History of Hugh Grant in Timeline

Hugh Grant is a celebrated English actor known for his early roles as a charming and vulnerable romantic lead. He has successfully transitioned into a character actor, earning numerous accolades including a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award. His contributions to film have resulted in a global gross of approximately US$3 billion as of 2018. In 2022, Time Out recognized him as one of Britain's 50 greatest actors.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals

1917: The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain

In 1917, Hugh Grant was a cartographer in Wales for "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain".

1929: Birth of James Murray Grant

In 1929, Captain James Murray Grant, Hugh Grant's father, was born.

1934: Birth of Fynvola Susan MacLean

In 1934, Fynvola Susan MacLean, Hugh Grant's mother, was born.

September 9, 1960: Hugh Grant's Birth

On September 9, 1960, Hugh Grant was born in Hammersmith Hospital.

September 1960: Hugh Grant's Birth

In September 1960, Hugh John Mungo Grant was born in England.

1969: Attended Latymer Upper School

From 1969, Hugh Grant attended Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith.

1978: End of Schooling at Latymer Upper

In 1978, Hugh Grant finished attending Latymer Upper School.

1979: Galsworthy Scholarship

In 1979, Hugh Grant won the Galsworthy scholarship to New College, Oxford, to study English literature.

1982: Dabbled in Jobs

After making his debut in the film Privileged in 1982, Hugh Grant worked a variety of jobs, including assistant groundsman and writing comedy sketches.

1982: Feature Film Debut

In 1982, Hugh Grant made his feature film acting debut in "Privileged".

1984: Offered Role in The Bounty

In 1984, Hugh Grant was offered a supporting role in "The Bounty", but was prevented from playing the role as he didn't have an Equity card yet.

1985: The Jockeys of Norfolk

In 1985, Hugh Grant created a sketch-comedy group called The Jockeys of Norfolk and had minor roles in eight television productions.

1986: An Inspector Calls

In 1986, Hugh Grant played Eric Birling in a production of "An Inspector Calls" at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

1987: Met Elizabeth Hurley

In 1987, Hugh Grant met actress Elizabeth Hurley while filming "Remando Al Viento." They began dating during filming.

1987: White Mischief

In 1987, Hugh Grant played Hugh Cholmondeley in the BAFTA Award-nominated White Mischief.

1987: Acclaim for Maurice

In 1987, Hugh Grant starred in the romantic drama "Maurice", gaining acclaim and winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.

1988: The Dawning and The Lair of the White Worm

In 1988, Hugh Grant had a supporting role in "The Dawning" and a leading role in Ken Russell's horror film, "The Lair of the White Worm".

1989: Champagne Charlie

In 1989, Hugh Grant portrayed Charles Heidsieck in the television film "Champagne Charlie".

1990: The Big Man

In 1990, Hugh Grant had a role in "The Big Man", assuming a Scottish accent for the film.

1991: Our Sons

In 1991, Hugh Grant played Julie Andrews' gay son in the ABC made-for-television film "Our Sons".

1992: Bitter Moon

In 1992, Hugh Grant appeared in Roman Polanski's film "Bitter Moon".

1993: The Remains of the Day

In 1993, Hugh Grant acted in the successful period drama "The Remains of the Day".

July 1994: Production Deal with Castle Rock Entertainment

In July 1994, Hugh Grant signed a two-year production deal with Castle Rock Entertainment.

1994: Four Weddings and a Funeral Release

In 1994, "Four Weddings and a Funeral" was released with Hugh Grant as the protagonist, becoming a huge success and making him an international star.

1994: Breakthrough with Four Weddings and a Funeral

In 1994, Hugh Grant became a star with Richard Curtis's romantic comedy "Four Weddings and a Funeral", winning the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Actor.

January 1995: Defamatory article published

In January 1995, News (UK) Ltd's newspaper, Today, falsely claimed that Hugh Grant verbally abused a young extra with a "foul-mouthed tongue lashing" on the set of The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.

June 1995: Arrested in Los Angeles

On 27 June 1995, Hugh Grant was arrested in Los Angeles for receiving oral sex in a public place. He pleaded no contest, was fined, and placed on probation.

1995: An Awfully Big Adventure

In 1995, Hugh Grant starred in "An Awfully Big Adventure", reuniting with director Mike Newell before the release of "Four Weddings and a Funeral".

1995: Release of "Nine Months" and "Sense and Sensibility"

In 1995, Hugh Grant starred in "Nine Months" alongside Julianne Moore, which, despite box office success, received negative reviews. Also in 1995, Grant starred in "Sense and Sensibility", which was much better received, and Restoration.

