Hugh Grant: The Evolution of a Romantic Hero

Since his breakout role in 1994’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” Hugh Grant has grappled with a curious case of brand confusion. His portrayal as the quintessential British romantic lead, characterized by winning charm and endearing diffidence, established him in the hearts of many. Yet, as he embarks on a new chapter of his career, Grant has started to explore a diverse range of characters that challenge the perceptions of his earlier roles.

In recent years, he has embraced a series of bizarre and sometimes unsettling characters, leading audiences to question if they ever truly understood his type at all. Grant himself acknowledges that beneath his easygoing exterior lies a more complex and darker persona. “At school, I had a teacher who used to take me aside and say, ‘Who is the real Hugh Grant? Because I think the one we’re seeing might be insincere,’” he reflected during a stroll through Central Park last month. He was drawing a parallel between himself and Mr. Reed, the charismatic yet sinister antagonist he portrays in the upcoming religious-horror film “Heretic,” set to hit theaters on November 15. “The ability to manipulate and sort of seduce — I might be guilty of that,” he mused.

Now at 64, Grant finds himself in what he describes as “the freak-show era” of his acting career. He has taken on an eclectic mix of roles, including suave miscreants in “The Undoing” and “A Very English Scandal,” gritty gangsters in “The Gentlemen,” and cunning tricksters in “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” He has even lent his voice to a bumbling Oompa-Loompa in “Wonka,” showcasing his versatility in unexpected ways. “That abashed, floppy-haired, benign early version of myself — that was never who I really was,” he asserts.

Grant reflects on the early days of his career, admitting, “My mistake was that I suddenly got this massive success with ‘Four Weddings,’ and I thought, well, if that’s what people love so much, I’ll be that person in real life, too.” He recalls how he would conduct interviews as “Mr. Stuttery Blinky,” a persona that ultimately led to his being pigeonholed. “It’s my fault that I was then shoved into a box marked ‘Mr. Stuttery Blinky.’ And people were, quite rightly, repelled by it in the end.”

After recently attending the premiere of “Heretic” in Toronto, Grant found himself walking through New York on a gloriously sunny day. As he meandered through Central Park, he greeted its landmarks like an old friend, passing the Delacorte Clock, where bronze animals danced to delightful tunes marking the hour, and the statue of Balto, the courageous Siberian husky who famously transported medicine, standing proudly on his rock near the children’s zoo.