Hugh Grant is finally sharing his thoughts on his iconic role in Notting Hill more than 25 years after the film’s release. During a Nov. 14 video interview with Vanity Fair, the actor admitted that he feels critical of his character, William “Will” Thacker. “Whenever I’m flipping through the channels at home after a few drinks and see this movie, I just think, ‘Why doesn’t my character have any balls?'” Grant said, reflecting on the film.
He pointed out a particular scene that still bothers him, where his character lets Julia Roberts’ character, Anna Scott, face a paparazzi intrusion alone. “There’s a moment in the movie where the paps ring the doorbell at my house, and I just let her go past me to open the door— and that’s awful,” Grant recalled. “I’ve never had a girlfriend, or now a wife, who hasn’t asked, ‘Why didn’t you stop her? What’s wrong with you?’ And honestly, I have no answer for that.”
Actor highlights Roberts’ talent while reevaluating his Notting Hill portrayal
Despite acknowledging that he simply performed the scene as it was written, Grant expressed that he finds his character “despicable” in hindsight. In Notting Hill, Grant plays a bookstore owner in London who falls for Anna Scott, a famous American actress played by Roberts.
Their unlikely romance begins after a chance meeting at the bookstore, where they both struggle to adapt to their vastly different lives as they try to make their relationship work.
While Grant remains unsatisfied with his character, he had high praise for Roberts’ performance. Reflecting on their time working together, Grant shared, “With Julia, like any brilliant actress, you’re always thinking, ‘Oh, Christ, she’s really good. I won’t be as good as her.’ She has this incredible ability to emote, and it’s as if her skin is wafer-thin — you can almost see her soul.”
Grant also previously discussed in a 2020 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that starring in rom-coms left him with an “inferiority complex.” He admitted that he no longer feels suited for such roles.
“Yes, but less now because I’ve gotten too old and ugly and fat to do them anymore,” he said, adding that he has moved on to other types of projects. “I was lucky to be paid a lot, and most of those romantic comedies I can look at proudly. Some weren’t great, but on the whole, they’re enjoyable.”
He continued, “Our job is to entertain, not to practice some weird, quasi-religious experience. I see myself as a craftsman, alongside the people who handle the lights, the editing, and the dolly.”
