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Hugh Grant’s hostility towards media is well-known within the industry, yet the actor has found himself in the spotlight on multiple occasions. Grant began dating actress Elizabeth Hurley when they met during the production of the Spanish filmRemando al Vientoin 1987. Their relationship lasted till 2000, during which time she became globally recognized for wearing the Black Versace dress to the London premiere of Grant’s filmFour Weddings and a Funeral.
Hurley also served as the producer for Grant’s mob comedy film,Mickey Blue Eyes. The film explores the story of Michael, who marries into a Mafia family and gets involved in the family business, endangering his life. In preparing for his role, Hugh Grant enlisted the help of real Mafia members.
Also Read:“You are good at playing washed up old hams”: Hugh Grant Received an Awkward Letter From Director For a Role That Got Him into a Lot of Trouble
Hugh Grant Got In Touch With Mafia Members For Researching His Role In The Movie
Hugh Grantrose to prominence with the 1994 romcom,Four Weddings and A Funeral, directed by Mike Newell. Newell was also the director of theAl PacinoandJohnny Deppstarring crime drama,Donnie Brasco, which explores the story of the Bonanno crime family. Newell, who had come in contact with real-life mobsters for the movie, introduced Grant to the Mafia.
Newell introduced theLove Actuallyactor to Rocco the Butcher, who then introduced him to Vinnie Seven Heads. Grant recalled these colorful names in a 1999 interview with Entertainment Weekly. TheSense and Sensibilityactor added that Vinnie and Rocco also brought along some friends, a few of whom even played extras in the movie.
One head of a crime family even approached the director ofMickey Blue Eyes, Kelly Makin, with a special request. He wanted the director to cast his daughter in a small wedding scene in the movie. Kelly Makin was quick to respond with a yes as he was too scared to be around the mobsters. Once the scene was filmed, the mob boss thanked Makin, even stating that he owed him one.
Also Read:“I did things for all the wrong motives”: Hugh Grant Deliberately Chose Terrible Scripts to Get His Hands on Pretty Actresses That Made Him a Womanizer
The Mafia Members Took Interest In Hugh Grant’s Ex-Girlfriend
Interestingly, Rocco the Butcher, Vinnie Seven Heads, and other mobsters were attracted toElizabeth Hurley. Hurley was present on the sets as a producer and handled the Mafia much better than her partner, Grant. TheBridget Jonesactor revealed that he had to sit in a corner and watch as Hurley flirted with the Mafia members and vice versa. Grant toldEW:
“Elizabeth did a lot of heavy flirting with them, and they did a lot of heavy flirting with her. I sort of sat off in a corner — they weren’t particularly interested in me. But Elizabeth they adored, and she became their princess.”
Some of the Italian-descent actors who made their first appearances inMickey Blue Eyeslater went on to act in the acclaimed mob crime drama series,The Sopranos. The title of the film was even inspired by the real-life mobster Vincent Alo, whose nickname was Jimmy Blue Eyes. The film received mixed reviews and grossed $57 million against a budget of $30 million.
Also Read:“I f–king ate the locust, man”: Chris Pine Casually Munched on Locusts without Hearing Hugh Grant’s Question about $213M Movie with Meryl Streep
Hugh Grant’sMickey Blue Eyesis now available for rent on AppleTV+.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
