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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Four Weddings and a Funeral secrets from Hugh Grant row to Liz Hurley's dress
It's been over three decades since Four Weddings and a Funeral was released on the big screen, and the Richard Curtis rom-com still holds a special place in the hearts of audiences everywhere For over thirty years, Four Weddings and a Funeral has shown that a film with a lot of heart can go a long way. Despite being one of the most beloved romantic comedies out there, and helping catapult some of its stars to new levels of fame, it was actually a really low-budget project. It cost only £3 million to make - which might sound like a lot, but in Hollywood terms is as cheap as chips - and was shot over just six weeks. But despite being a small movie, Four Weddings is still one of the British public's favourite rom-coms after all these years, and it cemented Hugh Grant as a household name in the UK, along with his girlfriend Liz Hurley. Her stunning and risque Versace dress - the barely-there piece was held together with safety pins - captured serious attention at the Four Weddings premiere, and has become an iconic moment in fashion history. The movie's producer, Duncan Kenworthy, remembered discussing what Liz might wear when going for lunch with her and Hugh the week before the premiere, "Liz said, 'I have absolutely no idea at this point'," he said, adding that "With every piece about Liz came a mention of the film, so it was great publicity. The premiere was an extraordinary event." After the film's release on March 11, 1994, even the movie's theme song - Love is All Around by Wet, Wet, Wet - found major success, and spent 15 weeks at the top of the charts. Pretty much every character in the film has become totally beloved by audiences, from the floppy-haired Charles as lead, to his quirky flatmate Scarlet, and the laugh-a-minute, over-the-top Gareth. Duncan, 73, has said that they were totally consumed by their "little film" during the two years production took and that due to issues finding finance for the film, "We were making it for a long time in our heads before we actually made it in reality". However, even though they were working on a budget, everyone around them really believed that Four Weddings would go the distance. "I remember sitting and watching the Oscars on telly with friends the year before we made Four Weddings and they all said, 'You'll be there next year' and laughed," Duncan explained. "Literally a year later, there I was, at the Oscars, with a Best Picture nomination. It was unthinkable, really. In those days there were only five nominees for best picture at the Oscars. It shows what a big impact the film made – not just with the public but within the film world, too." Despite its popularity, Four Weddings and a Funeral didn't take home Best Picture, but to be fair, they faced some pretty stiff competition that year, with other nominees in 1995 including Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, and Forrest Gump - with the latter taking home the statue. Four Weddings did manage to score a host of BAFTAs, however, for its depiction of Hugh Grant as the slightly-hopeless Charles attending a series of landmark occasions in his loved one's lives - and falling in love with American socialite, Carrie - played by Andie MacDowell. Casting the film presented the production team with a few challenges, particularly when it came to the lead role of Charles. Whilst it might seem impossible to imagine anyone else playing him now, Richard Curtis is said to have had more than few doubts about his ability to carry the role. Over 70 people were auditioned for the role, but in the end it came down to Hugh Grant and one other choice. "It sounds odd now but the other actor in the frame was Alan Rickman, who'd really cut through in the Robin Hood movie. Mike, Richard and I simply couldn't agree which of them to cast, so we voted in secret," Duncan explained. "We were an odd number, and it came out 2 to 1 in favour of Hugh Grant. It's a cause of enormous delight to me that it was Richard who nearly ended Hugh's romcom career before it even started." Hugh Grant has also revealed that Richard Curtis definitely was not a fan of him during the auditioning process, saying "[My audition] was in front of Mike Newell, the director, who seemed to quite like me, and Richard Curtis, who seemed to want me dead. He really hated me. Apparently there was a bit of a fight between them.... and Richard didn't want me at all." The actor also revealed that before the movie's release, he thought it would be a total flop, and he said as much to his friend Sam Neil over dinner one night. Later, Hugh said about his initial impression of the rom-com "I was clearly wrong and the film changed my life. It was the beginning of a happy friendship with Richard Curtis, and I've always had the greatest respect for Mike Newell who taught me things I use to this day." Despite the rocky start to Richard's impression of Hugh, the pair went on to make two other iconic rom-coms together, Notting Hill and Love Actually, so the actor obviously convinced him eventually that he had it in him. Finding someone to play Carrie also presented some challenges, Duncan explained, and after an extensive auditioning process in the US, they offered the role to two actresses - both of whom turned it down. Back in the UK, they heard on the grapevine that established actress Andie MacDowell was in town, and quickly arranged a meeting, "We found out Andie MacDowell was staying at The Dorchester, so Mike and I arranged to meet her in the bar. As soon as we met her, Mike knew she was the one," the producer said. And it was Andie who would end up delivering probably the film's most famous - and cheesy - line after Hugh Grant's character declared his undying love for her as the pair stood in the pouring rain. "Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed," Carrie deadpans, a delivery that Duncan thinks in hindsight might have missed the mark. "Of course Carrie knows it's raining! She's drenched, he's drenched. She means it ironically,' he explained. 'If Andie had said it with a smile, no one would have mentioned it!' Four Weddings and a Funeral is packed with laughs - and at the funeral of Gareth more than a few tears - and it's popularity is such that it has even born a TV show. Created by Mindy Kaling, the show over ten episodes followed the framework of the film - but it didn't resonate with the public in the same way the film had. When it comes to the continued love for Four Weddings, and its longstanding legacy, Duncan said: "To think there's still interest in the film, all these years later, is surprising but lovely."
