Hugh Grant talks money, discipline and what makes a gentleman

By MiNDFOOD

Hugh Grant talks money, discipline and what makes a gentleman
The hilarious Hugh Grant talks to MiNDFOOD about some of life’s most important lessons.

What’s your definition of a gentleman?

It’s a hard one. I certainly don’t think it’s anything to do with a pinstripe suit and a carnation in your buttonhole, good look though that can be. In my life I tell you, I think one of the things that would define a gentleman is people who pay me back (laughs). Because a surprising number of people borrow money and that’s it. You never see it again! But I really respect those guys who borrowed a few quid off me who actually pay me back. I think that’s cool. And I also think a gentleman punches up and not down.

Has money ever seduced you?

Oh Christ, yes (laughs).

When was the last time and what was it?

Well, money is lovely, because despite sounding the way I sound, I did not grow up rich or privileged at all.

You do sound posh.

I know I do, it’s confusing. But that was not my upbringing. So, money has been lovely, and it shouldn’t be underestimated. Not to have to worry about gas bills is massive and it remains massive all these years later. But I will say one of the few things I’ve learned in life is that if you do something just for the money, it comes back to bite you. Every time I’ve done that where I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t really like this project’, or, ‘I don’t approve of it’, money does hurt you in the end. It might not be immediately, but in a year or two, that’s what I found.

You turned 61 last year – what life lessons have you learned?

I don’t know, the one about money is quite good, don’t do anything for the money. There’s that thing in the Bible that says you have to build your house on rock, not on sand. I think that’s a good lesson. And I think the other lesson, which I try to preach to my children, is that you have got to have some discipline and work through the hard bits. It’s so easy to shy away from the hard bits and then you never achieve anything, and if you never achieve anything, you never have any self-esteem. And if you never have any self-esteem, you are quite a toxic person, I’ve come across that. A lot of people that have inherited money for instance, they think, ‘Why do I feel uncomfortable in this environment?’ And I think it’s because they have never really achieved enough. And if you don’t achieve then you don’t have self-esteem and then you get nasty. So, I think you have got to work. But I don’t know how to make my spoilt children do that, (laughs) with the whip maybe.

As people get older they often shed certain attitudes or fears – what about you?

Probably hair. But not pounds.

If someone had just three hours in London and they’d never been there before, what would you recommend they do?

Well, I think it’s very important to see a football match because this is one of the few times the British are happy, or animated. So, I would recommend going to a Fulham match, of course, because they are the best team in London. I think there’s a very good ghost tour, which I went on, because one of my children was obsessed with ghosts. I shouldn’t have done it, it’s made them much worse, they never sleep (laughs).

You’re married to a Swede – how is your Swedish coming along?

I can say (speaks in Swedish) and that means, “Watch out for the dog shit”, and that’s really pretty much all you need with a small child in London. My children hate it when I speak Swedish.

Why?

I don’t know. It’s like when I sing or dance, they cry (laughs). They plead with me to stop. And of course, the other thing I know are terrible Swedish words, which my wife uses on the tennis court. We have impunity at the very posh Queen’s Tennis Club in London. She can get away with it because no one knows what she’s saying. But I have now looked up these words and they are horrific! (laughs)

Hugh Grant baftas 2018
Hugh Grant and Anna Eberstein arrive for the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Britain, February 18, 2018.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Print Recipe

BECOME A MiNDFOOD SUBSCRIBER TODAY

Let us keep you up to date with our weekly MiNDFOOD e-newsletters which include the weekly menu plan, health and news updates or tempt your taste buds with the MiNDFOOD Daily Recipe. 

Member Login