It was six years ago, during the Golden Globes, that LaineyGossip became a Hugh Grant fansite. Duana was the one who wrote the post back in 2018 during our Globes coverage – Hugh was there as a presenter, his job was to introduce Dunkirk, one of that year’s nominees, after being introduced himself as “from Paddington Bear 2”. It was the juxtaposition of the two films, with Hugh at the intersection.
This of course is the man who once famously threw a container of baked beans at tabloid reporters, who always looks like he wants to die when he’s doing whatever it is that he’s doing. With his posh accent and general English demeanor, not actually involved in a film about British and Allied troops, but a film about an animated bear. It was a f-cking scream. And from that point, we declared our allegiance to Hugh’s misery, his signature and democratic misanthropy, because he is equitable with his disdain. He hates leaf blowers as much as he hates paparazzi; he resents his friends as much as his enemies.
But what makes that Paddington moment even funnier is that, well, Paddington 2 is a great film. “Great” might not even be the right word for how wonderful it is – an instant cinematic classic in which he delivers what is considered, until recently, his best performance. And, by the way, it was this performance that produced what is now considered his new best performance in Heretic. Because Paddington 2 is what convinced the directors of Heretic that Hugh was the only actor for the part.
Hugh is on the fringes of Oscar consideration, by the way, for Heretic. He’s not considered a frontrunner but there is a chance and he’s actually been doing some light campaigning during the promotional stretch for the film. Here he is in Berlin with his wife, Anna Elisabet Eberstein, over the weekend doing press for the film.
But last week he was actually in front of the Academy, kinda sorta pitching himself for a nomination while honouring his friend Richard Curtis who directed him in Four Weddings, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones, and Love Actually. I know this video is a week old but I only saw it a couple of days ago and I’ll probably return to it again and again because he’s just so bloody good at this. At turning his personality into performance. At being a miserable f-ck and funny AF.
And he had them in the palm of his hand. That crowd would have paid to watch another ten minutes of Hugh Grant roasting anyone. I’m not saying that Hugh will be nominated this year, because he is a longshot, but if he is nominated, you can point to this toast to when he sealed it for himself.
As usual, he looks like he doesn’t want to be there, usually the death knell for anyone who has to do any public speaking because nobody wants to listen to a buzzkill. When it becomes the essence of a person though, and someone who is able to choose his words so sharply, and deliver them in the dry ass exasperated way that Hugh says anything, it becomes something else. This is magic. It has to be magic, because how else can you stand up at the Governors Awards and say into the microphone that their honorary Oscar is a consolation prize … and not lose points for it!?
This is the sorcery that Hugh Grant accomplishes. And no, Richard Curtis isn’t pissed, he’s emotional. Also appreciative and as you can see if you watch his acceptance speech, he gives it to Hugh right back – so, needless to say, their relationship seems to be based on talking sh-t about each other, in front of each other. It’s the love language of a certain type of Brit. And clearly the love language of Hugh Grant.
So I say this about Hugh, with love, only love: he is such a grumpy f-ck, and please may he never change.
