Hugh Grant is one of the greatest rom-com heroes of our time, having starred in Bridget Jones’s Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and more. He’s also a king of the period drama, making his big-screen debut in the 1987 Merchant Ivory classic Maurice before charming Emma Thompson in 1995’s Sense and Sensibility.
In recent years, however, Grant has turned his eye toward slightly more unique roles. Gone are the days of him charming a love interest with a crooked grin and mussed hair — now he’s more likely to be wearing prosthetics or playing the villain.
Grant’s chaotic era reached its pinnacle in July 2023 when the first trailer for Wonka appeared online, introducing viewers to the Hugh Grant Oompa Loompa. It had previously been announced that Grant would play one of Willy Wonka’s singing factory workers, but nothing could prepare the world for the sight of Grant playing the flute inside a glass jar and sassing Timothée Chalamet.
“I was really just thinking about that character; somebody who could be a real s–t, and then — ah, Hugh!” director Paul King quipped to reporters at the trailer premiere when discussing why he chose Grant for the role. “Because he’s the funniest, most sarcastic s–t I’ve ever met.” (Wonka hit theaters in December 2023.)
Keep scrolling for a look back at some of Grant’s most unusual performances: