Remember Hugh Grant’s (David) beloved dance scene in Love Actually? Well, the actor is sharing behind-the-scenes details about the iconic performance.
Hulu recently released a new Diane Sawyer special, titled The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later, in honor of the film’s 20th anniversary. It featured recent interviews with the cast—including Grant, who discussed his character’s memorable dance and how he tried to get it cut from the script.
In the scene (see below), David is running around his house and dancing to “Jump” by The Pointer Sisters in a white button-down shirt and dress pants. “I saw it in the script, and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll hate doing that,’” Grant admitted. “I didn’t fancy doing the dance at all, let alone rehearsing it.”
However, writer and director Richard Curtis confirmed that Grant was contractually obligated to perform the dance. “He kept saying no,” the filmmaker said. “I think he was hoping I’d get ill or something, and we’d say, ‘Oh, well, what a shame, we’ll have to lose that dancing sequence.’”
When Sawyer called the dance “a contractual guillotine,” the Two Weeks Notice star agreed before adding, “And I’m out of rhythm, by the way, especially at the beginning when I wiggle my ass.”
Grant also revealed that it was his idea for David’s secretary to walk in and bust him. “And to this day, there’s many people—and I agree with them—who think it’s the most excruciating scene ever committed to celluloid,” he joked. “But then some people like it.”
When Grant finally agreed to perform the dance, Curtis knew the scene would become cinema gold. He recalled, “[I thought], ‘That’s agonizingly embarrassing. He’s just perfect.’”
BRB, re-watching Love Actually (for the billionth time).
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