Charmed and Charming: The Hugh Grant Formula For Success
Hugh Grant starred in most of the popular 90’s romantic comedies, and his contribution to the film industry is legendary. The English actor was once the heartthrob of every rom-com lover until he decided to branch out. Since most of the films he starred in were blockbusters at the box office, the primary source of his million-dollar empire is through acting. There was a point when Grant became conscious of his looks and somewhere lost a little interest in appearing only in romantic comedies. Although, he had become tired of playing the role of the classic lovey-dovey hero and acted in a romantic comedy last in 2009.
After this realization, Hugh decided to explore his interest and talents for new genres. He has also been part of political campaigning and several investment projects, adding his fortune.
It is interesting to know how one of the best actors of Hollywood never had any aspirations of becoming a superstar. However, Hugh did have a solid background in acting. He was an English Literature student, a fan of Shakespeare, and often performed in stage plays.
Born in London, Hugh John Mungo Grant was a child to a military family, and he graduated from New College in Oxford in English literature. During his college days, Grant started developing an interest in theatre out of his love for literary dramatists and enrolled in the Oxford Dramatic Society after being in a touring performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and appearing in a 1982 student film called Privileged. One can say that this was the platform where the star trained to perform in rom-com.
Even after gaining relative popularity in the theater circle, he was not solely devoted to just an acting career. His love for literature was undying, and it made him take up jobs like a book critic, tutoring students in the discipline, and composing radio commercials. Grant was a born natural when it came to creativity, but he soon realized that he had a real penchant for acting on the big screen.
Hugh's career in Hollywood did not start with a bang, but he did land decent roles from the very beginning. For example, he began with critically acclaimed movies made by famous directors like Roman Polanski, although only for minor roles. Such movies included Bitter Moon and The Remains of the Day.
Grant’s big break came in 1994 with Four Weddings and a Funeral which became a blockbuster. Grant was about 32 years old back then and already became a sensation. This movie grossed over $244 million with international box office sales. Hugh was particularly fond of the script as he liked his character's smooth sense of humor.
Grant also won his first Golden Globe and BAFTA award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He also earned an impressive $100,000 from Four Weddings and a Funeral. In 1995, Hugh acted in a movie called Nine Months and the famous film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
Following this, he was seen in a few movies. However, his next breakthrough came three years later when he starred alongside Julia Roberts in another rom-com called Notting Hill, which is unanimously considered a Hollywood classic. Soon, Grant was earning about $7 million to $10 million for each role in the 1990s. In 2002, he worked in another film called Two Weeks Notice which reportedly earned him an extravagant $12.5 and also was slightly higher than his usual $10 million for a leading role and at least $5 million for a supporting character. According to Wealthy Genius, it is also the highest salary that Grant has earned.
The prospering career of Hugh Grant might have appeared like a dream come true to fans, but with every passing performance, he was growing increasingly tired of being stuck with the same roles. The last romantic comedy he performed in was the 2009 movie Did You Hear About the Morgans? Where he starred alongside Jessica Parker. Hugh's increasing frustration with lack of change or development as an actor became apparent in his jilted relation to directors, co-stars, or the industry itself. When this 2009 rom-com became a flop, it gave him the required drive to give up. He had also started becoming conscious of his appearance that was changing with old age.
So, he decided to try other things in life, like Politics. Hugh, however, did not give up acting entirely. In 2020, he starred opposite Nicole Kidman and Donald Sutherland in HBO miniseries called The Undoing, and it felt as refreshing to him as going through his first script.
In 2021, Hugh Grant has a net worth of approximately $170 million with a lavish life, and he has spent generously on real estate to buy a $3 million mansion in London, a $20 million mansion in Chelsea Square, and a $13 million luxury estate in Sweden, to name a few. One of his famous impulsive purchases was an Andy Warhol modern art piece worth about $3 million.
Source: Britannica, Wealthy Genius, Celebrity Net Worth, Today
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