1995: Sense and Sensibility and Restoration

In 1995, Hugh Grant starred in successful period dramas such as "Sense and Sensibility" and "Restoration".

1995: Solicited prostitute

In 1995, while dating Elizabeth Hurley, Hugh Grant gained international notoriety for soliciting the services of prostitute Divine Brown.

1996: Debut as film producer with "Extreme Measures"

In 1996, Hugh Grant made his debut as a film producer with the thriller "Extreme Measures", which received moderately positive reviews.

1996: Won damages from News (UK) Ltd

In 1996, Hugh Grant won substantial damages from News (UK) Ltd over a "highly defamatory" article published in January 1995.

1999: Starring in "Notting Hill"

In 1999, Hugh Grant starred alongside Julia Roberts in "Notting Hill", a romantic comedy written by Richard Curtis. The film surpassed "Four Weddings and a Funeral" as the biggest British hit in cinema history and received generally positive reviews.

May 2000: Separation from Elizabeth Hurley

In May 2000, Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley separated after dating since 1987.

2000: Promoting "Small Time Crooks" and joining IM Internationalmedia AG

In 2000, Hugh Grant promoted Woody Allen's "Small Time Crooks" and described himself as being in "my millennium of bastards". Also, in 2000, Grant joined the supervisory board of IM Internationalmedia AG.

2001: Death of Fynvola Susan MacLean

In 2001, Fynvola Susan MacLean, Hugh Grant's mother, passed away.

2001: Bought Andy Warhol print

In 2001, Hugh Grant bought the print "Liz" by Andy Warhol for £2m.

2001: Starring in "Bridget Jones's Diary"

In 2001, Hugh Grant starred as Daniel Cleaver in "Bridget Jones's Diary", which was a major international hit and was praised for his sly overthrow of his typical polished image.

2001: Bridget Jones's Diary

In 2001, Hugh Grant starred in the romantic comedy "Bridget Jones's Diary".

2001: Fundraiser and ambassador

Since his mother's death in 2001, Hugh Grant has worked as a fundraiser and ambassador for Marie Curie Cancer Care and is a patron of Pancreatic Cancer Action.

2002: Became Godfather

In 2002, Hugh Grant became the godfather to Elizabeth Hurley's son, Damian.

2002: Inside the Actors Studio

In 2002, Hugh Grant credited his mother with "any acting genes" on Inside the Actors Studio.

2002: Starring in "Two Weeks Notice"

In 2002, Hugh Grant starred alongside Sandra Bullock in "Two Weeks Notice", which was a commercial success but received poor reviews.

2002: About a Boy and Two Weeks Notice

In 2002, Hugh Grant starred in "About a Boy" and "Two Weeks Notice".

2002: Starring in "About a Boy"

In 2002, Hugh Grant starred in "About a Boy", a film adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel. He received his third Golden Globe nomination for his performance.

2002: US office of Simian Films Closed

In 2002, the US office of Simian Films closed.

2003: Starring in "Love Actually"

In 2003, Hugh Grant headlined the ensemble comedy "Love Actually" as the British Prime Minister. The film was a major international box office success.

2003: Love Actually

In 2003, Hugh Grant starred in the romantic comedy "Love Actually".

2004: Reprising role in "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason"

In 2004, Hugh Grant reprised his role as Daniel Cleaver in "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason", which was another commercial success.

2004: Bridget Jones's Diary Sequel

In 2004, Hugh Grant starred in a sequel to "Bridget Jones's Diary".

December 2005: Resigned as Director of Simian Films

In December 2005, Hugh Grant resigned as director of Simian Films.

September 2006: Charity Exhibition

In September 2006, The John Martin Gallery hosted a charity exhibition of Capt. Grant's paintings, organized by Hugh Grant.

2006: Dropped his agent at CAA

In 2006, Hugh Grant ended a 10-year relationship with CAA by dropping his agent.

2006: Honorary César

In 2006, Hugh Grant received an Honorary César award.

2006: Starring in "American Dreamz"

In 2006, Hugh Grant starred in the black comedy "American Dreamz", where he played an acerbic reality show host. Despite the film's financial failure, Grant received generous praise for his performance.

April 2007: Arrested on assault allegations

In April 2007, Hugh Grant was arrested on allegations of assault made by paparazzo Ian Whittaker.

April 2007: Accepted damages from Associated Newspapers

On 27 April 2007, Hugh Grant accepted undisclosed damages from Associated Newspapers over claims made about his relationships with former girlfriends in tabloid articles.

