Jerry Seinfeld has opened up about working with Hugh Grant on Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, joking that he didn’t have a grrreat time on set.
Film fans were left doing a double-take earlier this month when the first pictures emerged of the upcoming comedy, which focuses on the race to create an iconic breakfast treat.
A string of huge names jumped on board the Netflix movie, including Melissa McCarthy, James Marsden, Dan Levy, Max Greenfield and Amy Schumer
During an appearance on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Jerry – who starred and directed the caper – spilled the beans on his co-stars, revealing how Hugh’s role of Thurl Ravenscroft, aka Frosties mascot Tony the Tiger, came about.
‘I did not think of Hugh Grant for the part – and I love Hugh Grant so much – but he called us, and he said, “I want to be in the Pop Tart movie”,’ the comedian, 69, recalled.
‘He did an audition on his phone, with a glass of wine in the other hand. Like I care what the audition was?! I said, “Yeah, you’re Tony the Tiger!”’
‘He’s so funny! We had lots of fights. He’s a pain in the ass to work with. He’s horrible. He tells you before you work with him, “You’re going to hate this.” And he’s so right,’ Jerry laughed.
‘But, one night, he and I had dinner together and that was the best night. 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.
‘He’s so cool and he’s that English thing, that witty. He looks good in a jacket … he’s one of those guys. I love those guys.’
Hugh starred as frustrated Shakespearean actor Thurl, who was forced into accepting a job as Tony the Tiger in order to make money – and hated every single second of it.
Thankfully, despite the bitterness of his character, the actor actually loved the final product, as Jerry confirmed in a text from his colleague.
Sharing a gushing message his co-star sent, he proudly read: ‘Just watched the film. To my great surprise I liked it. Laughed out loud. All actors were good. Even you. Love, Hugh.’
Never change, Hugh.
Unfrosted is slated to be released on the streaming platform on May 3, with Dan Levy, Jim Gaffigan, Bill Burr, Max Greenfield and Amy Schumer also starring.
The official synopsis reads: ‘Michigan, 1963. Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever.
‘A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen.’
Fresh off a scene-stealing stint as an Oompa Loompa in Wonka, Hugh recently admitted he’s on the hunt for more ‘interesting roles’ – which makes his turn as Tony even more iconic.
Appearing on the Drew Barrymore Show, he recently shed light on a change in his career, telling the host: ‘I got a little less bad after I had children, got married, got happier.
‘I got too old and fat and ugly to do romantic comedies obviously, so I got off with more interesting things.’
‘I love those films. I love the fact that people still like them, but I never felt comfortable really doing them,’ he added of the ‘sweeter’ roles of his career.
‘I don’t know about you, but I prefer more of a mask. I want to be someone else. Then it frees me up and then I quite like acting.’
Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story is released on Netflix on May 3.
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