Hugh Grant Was 'a Little Bitter' When He Didn't Get Nomination for 'About a Boy'

In an interview with the New York Daily News, Florence Foster Jenkins star Hugh Grant said, regarding his career, “The people who wanted me were always the money people, much more than the important directors. And so that I suppose, if I had any unit of success any metric it was how much money a film made. I was never in that whole other film world which is to do with prizes.”

While Grant has had an impressive acting career, and trophies won shouldn’t determine how valuable his work has been, we here at Yahoo Movies couldn’t help but wonder if he felt any of his work had been overlooked awards-wise.

“I’ve never thought in those terms, particularly,” Grant said when asked about recognition from the various organizations that award actors for their work. After thinking about it for a second, he followed, “I do remember being a little bitter about About a Boy, not being nominated for a BAFTA. It was a British film. Bastards.”

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, BAFTA, did nominate About a Boy for best adapted screenplay, and Toni Collette got a nomination for best supporting actress, but it overlooked Grant’s work that year. It’s a shame — About a Boy stands as some of Grant’s best work. His performance as the aging playboy Will earned him critical praise when the film came out in 2002.

Grant is far more selective with the roles he takes on now. So while his past might have been guided by “money people,” it stands to reason his future will be more in the “prizes” world. That’s what happens when you do movies like Florence Foster Jenkins. Grant himself knows the film is special. “I’m very difficult about scripts, and this just happened to be a brilliant script,” he noted. “It was very funny but also kind of moving. And when you can combine those two, you think, Well, this is a potential seam of gold here.”

Many reviews of Florence Foster Jenkins have cheered Grant’s performance and the film itself. Maybe it’ll win him an award.

Robert Redford and the Pete’s Dragon cast pick their real-life Elliot:

Grant has received two major awards in his career, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, for his star turn as Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Is there another movie you think he should’ve earned a trophy for? Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram — or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khail Anonymous, on Twitter.