Hugh Grant
Though he made his name playing the easygoing and somewhat befuddled Brit in several winning romantic comedies, actor Hugh Grant was a meticulous and often exacting performer, wary of celebrity while making sure to exercise full control over the roles he chose. After breaking through with the Merchant-Ivory adaptation of "The Remains of the Day" (1993), Grant became a star with his turn as a charming, but stammering Brit unlucky in love in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (1994). But he became a household name not for any role he played, but because of one particularly embarrassing moment with a Hollywood prostitute that eradicated his somewhat wholesome image. A quickly forgiving public helped keep Grant in the spotlight, however, thanks to his performances in "Nine Months" (1995), "Sense and Sensibility" (1995) and "Notting Hill" (1999). Grant's career hit new highs with "Bridget Jones's Diary" (2001) and "About a Boy" (2002) - the latter of which widely regarded as the best performance of his career - and the cult favorite "Love Actually" (2003). Though he became even more selective about his roles as his career went forward, Grant managed to cement himself as the go-to leading man for interesting and amusing romantic comedies.