Jerry Seinfeld learned firsthand what it was like to work with Hollywood’s favorite curmudgeon, Hugh Grant. According to the comedian, the notoriously grumpy actor was a “pain in the ass” to work with on the upcoming Netflix film Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story.
Seinfeld, who makes his film directorial debut in the comedy, appeared on a recent episode of The Tonight Show, where he dished to host Jimmy Fallon on what it was like working with Grant on the movie.
“We had lots of fights. He’s a pain in the ass to work with,” Seinfeld said. “He’s horrible. He tells you before you work with him, ‘You’re gonna hate this.’ And he’s so right.”
Fallon wasn’t surprised, telling his guest that Grant says the same thing whenever he comes on The Tonight Show.
Despite the tension, Seinfeld said he ended up having the “best night” with Grant when they went out to dinner one time.
“We shot for 10 weeks, and that night that he and I had dinner — and we got drunk having dinner — that was the greatest night,” Seinfeld recalled. “Because he’s so cool and he’s that English thing, you know, that witty, he looks good in a jacket … he’s one of those guys. I love those guys.”
Fallon then revealed a hilarious text Grant sent to Seinfeld before the interview began. It read: “Just watched the film. To my great surprise, I liked it. Laughed out loud. All actors were good. Even you. Love, Hugh.”
Seinfeld also admitted that he didn’t initially think of Grant for the part of Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice behind Tony the Tiger.
“I imagined a frustrated Shakespearean actor who has to play this embarrassing character to make his car payments, and Hugh Grant is perfect for that,” he said. “I did not think of Hugh Grant for the part and I love Hugh Grant so much.”
Seinfeld added, “Then he called us. He said, ‘I want to be in the Pop-Tart movie.’ So I got the script, and he did an audition on his phone, with a glass of wine in the other hand, by the way. Like I care what the audition was. I go, ‘Yeah, you’re Tony the Tiger, sure.’”
Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story drops on May 3 on Netflix.
