Hugh Grant on why he quit acting for seven years
Hugh Grant has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Jonathan Fraser in HBO's hit thriller, The Undoing. And, for many of us, it's like he's never been away. However, the Bridget Jones's Diary star has spoken out his break from acting following a string of successful romantic comedies in the late 90s and early 00s.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, the 60-year-old said he took a break from acting after developing "a bad attitude."
He shared: "I developed a bad attitude from about 2005 onwards, shortly after Music and Lyrics. I just had enough. Then I went back in 2009 and made another film
"At that point, it wasn't me giving up Hollywood. Hollywood gave me up because I made such a massive turkey with that film with Sarah Jessica Parker (Did You Hear About The Morgans?).
"Whether I wanted to or not after that, the days of being a very well-paid leading man were suddenly gone overnight. It was slightly embarrassing but it left life free for other things."
The time away from the spotlight enabled Hugh to spend more time with his wife, Anna Eberstein, parenting the three young children they share. However, Hugh also confessed that part of the reason he actually took the role in The Undoing was to get a bit of peace.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, he added,"I did this job partly to get away from my young children as they are exhausting at my age.
"I thought it would be great to have a break but every time I arrived in New York I missed them so badly I was a mess, so every scene was suddenly a cue for tears for me. I’d even go into a cafe and ask for a cup of coffee and the tears would come!
"Having spent a career unable to muster a single emotion, I find in my old age I can’t stop them. It’s something to do with children or love, or my wife, or something, but I can’t keep it at bay."
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