Hugh Grant reveals drastic career change he’s considered

Hugh Grant has been mulling over a dramatic career change – but admits the “threatening” side effects have been putting him off.

Hugh Grant. Picture: Kate Green/Getty Images

Hugh Grant is ready to play another politician … but not in a Love Actually sequel.

The Golden Globe winner let it slip that he’s considered leaving acting behind for a political career.

“[Switching into politics] has crossed my mind,” Grant, 63, told Entertainment Weekly.

“But what I really see close up is that it’s almost impossible to actually get anything done. It’s just impossible. You’ve got to bring so many people with you.”

The British star said that Susanne Eberstein, his mother-in-law and a former member of the Riksdag party within the Swedish parliament, has repeatedly tried to ward him off of a political career, reports the New York Post.

“Whenever the subject comes up, she just says, ‘Don’t you have to water down everything? It’s all horse-trading. And nowadays the incoming abuse is unthinkable,’” Grant laughed.

In 2018, the Paddington 2 actor tied the knot with Eberstein’s daughter, Anna.

Grant and his wife, Anna Elisabet Eberstein. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP

The warning didn’t appear to stop the Wonka star, however, as he managed a small campaign in 2019 during the UK General Election.

“I did mount a tiny campaign to try and persuade people to vote tactically because in our electoral system, this was the way to prevent Boris [Johnson] and company getting back into power,” he said. “I campaigned in a few marginal constituencies for whoever was the closest rival to the conservative candidate.”

Grant ultimately felt “very badly” that they lost “in every single constituency.”

The actor famously played the Britis prime minister in Love Actually.

Even during his short political stint, the hate he received “was absolutely terrifying.”

“What was interesting was the abuse that came in from the right,” he went on. “I never know if they’re real or if they’re bots. But they’re good. They’re brilliant at what they do.”

“And it was absolutely terrifying,” the Notting Hill actor continued. “I’ve had a bit of it before during the Hacked Off campaign, but this was really extreme and shocking and threatening to one’s family. So, I do see that you have to be either very brave or insane to go into politics in the digital age.”

The actor, who played the UK’s prime minister in 2003’s Love Actually, now stars in the HBO miniseries The Regime.

Co-star Kate Winslet, 48, plays Chancellor Elena Vernham of a fictional European country, who ousts the previous leader Edward Keplinger (Grant).

The Regime is available to stream on BINGE.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.