Hugh Grant

Profession: Actor
Place/Date of Birth: Hammersmith, London, 09 September 2020
Associated with: Jemima Khan, Liz Hurley

Hugh loses the fringe, his floppy fringe is no more 23/02/01
Hugh Grant, the star of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, has taken the plunge and had his most readily identifiable characteristic removed. Grant’s spokesmen at Simian Films (the production company he runs with his ex Liz Hurley) were so cagey about the alleged chop that they refused to return calls, leading to speculation that Hugh might not be happy with his new look. Exactly what prompted this radical change of image is not known, but some suggest that it may be due to the influence of Hugh’s new girlfriend, Ally McBeal-star Portia de Rossi.

20/02/01
Chelsea hunk Hugh Grant is surprised he is a successful movie star - because had no intention of becoming an actor. Hugh admits that when he left Oxford University, he was actually looking for a career in anything but acting.

He says, "I was actually destined for a career in History of Art and when I left Oxford I did consider that. Advertising was another one. "I’ve always slightly dreaded acting since I started. And it gets worse. It’s just that terrible feeling of, is it going to work?"

Moving from acting to writing is also not an option that sexy Hugh relishes. He adds, "The problem is, if I stop acting, then my bluff would be well and truly called. I’d have to write a script. "But writing is hell; you’re relieved if the vacuuming takes you away from the typewriter.’

12/02/01
Hugh is rumoured to be dating Ally McBeal star Portia de Rossi and now looks set to take a cameo role in the hit American TV show Ally McBeal. Apparently de Rossi has asked that Hugh becomes a regular on the show, playing a wealthy client her character falls in love with. The couple have been linked for a month now, after they hooked up again at a Hollywood party, years after their first meeting on the set of Sirens.

26/01/01
Hugh Grant is reported to be obsessed with Ally McBeal star Portia de Rossi, after he apparently flirted madly with her at the Golden Globe awards last week. This isn’t the first time the couple have met, however, they first met in 1994 on the set of the film Sirens. Sources say the couple left the event together, and Hugh is anxious to meet up with her again.

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Biography

Hugh Grant was born on September 9, 1960. His father James was a carpet salesman, mother Fynvola was a teacher. Hugh was educated in New College, Oxford University where he majored in literature. Although he was first noticed in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hugh’s movie career took off when he starred in Merchant-Ivory’s Maurice, for which he won the Venice Film Festival’s Best Actor prize.

In 1995, Hugh became the scandal of the year by hiring a prostitute, Divine Brown, to perform certain acts in the privacy of his automobile. His girlfriend, Liz Hurley was not amused and although she stuck by him through the scandal they finally called it quits in 2000 after 13 years together. The Divine Brown incident could well have been the making of Hugh Grant though, after this mishap he was cast in many more films and became a British icon here and in the States.

Although many of his films at this time were dubious to say the least, their ratings were bouyed by his popularity and in 1999 he made a real comeback. Notting Hill was a return to form for Grant, made by the same team that first shot to fame with Four Weddings...it confirmed his status and saw his star on the rise again. Following up his success with About A boy and Bridget Jone’s Diary which saw him departing from his usual role as bumbling English fool and made him a whole new type of heartthrob.

He has also starred in Love Actually as the Prime Minister, which saw much speculation as to whether Brits would actually prefer Grant as the leader of their country. Hugh remains a bachelor, despite rumours of a fling with co-star Sandra Bullock, and remains very close friends with Liz Hurley with whom he owns Simian Productions.
(Updated April 04)
December 2007