Four Weddings and a Funeral is one of the best British romantic comedy films ever made. It marks the breakthrough performance of actor Hugh Grant and catapulted him to stardom. As a result, it might surprise some viewers to learn that Grant was initially skeptical about the film’s chances of becoming successful.
Meanwhile, Richard Curtis, who wrote the film was skeptical of Grant’s suitability for the lead role and the actor wasn’t his first choice for the part. Here is why Hugh Grant wasn’t the first choice for Four Weddings and a Funeral and why he initially thought that the film would end up being the biggest flop of his career.
Hugh Grant Believed Four Weddings and a Funeral Was Going to Be a Major Flop in His Career
Hugh Grant played the lead role of Charles in the 1994 British romantic comedy film Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was directed by Mike Newell and based on a screenplay written by Richard Curtis. However, Grant initially thought the film would not perform well as revealed by his friend Sam Neil in his memoir.
During an interview with IndieWire, Grant corroborated Neil’s claim that he was nervous about the film turning out bad before it was released. Grant stated:
“It’s true that we were all sure we’d made a giant turkey till the film had its first previews. I was clearly wrong and the film changed my life.”
In a separate conversation, Grant stated that after the audience loved a preview screening of the film in Santa Monica, the cast and crew were surprised by the reaction. Of course, the film emerged as a critical and commercial success, grossing $245.7 million globally. It also received two Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
Hugh Grant Wasn’t Richard Curtis’ First Choice For the Lead Role in Four Weddings and a Funeral
While speaking with IndieWire, Grant noted that director Mike Newell taught him lessons about acting that he used even today. At the same time, he was also grateful as Four Weddings and a Funeral led to a beautiful friendship with writer Richard Curtis.
Grant’s comment about Curtis is particularly heart-warming since the actor wasn’t his first choice for the role of Charles. Speaking at the Cheltenham Literary Festival, Curtis revealed that the creative team auditioned nearly 70 actors before they had to decide between two actors, Grant, and a pre-Harry Potter fame Alan Rickman.
“Eventually, it was down to Hugh and Alan Rickman. I went for Alan but I was outvoted. I just thought Hugh was a bit annoying, too good-looking, and a bit posh.”
Curtis made the above statement (via The Independent), highlighting why he preferred Rickman over Grant. Nonetheless, it is safe to say that Grant proved Curtis’ apprehensions about him wrong and was the key factor behind the film’s success. Moreover, Grant and Curtis also became friends while working on the film, so everything worked out just fine.
Four Weddings and a Funeral is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
