Hugh Grant Regretted The 1995 Divine Brown Scandal: ‘I Was Just An Idiot’

Hugh Grant didn't mince words When revisiting the 1995 Divine Brown scandal on The Drew Barrymore Show. Read on for the inside scoop.

“I was just an idiot,” Hugh Grant confessed during a candid chat on The Drew Barrymore Show. The now-60-year-old actor reflected on the career-shaking incident that had him caught with sex worker Divine Brown in Los Angeles while dating Elizabeth Hurley. The fallout? A global media frenzy and a moment Grant would rather forget.

Barrymore helped jog his memory about their first interaction, revealing, “We didn’t meet in person—I reached out to you.” That sparked Grant’s recollection: “It was during the dark days of my Divine Brown scandal… I opened a letter from you that was very supportive and nice.” The letter, he said, was a rare bright spot during a time when he was besieged by the press on his farm in England.

In 1995, Grant was in Hollywood promoting Nine Months when he decided to “take a walk on the wild side” along Sunset Strip. That night ended with his arrest for engaging in lewd conduct with Brown, whose real name is Estella Marie Thompson. At the time, Grant described the act as “completely insane,” adding, “I have hurt people I love and embarrassed people I work with. For both things, I am more sorry than I can ever possibly say.”

The scandal exploded. British tabloids scrambled for exclusives, with News of the World paying Brown $100,000 for her side of the story. She didn’t hold back, claiming Grant said, “I always wanted to sleep with a Black woman. That’s my fantasy.” Meanwhile, Grant faced sentencing, receiving a $1,000 acceptable and mandatory attendance at an AIDS education program.

Grant’s public apology on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno became a defining moment. “I’ve done an abominable thing,” he admitted, praising Hurley for her support. Despite her public silence for months, Hurley later revealed that the betrayal “felt like being shot.” The couple tried to reconcile, but the scandal left lasting scars on their relationship.

For Brown, the arrest brought unexpected fame. She traveled to the UK to promote an adult channel, cashing in on the controversy. However, she faced her legal consequences, pleading no contest and receiving a 180-day jail sentence for violating probation.

Years later, Grant revisited the scandal with humor but unflinching honesty. On Marc Maron’s podcast, he blamed his poor judgment on seeing a rough cut of Nine Months, calling his performance “atrocious.” While Grant’s career survived and even thrived—with hits like Notting Hill and Music and Lyrics—the scandal remains a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of fame.

Barrymore’s kindness during Grant’s darkest days left an impression. “You’ll always have a place in my heart,” he told her. For an actor who’s perfected the art of charm on-screen, this rare moment of vulnerability proved why audiences—and Hollywood—continue to root for Hugh Grant.

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