“They did a lot of heavy flirting with her”: Hugh Grant and His Ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley Had a Surprising Meeting With Mafia Before a Comedy Movie

Filmmaking is a complex and collaborative process that involves various roles and responsibilities. In terms of an actor, he/she has to invest more time and effort to get to know their characters; in addition, the actor has to meet real-life people associated with their characters to gain insights about the backgrounds to deliver a convincing performance.

In one such experience, actor Hugh Grant shares about his time during a mafia comedy movie, where he and his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley got a unique opportunity to meet many real-life mafias. While, Elizabeth’s charm seemed to cast a spell on these mobsters, making her the “belle of the ball.”

Elizabeth Hurley charms real-life Mafia during Mickey Blue Eyes production

Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley are renowned British actors who once thrived in a high-profile romantic relationship during the 1990s. Grant, who is famed for his notable romantic comedies like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, is known for his charming and attractive on-screen presence.

Elizabeth Hurley, who has been together for 13 years with Grant, is a prominent fashion model and actress known for her roles in Bedazzled and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

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During the production of the 90s mob comedy Mickey Blue Eyes, Grant and his then-producing partner Hurley were introduced to the real-life mafia mob, the Italian-American Mafia, also known as the Cosa Nostra, for research purposes.

These individuals have attracted them with their unusual and funny names, like Rocco the Butcher and Vinnie Seven Heads. Grant shares with Entertainment Weekly that these gentlemen had a wonderful time while Hurley seemed to catch the eye of these gangsters, making her the apple of their eye.

“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.”

He also added that during the research phase, they would go for a private dinner in a remote area where the entire restaurant would be closed “except for one table in the back,” where there will be an older gentleman who seemed to have more influence and Hurley would always be seated right beside him.

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Crime Boss sought a role for his daughter in return for film success

Grant continued, that it was Mike Newell, his Four Weddings and a Funeral director, who had experience in crime dramas like Donnie Brasco, who played matchmaker by introducing Grant to this mafia group.

 “Mike called me up, slightly nervously, and said, ‘Hugh, I think you really, really should talk to a very good friend of mine named Rocco. I can’t give you his last name because I don’t actually know it. He’s called Rocco the Butcher, but don’t let that put you off.’ So we talked to Rocco, and he introduced us to a good friend of his, who was called Vinnie Seven Heads.”

The director of the movie, Kelly Makin, also recalls the influence of these mafias and says the main boss of the gang was arranged with an extra director chair to supervise the filming process, and Makin could see some 400 people approaching and paying him respect.

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Later, he learned that this man was one of the leaders of a crime family. In a scene reminding the famous opening scene of The Godfather, during the filming of a wedding sequence, the crime lord approached the director to give a small role to his daughter,

“I would like to ask you this favor of putting my daughter in this movie,”’ says Makin. ”Very quickly I said yes, of course, and she had a walk-on”.

Afterward, the crime boss lent his gratitude to Makin and offered to help in any way he could, hinting at the film’s success. The movie Mickey Blue Eyes, which gained moderate success at the box office, has gained popularity among viewers for its humor and unique blend of romance with mob-related comedy. Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley finally parted ways in 2000 after 13 years together.

Mickey Blue Eyes is available to watch on Amazon Prime and Vudu

Source: Entertainment Weekly