Hugh Grant, known for his charming wit, shared a rare and heartfelt glimpse into his life as a father of five during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show Thursday. While bringing his signature humor, the 63-year-old actor revealed the chaotic yet heartwarming moments of raising his children, describing his home life as “noisy” and “unbearable.”
When asked by Clarkson if his kids climb on him like a jungle gym, Grant smiled and said, “I love a bit of that.” He admitted, however, that being an older dad comes with challenges. “There’s a lot to dread because I’m old, and it’s noisy,” he joked. He humorously added that he often hides in the bathroom for peace, quipping, “There’s a lock, but they’ve pretty much broken it now.”
Despite the chaos, Grant grew emotional while describing the joys of being surrounded by his kids. “I’m going home tonight, and let’s face it, the bit where they jump in your arms… my 6-year-old calls it her chimpanzee hug. I quite like that,” he said, adding, “I’ve made myself cry.”
The Love Actually star shares daughters Lulu, 8, and Blue, 6, and son John Mungo, 12, with wife Anna Eberstein, whom he married in 2018. He also has two children, Tabitha Xiao Xi, 13, and Felix Chang Hong, 11, with ex-partner Tinglan Hong. While Grant jokes about the challenges, it’s clear his family is his anchor.
In a 2020 interview, Grant confessed to missing his family deeply while filming. Speaking with The Undoing co-star Nicole Kidman, he reflected, “I thought, ‘Fantastic opportunity to get away from my screaming children.’ But as soon as I got to New York, I missed them so much. It was awful.”
Grant also recently revealed how his children got their unique names. He shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live that his daughter Lulu Danger’s middle name was chosen so she could “say in bars that her middle name is Danger.” Meanwhile, his daughter Blue was named by her older brother, who first suggested “Kevin” after his favorite Minion, but later settled on Blue, his favorite color.
Married to Swedish producer Anna Eberstein since 2018, Grant continues to juggle the “unbearable” chaos of fatherhood with the tender joys of parenting.
