Hugh Grant reveals surprise career change has “crossed my mind”
Wonka star Hugh Grant, who has become an increasingly active political voice in recent years, has revealed entering the arena of politics has “crossed my mind”.
While for the majority of his career, Grant focussed on his acting and left the murky world of politics to those in Westminster, but over the last decade, he has become majorly invested. After learning he was a victim of the phone-hacking scandal by the British tabloid press, Grant started to use his platform to speak out against injustice and has remained a prominent voice.
Despite not being affiliated with a specific political party, Grant endorsed candidates from Labour and Liberal Democrats at the General Election in 2015.
Furthermore, in the 2019 General Election, Grant teamed up with candidates from both parties who were against Brexit and encouraged tactical voting to stop MPs from the Conservatives getting elected.
Now, in a new conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Grant has revealed that he once considered quitting acting to enter politics.
The Notting Hill star explained: “It has crossed my mind. But what I really see close up is that it’s almost impossible to actually get anything done. It’s just impossible. You’ve got to bring so many people with you. My wife’s mother is a politician.”
He continued: “She was quite senior in the Swedish Parliament. Whenever the subject comes up, she just says, ‘Don’t. You have to water down everything. It’s all horse trading. And nowadays the incoming abuse is unthinkable.'”
Reflecting upon his first major foray into politics in 2019, Grant admitted, “I did very badly. We lost in every single constituency.”
Grant continued: “What was interesting was the abuse that came in from the right. I never know if they’re real or if they’re bots. But they’re good. They’re brilliant at what they do. And it was absolutely terrifying. I’ve had a bit of it before during the Hacked Off campaign, but this was really extreme and shocking and threatening to one’s family. So, I do see that you have to be either very brave or insane to go into politics in the digital age.”
After getting a taste of the dark side of politics, Grant no longer wanted to realise his brief ambition and acting proved to be a more enticing alternative.
Coincidentally, Grant’s latest project combines his passion for politics and acting. In the new HBO series, The Regime, he portrays former chancellor Edward Keplinger. The programme, set in a fictional European country, stars Kate Winslet, and also features Matthias Schoenaerts.
Watch the trailer below.
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