Metro
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Netflix viewers have days left to catch 'darkly funny' cult horror comedy
It's officially panic stations for Netflix viewers who have just days left to watch one of the best comedy horror movies of recent years. Ready Or Not, starring Samara Weaving, follows the story of a young bride who is invited to her new husband's house to meet his mysterious family. However, things take a dark, Squid Game-style turn when fun, innocent childhood games, such as hide-and-seek, become dangerous and very, very bloody. Weaving's character, Grace, suddenly finds herself in a fight for her life when her husband's mysterious family turns out to be super rich and also super thirsty for her blood. Tackling subjects like the wealth gap in society and the psychopathy among the uber-rich 1%, the film was also praised for balancing its blood and guts with side-splitting laughs. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Originally released in cinemas in 2019, the acclaimed movie was made on a budget of $6million (£4.5m) and made $57.6million (£44m) at the global box office, more than earning its money back. The film was added to Netflix's library following its positive reception from cinema audiences, with the streaming service putting Ready Or Not in its already massive collection. However, it is set to leave the platform in less than two weeks, with the Tyler Gillett co-helmed film set to be unavailable in the UK after Thursday, May 15. Speaking on Reddit, Fan387 sang the film's praises, saying that it had 'its own morbid sense of humour', also saying that the soundtrack was a favourite aspect. Casual_Creator said: 'Watched this movie knowing nothing about it. Had a major blast. Such a fun movie and introduced me to Samara Weaving.' Comparing it to other films from recent years, 22Seres said: 'It ended up being my favorite horror of 2019. And it's the best fun horror movie to come out in a while. Even more than the recent Scream movies.' MothershipQ said the film had become a comfort watch for them: 'This movie rules. It's a regular watch for me. Doesn't get old, and the humor doesn't get too boring either.' The film also stars Four Weddings actress Andie MacDowall, The O.C. star Adam Brody, Canadian TV actor Mark O'Brien, and veteran star Nicky Guadagni Ready Or Not was celebrated by critics at the time, with the film boasting a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 89% and an average critical score of 7.2 out of 10. The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads as follows: 'Smart, subversive, and darkly funny, Ready Or Not is a crowd-pleasing horror film with giddily entertaining bite.' Ready Or Not was also co-directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, as well as Tyler Gillett – the pair went on to direct the fifth and sixth entries in the Scream franchise. More Trending A sequel is planned for release soon, with Samara set to return alongside a star-studded cast including Elijah Wood, David Cronenberg, Kevin Durand, and Buffy actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. The follow-up film is set to be titled Ready Or Not: Here I Come, with filming reportedly getting underway last month—no release date has been finalised. Watch Ready Or Not on Netflix before it leaves on Thursday, May 15. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Netflix quietly drops all 6 episodes of 'amazing' thriller making fans cry MORE: Inside David and Victoria Beckham's £12,000,000 Cotswolds mansion with jaw-dropping outdoor spa MORE: Netflix viewers rediscover 00s sci-fi thriller with 'unexpected' twist as it climbs the charts