June 2007: Assault charges dropped

On 1 June 2007, charges against Hugh Grant for alleged assault were dropped due to "insufficient evidence".

2007: Vogue profile on Hugh Grant

A 2007 Vogue profile referred to Hugh Grant as a man with a "professionally misanthropic mystique".

2007: Sold Andy Warhol print

In 2007, Hugh Grant sold the Andy Warhol print "Liz" for £13m.

2007: Music and Lyrics

In 2007, Hugh Grant starred in "Music and Lyrics".

2007: Starring in "Music and Lyrics"

In 2007, Hugh Grant starred opposite Drew Barrymore in "Music and Lyrics", a parody of pop culture and the music industry. He learned to sing, play the piano, and dance for the role.

2009: Failure of Did You Hear About the Morgans?

After the failure of "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" in 2009, Hugh Grant stated he began to move away from romantic comedies.

April 2011: Published article in New Statesman

In April 2011, Hugh Grant published "The Bugger, Bugged" in the New Statesman, detailing a conversation with Paul McMullan about phone hacking and political relationships with Rupert Murdoch.

July 2011: Appeared on Question Time

In July 2011, Hugh Grant appeared on BBC television's Question Time, becoming a spokesman against Murdoch's News Corporation in the wake of the Milly Dowler phone hacking scandal.

September 2011: Birth of daughter Jing Xi

In September 2011, Hugh Grant had a daughter, Jing Xi, with Tinglan Hong after a 'fleeting affair'.

2011: Attended Liberal Democrats' conference

In 2011, Hugh Grant appeared at the Liberal Democrats' conference to discuss the News International phone-hacking scandal and met Nick Clegg.

2011: BBC Apology for Joke

In 2011, the BBC apologized after Hugh Grant made an offhand joke about homosexuality and rugby during coverage of an England v Scotland game at Twickenham Stadium.

September 2012: Birth of second child

In September 2012, Hugh Grant's second child, a son, was born to Anna Eberstein.

December 2012: Birth of third child

In December 2012, Hugh Grant had his third child, a son, with Tinglan Hong after briefly reuniting.

2012: Cloud Atlas

In 2012, Hugh Grant acted in the science fiction film "Cloud Atlas".

2012: Played six characters in Cloud Atlas

In 2012, Hugh Grant played six "incredibly evil" characters in the epic drama film "Cloud Atlas", an experience he has talked about positively.

2012: Hong "badly treated" by the media

In 2012, Hugh Grant stated that Tinglan Hong had been "badly treated" by the media, which prevented him from attending the birth of his daughter.

2012: Featured in "Cloud Atlas" and "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"

In 2012, Hugh Grant was featured in "Cloud Atlas", playing six different characters. Also in 2012, he lent his voice to the animated film "The Pirates! Band of Misfits".

2014: Starring in "The Rewrite"

In 2014, Hugh Grant reunited with Marc Lawrence for "The Rewrite", starring opposite Marisa Tomei. His performance was praised by critics.

December 2015: Birth of daughter with Eberstein

In December 2015, one of Hugh Grant's daughters with Anna Eberstein was born.

2015: Supporting role in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."

In 2015, Hugh Grant had a supporting role in Guy Ritchie's "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", with his performance being highlighted as a positive aspect of the film.

2015: Expressed Support in General Election

In the 2015 general election, Hugh Grant expressed support for Liberal Democrat MP Danny Alexander and hosted a dinner for the Liberal Democrats. He also endorsed Labour candidates Tom Watson and Michael Foster.

2016: Starring in "Florence Foster Jenkins"

In 2016, Hugh Grant played St. Clair Bayfield in "Florence Foster Jenkins", directed by Stephen Frears and starring Meryl Streep. His performance received rave reviews and award nominations.

2016: Florence Foster Jenkins

In 2016, Hugh Grant played St. Clair Bayfield in "Florence Foster Jenkins", earning a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

2016: Grant critiques his performance in "Nine Months"

In a 2016 interview, Hugh Grant expressed strong criticism of his performance in the 1995 film "Nine Months", admitting that he "really ruined it" and overacted due to the pressure of the large-scale production and his higher salary.

2017: Paddington 2

In 2017, Hugh Grant played a haughty actor in "Paddington 2", earning another BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

February 2018: Mirror Group Newspapers apologised and paid damages

On 5 February 2018, Mirror Group Newspapers apologized to Hugh Grant and other public figures, and Grant accepted a six-figure sum to settle a High Court action. He donated the payout to the press campaign group Hacked Off.

