Everything We Know About Hugh Grant's Love Life
There's no doubt about it! Hugh Grant has captivated the entertainment industry. With his irresistible charm, unique on-screen persona, and impeccable comedic timing, he has become a beloved and iconic figure in show business. The British star has been in the industry since 1982 – debuting through the comedy-drama film "Privileged."
In the years that followed, the actor focused on doing sketch comedy. He has since started making a name for himself after starring in the 1987 film "Maurice." Although he had done several projects at that point, Grant's ticket to stardom was the 1994 movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral." After starring in the film, success started pouring in for the actor. It grossed remarkably at the box office with more than $245 million in earnings and an estimated $4 million working budget. The globally successful British film paved the way for more British-made films to thrive at the box office worldwide.
With more than four decades in his acting career, Grant is worth more than you think. He is reportedly worth $150 million as of July 2023. While he has indeed solidified his status as one of the most respected and admired actors of his generation, his love life is another story. With his career success and fame, it's not surprising that his love life has also become a topic of conversation among fans and entertainment news outlets. Here is everything you need to know about his relationships throughout the years.
He once cheated on his girlfriend and was arrested for it
Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley's relationship has been the subject of intrigue and fascination in the world of entertainment. Their relationship, which lasted for more than a decade, was marked by an undeniable chemistry that radiated on and off the screen. They first crossed paths in the late 1980s through the 1987 Spanish project "Remando Al Viento." Together, the couple embodied the epitome of glamour and style, and they made headlines as soon as they started dating.
Their relationship lasted for 13 years before they called it quits in 2000. The relationship even survived Grant's infidelity in 1995. The actor admitted to cheating on Hurley with a sex worker named Divine Brown. He confessed that he wasn't in the right mindset at the time since his first-ever film in Hollywood was about to premiere. In an interview with Marc Maron for the WTF podcast, he explained, "I was about to launch my first Hollywood film — my timing was impeccable. My problem was — that was my first Hollywood film, and I'd just been to see it ... 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" (via Page Six).
To make matters worse, he was caught red-handed and was booked for suspicion of lewd conduct.
He's still good friends with ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley
Even though they couldn't make it work as a couple, Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley have remained good friends. In a 2018 interview with Jess Cagle, he was asked if he stayed friends with Hurley. He confirmed to People that they are friends and described their relationship as "like brother and sister." Although they don't talk every day, they have been communicating from time to time.
The "Notting Hill" star revealed that the "Christmas in the Caribbean" actor will always have a place in his heart because they were together through tough times. He said, "I think it's partly because we went from zero to somewhere together, and we went through terrible years at the beginning when neither of us had any work, living in a tiny flat. It was quite bonding."
Elizabeth shared the same sentiments, and they both navigated their failed relationship gracefully as they transitioned into becoming best friends. Grant even became the godfather of her son, Damian Hurley, who was born in 2002. Just like his mother, Damian also developed a good relationship with Grant. It was evident after Damian paid tribute to Grant for Father's Day in June 2022. To this day, Grant's relationship with ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley and her son remains intact.
Hugh's relationship with Jemima Khan
Hugh Grant spent three years of his life dating Jemima Khan. The pair dated from 2005 until their split in 2007. There were several rumors surrounding their relationship, including the claim that the dashing Brit's friendship with Elizabeth Hurley posed a threat to the stability of their relationship. Despite these claims, a source from the Evening Standard revealed that there was no third party involved and the relationship simply ran its course. The insider said, "Jemima has been hugely, hugely fond of Hugh, and there's absolutely nobody else involved on either side. There's great sadness on her part but no acrimony; it is a dead relationship as far as she is concerned."
One factor that seemed to have taken a toll on their relationship was the perception that Grant wasn't husband material and wasn't willing to commit to Khan with an engagement. The source further added, "She feels the relationship has run its course. She felt the relationship was probably never really sufficiently stable to move towards marriage."
Years after their breakup, the former couple continued to make headlines. In 2010, Grant reportedly punched PR executive Matthew Freud to defend Khan. The actor was upset after Freud claimed that the British socialite was seeing Guy Ritchie after they met at his house. While Grant did it to defend her honor, Khan was unimpressed and even disgusted by her ex-lover's behavior. "Jemima thinks the whole thing is very childish," a source told The Telegraph.
Dating two women at the same time
Hugh Grant dated Tinglan Hong in 2011, and this relationship was a little messy. It involved Hong being entangled with Grant and the actor going back and forth with their relationship — while dating both Hong and Anna Eberstein at the same time. Soon, Hong and Grant welcomed their first child together, Tabitha, in September 2011. A year after his daughter's birth, the two-time Emmy nominee then welcomed his first child with his now-wife Eberstein in September 2012. It might seem like a-not-so messy relationship until Grant and Hong had another child, their son Felix, in December 2012.
Grant does not believe in leading a monogamous life. Discussing his thoughts on monogamy and marriage with Howard Stern for his SiriusXM radio show, he confessed, "If you ask me the question, 'Do I think human beings are meant to be in 40-year-long monogamous, faithful relationships?' No, no. Whoever said they were? I think there's something unromantic about marriage. You're closing yourself off" (via People).
Grant admitted that fatherhood made him a better person. In an interview with Us Weekly in 2015, talking about fatherhood, he said, "It's made me much nicer. One of my kids is very obsessed with saying goodbye — he's only 2 — to everyone, including the man who delivers the groceries, whoever he might be. He has to have a hug and a kiss and I find that very charming."
A life-changing relationship in Hugh's life
No one would have thought Hugh Grant would finally settle down, but Anna Eberstein made him do it. There's no doubt Grant enjoyed the life of a bachelor for most of his life, and after what he previously said about marriage and lifelong monogamy, things took a turn. He even admitted he was wrong in his previous perspective on marriage.
Rumors of Grant dating Swedish producer Eberstein started in 2012, the same year they welcomed their son, John. They briefly took a break in 2014 but eventually got back together in 2015. They also welcomed their second child during that time. Eberstein gave birth to their third child in 2018, and they eventually got married that same year. They had a private wedding held at the Chelsea Register Office in London.
During an interview with "Today," Grant couldn't help but gush about his marriage and newfound happiness. Describing his feelings after settling down, he told Savannah Guthrie, "It's really nice, I can't pretend it isn't. I should have done it before. I'm just lucky. I'm lucky. I've got a great wife. I love her" (via People). Although there were rumors claiming he married the mother of his three kids for reasons other than love, the actor was quick to defend himself and the authenticity of their marriage. He addressed the rumors on Twitter and said, "No, I didn't, @Internet. I married her because I love her."