Hugh Grant and his five children have become a central part of his life, with the celebrated actor stepping into fatherhood at age 51 and later welcoming a total of five children with Tinglan Hong and Anna Eberstein. Living a life once dominated by red carpets and renowned films like Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’s Diary, Grant’s experience as a parent has proven both transformative and deeply meaningful, fundamentally altering his priorities and personal outlook.
Embracing Family Life Later in Life
Grant’s journey into parenthood began in his early fifties, with the birth of his first child, Tabitha, in 2011. He shares Tabitha and a son, Felix, with his ex-girlfriend Tinglan Hong, while his three younger children, John, Lulu, and Blue, are with his wife Anna Eberstein, a Swedish TV producer. Though public about his career, Grant is notably private about his family, choosing to shield his children from excessive media exposure.
Reflecting on becoming a parent later in life, Grant shared,
“It was the nicest thing that’s ever happened to me,”
explaining the deep sense of love and fulfillment that came with welcoming children.
“It’s just lovely to have all that love around. Suddenly you love someone more than yourself. It’s unheard of in my case. And they love you and it’s all enchanting.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Grant and Eberstein first became a couple in 2012 and welcomed their son John that same year. They married six years later in a quiet Chelsea registry office ceremony, described as understated. Commenting on the milestone, a source said it was a day
“none of Hugh’s friends ever thought would come,”
adding,
“He will soon be a pensioner and has finally become a family man.”
—Unnamed Source, The Sun
The Challenges of Balancing Career and Parenthood
Now a husband and father, Grant finds himself facing the familiar pressures besetting working parents, juggling professional commitments with family responsibilities. He confesses to missing his children during prolonged filming schedules, particularly while on the set of the 2020 series The Undoing in New York.
“I thought, ‘Oh, fantastic opportunity to get away from my screaming children,’”
he recalled.
“As soon as I got to New York each time … I missed them so much. It was awful. I remember almost every scene I acted in made me cry.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Throughout interviews, Grant has acknowledged that family life is a complex blend of emotionally charged moments and deep contentment. He described the experience as “damned nice,” noting with candor,
“Anyone with young children would probably agree that it’s simultaneously the worst time in your life and the best.”
Grant added,
“On a day-to-day basis, as you tread on another broken toy with a hangover, it’s just awful. But when you look back at the photographs on your iPhone, you realize, ‘Oh, I have been extremely happy. This is very nice.’”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Welcoming Each of Hugh Grant’s Five Children
Grant’s journey through fatherhood has unfolded in unique chapters, each child’s arrival marking a new era filled with challenges and discoveries. Ahead is a closer look at what the actor has shared about each of his five children.
Tabitha Xiao Xi Grant: A Happy Surprise and Media Scrutiny
After ending a long-term relationship with Elizabeth Hurley, Grant met actress Tinglan Hong at a Chinese restaurant, sparking a brief romantic connection that soon led to the birth of their daughter, Tabitha, in September 2011. Describing Tabitha as a surprise, Grant acknowledged both the delight and the pressure their relationship endured under media scrutiny. To avoid paparazzi interference, he missed her birth but visited her the following day, explaining,
“I have had too many experiences of hospital staff being paid to leak information to the press,”
and
“Naturally, I was very keen to see my daughter as soon as possible, even if it could only be for a short time, so in the end I took a risk and visited the day after the birth.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Tabitha’s middle name, Xiao Xi, means “happy surprise” in Chinese, echoing the circumstances of her arrival. Grant has expressed how much she means to him, stating,
“I’m not sure. Not yet. Not massively, no. But I’m absolutely thrilled to have had her, I really am. And I feel a better person.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Felix Chang Hong Grant: Family Grows Amid Complexity
The following year, Hong and Grant welcomed their second child, Felix Chang Hong, in December 2012. Announcing the news on social media, Grant wrote,
“Am thrilled my daughter now has a brother,”
and
“Adore them both to an uncool degree. They have a fab mum.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
During this eventful period, Grant and Anna Eberstein quietly welcomed their first child together, John Mungo, resulting in overlapping timelines that complicated Grant’s relationship with Hong.
John Mungo Grant: A Secret Arrival and a Growing Household
John Mungo Grant was born to Grant and Eberstein in September 2012, his birth kept private for more than a year before details came to light through updates to his birth certificate. Grant named him after himself, whose full name is Hugh John Mungo Grant. Following John’s arrival, Grant and Hong ended their relationship permanently, clearing the path for Grant and Eberstein’s growing family.
Lulu Danger Grant: Naming Traditions and Unexpected Talents
The couple welcomed their second child together, Lulu Danger Grant, on December 16, 2015. Her name was kept confidential until it was revealed on national television eight years later. Discussing the unusual choice, Grant said,
“I have a daughter who I named…I was in a bit of a panic with my wife on the day we named her and we thought it might be nice for her when she was older if she could say in bars that her middle name was Danger,”
and
“So, her name is Lulu Danger Grant.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Grant took on the role of hairdresser, humorously recalling,
“I started by cutting my daughter’s Barbie’s hair out of sheer boredom, and I discovered I was extremely talented,”
and
“Then I started cutting my children’s hair, whether they wanted a haircut or not. I just strapped them to a chair and cut their hair.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Blue Grant: New Beginnings and Public Revelations
The youngest of the Grant children, Blue, arrived in March 2018. Two months later, Grant and Eberstein solidified their partnership with a private wedding. Regarding the decision to wed, Grant remarked,
“it just seemed like a nice, cozy thing to do,”
noting with characteristic humor,
“I still think it’s nonsense, really, and so does my wife, by the way.”
—Hugh Grant, Actor
Blue’s existence briefly became the subject of media speculation when Elizabeth Hurley mentioned her birth on television, highlighting the couple‘s efforts to keep their daughter’s identity private until Grant revealed her name during a television interview. Grant shared,
“We said, ‘There’s a new baby coming along, what should we call her?’”
attributing the name Blue to son Felix’s preference for the color.
Hurley, who shares a long-standing friendship with Grant, praised his transformation as a parent, joking,
“Having these kids has transformed him from a very miserable person into a fairly miserable person,”
and “It’s improved him. He’s gone up the scale
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How many baby mamas does Hugh Grant have?
A. Hugh Grant had children when he was older. In eight years, the Notting Hill actor had five kids. He shares two children with actress Tinglan Hong. He has three children with his wife, Anna Eberstein. Grant does not often talk about his kids, but he sometimes mentions his family in interviews.
Q. Is Hugh Grant a nice person?
A. Hugh Grant is known for having a certain reputation. He often calls himself “grumpy” during interviews with the media. He also warns directors that he might be difficult to work with on set. This could mean there is some truth to his reputation, or he might just be acting very well.
Q. Is HUGH Grant intelligent?
A. Hugh Grant is very intelligent. He earned a scholarship to study at Oxford University, which is a top school in England. He also took part in the UK’s version of Jeopardy!, where he played with other clever contestants.
Q. Is Hugh Grant grumpy in real life?
A. Hugh Grant is known for having a certain reputation. He often calls himself “grumpy” during interviews and lets directors know he might be difficult on set. Grant mostly creates this image for himself through his own comments.