March 2018: Birth of daughter with Eberstein

In March 2018, one of Hugh Grant's daughters with Anna Eberstein was born.

May 2018: Married Anna Eberstein

On 25 May 2018, Hugh Grant married Anna Eberstein.

2018: Box Office Success

As of 2018, Hugh Grant's films had grossed nearly US$3 billion worldwide, marking a significant milestone in his career.

2018: A Very English Scandal

In 2018, Hugh Grant earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Actor for his role as Jeremy Thorpe in the BBC miniseries "A Very English Scandal".

2018: Feud with Robert Downey Jr.

In 2018, Hugh Grant mentioned on-set tension with Robert Downey Jr., stating Downey "hated" him. Downey later made amends publicly on Twitter.

2018: Return to television with "A Very English Scandal"

In 2018, Hugh Grant returned to television screens after 25 years in the BBC One miniseries "A Very English Scandal", receiving widespread praise and multiple award nominations.

2019: Campaigning for tactical voting

During the 2019 general election, Hugh Grant campaigned for tactical voting to stop a Conservative majority and Brexit. He was seen canvassing with Liberal Democrats candidates, Labour candidates, and independent Dominic Grieve.

2019: The Gentlemen

In 2019, Hugh Grant acted in "The Gentlemen", a Guy Ritchie action film.

2019: Recognition for performance in Paddington 2

In 2019, Hugh Grant's performance in "Paddington 2" was ranked as the 22nd greatest movie performance of the decade by IndieWire. He received a London Film Critics' Circle Award for Supporting Actor of the Year

October 2020: Starred in HBO miniseries The Undoing

In October 2020, Hugh Grant starred in the HBO miniseries "The Undoing", opposite Nicole Kidman and Donald Sutherland. Although the miniseries received mixed reviews, Grant's performance was highly acclaimed, earning him multiple award nominations. Film critic Caryn James said Grant has the "richest part" and added, "He sharply defines Jonathan as a slippery character, and walks the line expertly to keep us off guard.

2020: The Undoing

In 2020, Hugh Grant earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role in the HBO miniseries "The Undoing".

2020: Stated enjoying acting

In 2020, after moving on to more character roles, Hugh Grant has stated that he "enjoys acting now".

2020: Statement on aging out of romantic comedies

In a 2020 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Hugh Grant said he "got old and ugly and I'm not appropriate for romantic comedy films anymore, which has been a great blessing".

2022: One of Britain's Greatest Actors

In 2022, Time Out magazine listed Hugh Grant as one of Britain's 50 greatest actors of all time.

2022: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre - original planned release

In early 2022, the movie Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre was originally planned to be released, but suffered several delays.

December 2023: Supported Christmas Day Lunch

In December 2023, Hugh Grant supported the annual Big H&F Christmas Day Lunch, serving Christmas dinner to elderly residents to combat social isolation and loneliness.

2023: Wonka

In 2023, Hugh Grant acted in the musical fantasy "Wonka".

2023: Appeared as an Oompa-Loompa in Wonka

In 2023, Hugh Grant appeared as an Oompa-Loompa in "Wonka", a prequel to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Despite initial backlash over his casting, Grant received praise for his performance, with Nick Levine of NME writing "A scene-stealing Grant provides the comic highlights as Lofty".

2023: Reunited with Guy Ritchie for Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre and appeared in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

In 2023, Hugh Grant reunited with Guy Ritchie for "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre" and also appeared as Forge in "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves." While "Operation Fortune" was a box office flop, Grant's performance was still praised. Grant was also praised for his performance in "Dungeons & Dragons".

April 2024: Settled case against News Group Newspapers

In April 2024, Hugh Grant announced that he had settled a case against News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, over claims of phone tapping and burglary. Grant said he "did not want to accept" the "enormous sum of money" he had been offered to settle.

2024: Heretic

In 2024, Hugh Grant acted in the horror film "Heretic", earning him another BAFTA nomination.

2024: Guest appearance in The Regime and starred in Unfrosted

In 2024, Hugh Grant guest appeared in HBO's "The Regime" and played a fictional version of Thurl Ravenscroft in "Unfrosted". Grant was nominated for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor for "The Regime" and his performance in "Unfrosted" was also praised.

2024: Starred in the A24 horror film Heretic

In 2024, Hugh Grant starred in the A24 horror film "Heretic". Grant received positive reviews, including nominations for a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

2024: Endorsed Carla Denyer

In the 2024 general election, Hugh Grant publicly endorsed Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, for the Bristol Central seat, stating she was "a politician with integrity, who puts the public first".