Highlights
- Drew Barrymore continues to support Hugh Grant despite his controversial behavior, showing unwavering loyalty to her longtime friend.
- Their friendship started in 1995 when Barrymore reached out to Grant during his scandal, and it has endured over the years.
- Despite a drunken make-out session, fans aren't sure if Barrymore and Grant ever actually dated.
Recent times have seen Hugh Grant make waves for less-than-ideal reasons – first for throwing a mega-tantrum on the set of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and then for his icy demeanor towards Ashley Graham at the 2023 Academy Awards. However, as it turns out, there's at least one steadfast ally who's not put off by Grant's standoffish antics; Drew Barrymore.
With a friendship dating back to the 1990s, Barrymore has had ample time to become acquainted with Grant's quirks and complexities, which could explain why her loyalty to the 62-year-old star remains unshaken, even after he outrightly called her singing 'horrendous.'
That said, the Charlie's Angels star's unwavering support does raise a tantalizing question: Is there more beneath the surface of her decades-long friendship with Grant?
How Did Hugh Grant And Drew Barrymore Meet?
Drew Barrymore and beloved British rom-com actor Hugh Grant have shared a friendship spanning decades, and their bond began in a rather unconventional manner. As it came to light during a 2021 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the duo first got acquainted when Barrymore reached out to Grant in a letter during his headline-grabbing Divine Brown scandal in 1995.
"It was during the dark days of my Divine Brown scandal, I was just an idiot,” Grant said. “I was a grown-up idiot who got caught by the police. I was back in England with 5,000 members of the press around the borders of my farm and I opened a letter, from you, that was very supportive and nice, and it was very cheering up, and I thought, 'I love Drew Barrymore.' Words of support from an actress I didn't know in Hollywood was lovely, so, you will always have a place in my heart."
As for why she decided to reach out to a British actor she'd never met before during such a tumultuous time, Barrymore revealed, "That whole incident I related in my own life, and I think that whether it's an actor or politician or anything in between, we expect people to be infallible, perfect, never flawed, and God forbid we do anything in our personal lives that we would like to remain personal -- but we don't have that privilege at a certain point because the cat gets let out of the bag -- and I just had to reach out to you."
Hugh Grant And Drew Barrymore's Bizarre Encounter At A Restaurant
Despite meeting under less-than-ideal circumstances, Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant went on to forge a remarkable friendship. During their 2021 sit-down on The Drew Barrymore Show, the pair fondly recalled the highlights of their enduring bond, and among their most bizarre interactions was drunkenly making out for ten minutes at a New York City restaurant.
"One of the moments that I had the most moxie, and I don't think we've ever talked about this, I walked into I think it was, like, The Waverly Inn, this was years ago, and I had a few drinks,” Barrymore recounted. “And I walked in, and I ran into you and instead of saying hello, I grabbed you by the collar and I fully started kissing you.”
Despite being caught off guard, Grant, also under the influence, reacted rather favorably to the impromptu make-out session. “The expression [you had] was, 'You've never greeted me that way before,' and then you had a second thought, and you were like, 'You know, I'm not hating this,'” Barrymore revealed. “And then we flirted, and then it was like, 'OK, bye. See you soon.'"
While confirming Barrymore's account, Grant admitted that the entire incident was indeed “bizarre,” adding, "I was very drunk as well and I was with some very nice but not drunk studio executives from L.A., and they were very surprised. Someone said, 'Oh, there is Drew Barrymore,' I get up to say hi and then we make out for 10 minutes, and then I sit down, and we go on talking about the script."
Did Drew Barrymore And Hugh Grant Ever Date?
For many, engaging in a brazen ten-minute public make-out session might kindle a romantic connection. However, that's certainly not the case for Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. Speaking to Mike Birbiglia on yet another episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Barrymore admitted that, despite knowing each other for years, she and Grant never dated. “Hugh [Grant] and I did not date,” she shared. “Not even a little.”
In fact, the Never Been Kissed star was quite disappointed upon meeting Grant for the first time, realizing that his real-life persona bore little resemblance to the endearing, bumbling English gentlemen he’d been portraying in romantic comedies for years.
“I was so upset because when I met him, it turns out he’s a totally grumpy old man,” she admitted to Birbiglia, “and you’re like, ‘Wait, no, you’re Hugh Grant! You’re supposed to be like the dashing rom-com guy, what is going on?’”
Despite the initial disappointment, Barrymore eventually warmed up to Grant and got accustomed to his numerous eccentricities.
The Charlie’s Angels star even stepped forward to defend Grant following his painfully standoffish interview with Ashley Graham, where he referred to the 2023 Academy Awards as "vanity fair," expressed vague anticipation about seeing "no one in particular," and struggled to recall the name of his tailor when asked about his tuxedo's designer.
"People are like, 'Oh, he's such a curmudgeon, and she's so thrown.' I'm like, no, that is Hugh Grant,” she said. "You think you're getting this charming movie star and what you really get is grumpy Hugh. And then you fall in love with grumpy Hugh,” she continued. "When he says that, I'm telling you, he is being absolutely funny. He doesn't mean one negative thing about it. The person that Ashley Graham met on that carpet is the real Hugh."
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