Hugh Grant recently opened up about why he has passed on several high-budget films, citing creative constraints imposed by large studios. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the seasoned actor revealed that he is cautious about projects where filmmakers seem stifled by corporate influence.
“I’ve turned down a few projects where it felt like a big corporation was breathing down the filmmakers’ necks,” Grant explained. “I don’t want to be part of something like that.” He added that he often asks directors directly about how much creative freedom they truly have. According to him, it’s easy to gauge early in the process if non-creative executives are heavily influencing the film’s direction. “You suggest ideas, and when there’s pushback from executives rather than the creative team, that’s a red flag,” he said.
Grant also reflected on the common mistakes made by studios, saying, “Why didn’t anyone do market research? It’s baffling. Sometimes people just aren’t interested in the story, and that’s something studios need to understand.”
Despite his reservations about big-budget productions, Grant is set to reprise his role as Daniel Cleaver in ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’, the fourth installment in the popular franchise. Interestingly, he wasn’t initially excited about the project and had even declined to participate in the previous film, ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’ (2016). “I just couldn’t see how my character fit into that story, so I stepped aside,” he said.
However, this time around, the actor found himself drawn to the script. “I loved it. It made me cry, and I felt I had to be part of it,” Grant shared. Although he admitted that his character doesn’t have a significant role in the movie, he still contributed by writing a few scenes that made it into the final cut. “I only worked for about a week, but I think audiences will find the film both funny and deeply moving,” he said.
Joining Hugh Grant in the film are stars like Renée Zellweger, Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Leo Woodall.
