Actor Hugh Grant, who became the poster boy for the charming British fop in romantic comedies such as “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill,” is delighted not to be part of Hollywood anymore.
Grant channels his feelings in his latest film, “The Rewrite,” as Keith, a washed up screenwriter who moves to a small New York town to give a college course on the sometimes cynical and occasionally realistic perils of Hollywood. The film released in UK theaters on Wednesday.
In an interview with Reuters, Grant, 54, talked about how the character Keith and his. “This character still actually loves Hollywood and wants to be part of it, and he’s just sad that he’s not and that he can’t get a job. I’m not quite like that in that I’m delighted not to be a part of it anymore, apart from occasional dippings of my toe. That doesn’t make me a better person. That’s just my taste.”
Explaining why he does not want to be part of it, Grant said: “I never really was crazy to be out there acting, performing, promoting, all that kind of stuff. It’s fun once in a while, but for some people it’s their lifeblood. I’ve never felt like that. I’ve felt that there were other things in life that were equally or more interesting.”
Grant has also been active since 2011 in the Hacked Off campaign, which is dedicated to raising awareness about the victims of press abuse. He gave evidence at the Leveson inquiry into the culture and ethics of the British media and accused several British tabloid newspapers of intruding into his personal life and hacking his telephone.
“What I campaign about is nothing to do with celebrities. I think there’s always going to be a tension between the amount of intrusion that a person in show business wants and the amount that they get and that’s never been different throughout this time shift,” said Grant.
