance in the film Maurice (1987) but achieved international success after appearing in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994). He used this breakthrough role as a frequent cinematic persona during the 1990s, delivering comic performances in films such as Notting Hill (1999) and Mickey Blue Eyes (1999). For Four Weddings and a Funeral, Grant won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Grant's starring role in the popular Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994 made him one of the best known figures in 1990s' British popular culture, and he was seen as a charming, vulnerable, witty romantic lead. By the turn of the 21st century, he had established himself as a leading man, skilled with a satirical comic talent. In the early 2000s he expanded his oeuvre with critically acclaimed turns as a cad in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), About a Boy (2002), Love Actually (2003), and American Dreamz (2006). He later played against type with multiple roles in the epic sci-fi drama film, Cloud Atlas (2012). He is also known for appearing in period pieces such as The Remains of the Day (1993) and Sense and Sensibility (1995). Most recently, he received critical acclaim for his portrayals of St. Clair Bayfield in Florence Foster Jenkins (2016); Phoenix Buchanan, an antagonist in Paddington 2 (2017); and Jeremy Thorpe in the BBC One miniseries A Very English Scandal (2018). He was BAFTA-nominated for all three performances, and received Golden Globe Award nominations for Florence Foster Jenkins and A Very English Scandal. Within the film industry, Grant has been known as a meticulous performer and as an anti-star who approaches his roles like a character actor, working hard to make his acting appear spontaneous. Hallmarks of his comic skills include a nonchalant touch of sarcasm and studied physical mannerisms. The entertainment media's coverage of his life off the big screen has often overshadowed his work as an actor. He has been outspoken about his antipathy towards the profession of acting, his disdain towards the culture of celebrity, and his hostility towards the media. He emerged as a prominent critic of the conduct of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation during the News International phone hacking scandal. In a career spanning more than 35 years, Grant has repeatedly claimed that acting was not his true calling but rather a career that developed by happenstance.