Hugh Grant built his career on the charming, slightly awkward British leading man, and decades later deliberately shifted to eccentric villains and supporting characters. From a shy bookseller to a vain actor with evil plans, his best roles show that whole evolution. These ten films show it most clearly.
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About a Boy (2002): Will Freeman
As a spoiled bachelor who befriends a lonely twelve-year-old boy, Grant delivers one of his most disarming roles. The film breaks with his usual rom-com formula by focusing more on character development than a love story.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994): Charles
As the shy, stammering Charles who keeps running into the same woman at four weddings and a funeral, Grant created the character he would be associated with for decades. The film instantly made him an international star.
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Notting Hill (1999): William Thacker
Opposite Julia Roberts, Grant plays a modest bookseller who falls in love with a world-famous actress. The film revolves around the contrast between his ordinary London life and her stardom.
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Love Actually (2003): The Prime Minister
As the British Prime Minister who falls for a member of his staff, Grant gets one of the most quoted scenes of his career in this ensemble film: his dance through 10 Downing Street.
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Bridget Jones's Diary (2001): Daniel Cleaver
As Bridget Jones' charming but untrustworthy boss, Grant plays a less sympathetic version of his famous persona for the first time. The contrast with Colin Firth's decent character gives the film its tension.
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Sense and Sensibility (1995): Edward Ferrars
In Ang Lee's adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, Grant plays the reserved Edward Ferrars, whose feelings for Elinor Dashwood remain hidden behind family obligations. One of his more restrained period roles.
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Florence Foster Jenkins (2016): St Clair Bayfield
As the supportive husband of a wealthy but hopelessly untalented opera singer played by Meryl Streep, Grant shows a more layered side of his acting, combining comic timing with genuine tenderness.
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Paddington 2 (2017): Phoenix Buchanan
As the vain, self-absorbed villain Phoenix Buchanan, Grant delivers one of the best-received roles of his later career. The film is widely praised as one of the best family films of the decade, partly thanks to his comic presence.
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The Remains of the Day (1993): Reginald Cardinal
In this restrained drama about a butler who suppresses his feelings all his life, Grant plays a supporting role alongside Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. One of the finest Merchant Ivory productions.
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Two Weeks Notice (2002): George Wade
Opposite Sandra Bullock, Grant plays a spoiled business tycoon dependent on his legal adviser. The romantic comedy relies heavily on the chemistry between the two leads.
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