Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant’s basically the poster boy for charming British rom-coms, but the guy’s real life is just as interesting as his filmography. Born Hugh John Mungo Grant (yeah, that’s a mouthful) in Hammersmith, London, back in 1960, he grew up with a teacher mom and a dad who dabbled in art and carpets, plus a family tree loaded with army types—so, a pretty British mix. Young Hugh was into books and the stage early on, snagged a scholarship to Oxford, and nearly went the art historian route before movies lured him in for good. He kicked off his film career with Privileged in 1982 while still figuring things out at college. Fast-forward a bit, and boom—Four Weddings and a Funeral dropped in ’94, and suddenly everyone wanted more of that bumbling, lovable Hugh energy. He cleaned up at the awards for that one, and then just kept rolling with hits like Notting Hill and Music and Lyrics, always managing to play these optimistic, slightly awkward guys who somehow win you over (even if people joke he’s been the same character forever). Off-camera, Grant’s got game—literally—he’s into cricket, football, golf, and an art collection habit he picked up from his dad. He’s weathered some tabloid storms, but honestly, his humor and ability to not take himself too seriously seem to be his real superpowers. Even when he’s playing the Prime Minister or just a regular guy, there’s always this effortless timing and warmth that makes his performances stick.