Hugh Grant Hates How His ‘Notting Hill’ Character Handled 1 Scene: ‘Despicable’
Sorry, Notting Hill fans. Actor Hugh Grant is not a big fan of William Thacker. The actor, 64, described his character in the 1999 romantic comedy as “despicable” thanks to one scene the women in his life have asked him about for years.
Hugh Grant asks himself the same question about his ‘Notting Hill’ character William Thacker
Grant revisited Notting Hill, the 1999 rom-com directed by Roger Michell, during a video interview with Vanity Fair. In it, he revealed whenever he watches the movie, one question comes to mind.
“Whenever I’m flicking the channels at home after a few drinks, and this comes up, I just think, ‘Why doesn’t my character have any balls?’” Grant said of William “Will” Thacker.
In the movie, the Golden Globe winner plays a travel bookstore owner whose life in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London, England, changes when American movie star Anna Scott, played by Julia Roberts, visits the store.
An unlikely relationship soon blossoms over a stolen book and a spilled glass of orange juice. Anna and William try to make their romance work despite having very different lives.
Notting Hill has since become a popular rom-com—Dakota Johnson even called it the inspiration behind her acting career—perhaps most memorable for the scene where Roberts’s character says she’s “just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”
Grant hates the ‘awful’ moment Will doesn’t stop Anna from opening the door to paparazzi
He continued, revealing the Notting Hill moment he’s still not a fan of all these years later. “There’s a scene in this film where [Roberts’s character Anna] is in my house and the paps [paparazzi] come to the front door and ring the bell,” Grant recalled. “And I think I just let her go past me and open the door, and that’s awful.”
For those who don’t remember, Anna goes to Will’s house to hide from the paparazzi after scandalous photos from her past resurface. Soon, though, their romantic bubble bursts when cameras show up on his doorstep, and the two part on bad terms. Anna’s exact words are “I’ll regret this forever.”
Grant went on, saying the scene’s been a topic of discussion in his own relationships over the years. “I’ve never had a girlfriend, or indeed, now wife [Anna Ebertstein], who hasn’t said, ‘Why the hell didn’t you stop her? What’s wrong with you?’ And I don’t really have an answer to that.”
The Heretic star shared he acted out the scene as “it was written,” but he still thinks his character is “despicable, really.”
Where to watch ‘Notting Hill’
Want to watch Notting Hill and decide just how “despicable” Grant’s character is? Good news—there are a few different places to watch the rom-com.
First up is Peacock. Notting Hill is currently available on the streaming platform, meaning subscribers can watch the movie at no cost. For those who don’t have Peacock, other options are available but they cost a few dollars.
Notting Hill is available to rent on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Fandango at Home starting at $3.99.
