At a certain point in one’s acting career, they have to move on from the fluffy romcoms and musical love stories and just grow up. They just can’t be a heartthrob forever, and eventually, the Timothée Chalamets and Jacob Elordis of the world might be in their late 50s looking to star as an emotionally unavailable dad or jaded office worker. But Hugh Grant is not one to give into Hollywood stereotypes, so he can do whatever he wants.
Last year, that meant starring as a rambunctious Oompa Loompa in Wonka. The year before that, he had a small cameo as Daniel Craig’s baking husband in Glass Onion. And now? He’s starring in Heretic, the upcoming horror movie from A24, in which he sings Radiohead’s “Creep” in an unsettling tone. Who would waste this man’s talent in a rom com?!?!
Grant stars as Mr. Reed in the film, which just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Mr. Reed is visited by two Mormon missionaries who hope to convert him to the religion, but he has other plans, which also includes a Jar Jar Binks impression that he reportedly does in order to prove that God isn’t real. Moviegoers seemed to enjoy this.
Could this be the year Jar Jar is finally recognized? It’s been a long time coming. Even Ahmed Best, the actor who played him, is still proud of the character, despite years of hate. And Jar Jar even has his own storyline as Darth Jar Jar in the upcoming Disney+ series Star Wars: Rebuild The Galaxy. So was this Jar Jar shout out a perfectly-timed campaign to bring Binks back into our collective consciousness? Probably not.
When it comes to his Radiohead impression… it might have already caused a ripple effect in the industry as the band was recently confirmed the be rehearsing together. Will Hugh Grant be the ones to bring Radiohead back? Again… probably not. But maybe! If Oasis can, anyone can.
Heredic hits theaters on November 15th.
