Hugh Grant’s Biggest Controversies Over the Years: Cheating Scandals, Awkward Interviews and More

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Hugh Grant's Biggest Controversies Over the Years: Cheating Scandals, Awkward Interviews and More

Dramatic on screen and off. Hugh Grant has found himself at the center of several controversies over the years. While walking the red carpet at the Oscars in March 2023, the Love, Actually star was quickly called out online after an interview with Ashley Graham on ABC’s Academy Awards pre-show. When asked by the model what his favorite part of the awards ceremony was, he responded, “It’s fascinating. The whole of humanity is here. It’s Vanity Fair.” Graham was unaware that the actor was not referring to the Vanity Fair Oscars party, but rather the phrase “vanity fair,” defined by Merriam Webster as “a scene or place characterized by frivolity and ostentation.” Things only got more awkward as the Notting Hill star began unenthusiastically responding with short answers, such as saying he wasn’t rooting for any nominees in particular and stating that he couldn’t remember the name of the tailor who worked on his suit. The interview concluded with the reporter asking him about appearing in one of the night’s nominated films Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, in which he made a cameo as the partner of Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc. “Well, I’m barely in it,” he stated. “I’m in It for about three seconds.” On top of that, when asked if he had fun shooting the Knives Out sequel, Grant — who has been married to his wife, Anna Eberstein, since 2018 — simply responded with, “Almost.” [jwplayer DPXPLH6o-zhNYySv2] Several fans took to social media to criticize Grant’s behavior. “Is Hugh Grant just an arrogant d--k all the time? He was so rude to Ashley Graham on the red carpet, complete with an eye roll. Maybe he should stay home if he’s too good for his industry of choice,” one person tweeted during the pre-show, while another wrote, “Hugh Grant just gave one of the worst interviews I’ve ever watched on live tv lol. Admittedly, the question kinda sucked but he was NOT trying to support the interviewer at all.” Perhaps one of the Four Weddings and a Funeral star’s biggest controversies is that of his 1995 affair with Divine Brown. He was caught cheating on his then-girlfriend of eight years, Elizabeth Hurley, with the hooker, for which he was arrested on a misdemeanor lewd conduct charge. He later pleaded guilty and was charged with two years’ probation. While the incident didn’t split them up, the two eventually called it quits after 13 years together in 2000, and they have remained good friends since. “I think when you’ve been with someone for a long time, they are family,” Hurley told Access Hollywood in March 2015 while recalling their split. “And to me, he’s like a big brother. Or not even a bigger brother, ‘cause sometimes I’m more grown up than him. But we’re like siblings.” Their friendly relationship doesn’t mean the Austin Powers star won’t throw a jab at her ex. On a March 2015 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, she said, “I love him, but he’s very annoying.” Scroll below for all the details on Grant’s biggest public controversies:

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Julia Robert’s ‘Big Mouth’

Grant poked fun at the size of his Notting Hill costar Julia Roberts' mouth during a 2004 interview. "Very big-mouthed! Literally, physically, she has a very big mouth," he stated. "When I was kissing her I was aware of a faint echo."

He took another dig at the Oscar winner after the interviewer called Roberts “one of the nicest people I ever met," to which he responded, "I wouldn't go that far …”

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A Scandalous Affair

The About a Boy star was arrested in 1995 after being caught performing sexual acts with Brown in public. Discussing the affair on the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast in March 2021, Grant claimed he was in a "bad frame of mind" at the time of the incident.

Referring to his 1995 movie Nine Months, he explained, "The film was about to come out a week or two after that, and I had a bad feeling about it. I went to see a screening. Everyone in it was brilliant, but I was so atrocious that I was not in a good frame of mind.”

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On-Set Tantrum

In March 2023, Grant admitted to having a "terrible" tantrum on the set of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. “I lost my temper with a woman in my eyeline on day one,” he said in an interview with Total Film Magazine. “I assumed she was some executive from the studio who should have known better.”

He continued: “Then it turns out that she’s an extremely nice local woman who was the chaperone of the young girl. Terrible. A lot of groveling.”

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Awkward Oscars Interview

The rom-com veteran received backlash over how he treated interviewer Graham on the 2023 Oscars red carpet. When asked who he hoped would win at the March 2023 awards ceremony, he simply responded, "No one in particular."

He gave another simple answer when asked about his red carpet ensemble, saying he was wearing "just my suit," adding, "I can't remember my tailor."

Grant also appeared uninterested response when asked about his cameo in the Oscar-nominated film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. "Well, I’m barely in it. I’m in it for about three seconds,” he quipped.

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Worst Guest

Former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart revealed in December 2012 interview that the Bridget Jones' Diary star was one of his least favorite guests he'd ever had on the late-night show. "He's giving everyone s–t the whole time, and he's a big pain in the ass," he stated, before noting that the actor would "never" be welcome back.

Grant later responded to the host's comment via Twitter, writing, "Turns out my inner crab got the better of me with TV producer in 09. Unforgivable. J Stewart correct to give me kicking."