Hugh Grant has revealed there was a scene in Love Actually he hated filming - so much so, that he didn't even want to rehearse it.
It may be considered one of the most enjoyable Christmas movies of all time, but it looks like the early noughties' rom-com wasn't so fun for every member of its star-studded cast to film.
Hugh Grant, whose role as the newly-elected Prime Minister in Love Actually (2003) is arguably one of the British actor's most iconic performances, has now revealed that he 'hated' shooting one part of the festive classic.
"I saw it in the script and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll hate doing that’," the 62-year-old said on the upcoming Love Actually 20th anniversary reunion special with Diane Sawyer.
"I didn’t fancy doing the dance at all, let alone rehearsing it." In the famous scene, Grant's character boogies around 10 Downing Street to The Pointer Sister's 'Jump (For My Love)'. The dance sequence lasts just under a minute, with the English actor busting out freestyle moves through the rooms of the government office until being interrupted by a staff member.
Two decades on, the 'excruciating' scene still seems to make Hugh cringe. He even shared some constructive self-criticism on the ABC special, noting, "I’m out of rhythm by the way, especially at the beginning when I wriggle my arse."
Love Actually director, Richard Curtis, also recalled how Hugh repeatedly refused to dance when it was time for the scene to be shot. "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'."
In another preview clip of the reunion, Emma Thompson, who played Karen in Love Actually, shared Hugh's hilarious comment to her after the first screening of the film.
"Hugh came up behind me as we were walking out and said, 'Is that the most psychotic thing we've ever been in?'" the Academy Award winner revealed, prompting her sheepish co-star to reply, "Did I say that?"
The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later – A Diane Sawyer Special will be broadcast on ABC at 8 p.m. on November 29. It will also be available on-demand on Hulu the next day.
