Renée Zellweger thinks the grumpiest grump in Hollywood is just a bit misunderstood.

On Wednesday, Vogue UK published a delightful — albeit occasionally snarky — piece in which Hugh Grant interviews his Bridget Jones’s Diary co-star in conjunction with the release of the franchise’s fourth instalment, Mad About the Boy, which will arrive in UK cinemas next month.

Towards the end of their interview, Hugh, in predictable fashion, began bemoaning his distaste for most human beings — including himself.

“You’re right, I’m not very friendly,” he eventually said to Renée in a self-deprecating fashion. 

But the two-time Oscar winner had a different perspective of Hugh’s “get off my lawn” public persona.

“No! I don’t think that’s true about you at all,” she said. “I feel like you save your energy for the people that you really, really love and care about, and who know you really, really well. I don’t think you’re curmudgeonly. I think you’re funny.

“But I don’t think that you suffer superficial conversation. It exhausts and bores you, and you’d rather watch cricket on telly.”

It was only fair of Renée to give her opinion of Hugh — who she’s known since they first worked together on 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary — because earlier in the interview, he shared with her what he’s “always thought” about her.

“Shall I tell you what I’ve always thought of you?” Hugh asked his co-star, to which she quipped: “Do I want to know?”

He then explained: “With a lot of other actors, you think they’re really great and then suddenly you see a little glint of steely, scary ambition and you realise this person would trample their grandmother to get what they want in this business.

Grant explained. “But I’ve never seen that glint coming off you. So either it’s very well disguised or you are quite nice.” 

“I’m actually just very boring,” the Chicago star said with a laugh. “Meanwhile you’re fascinating, with a vast hidden trove of outstanding skills. You’re hilariously brilliant at everything you hate.

“And, though you hate humans, you’re a very good and loyal friend. I like you very much. And I love working with you.”

It’s easy to understand how Hugh gained his Grinch-like reputation, which was ramped up thanks to a live interview he gave a few years ago.

In 2023, the Love, Actually star had a very awkward encounter with model Ashley Graham while she was interviewing him on the Oscars red carpet. 

These “annoying” questions included:

• “Do you have your hopes up for anyone [to win tonight]?” (Grant’s answer: “No one in particular.”)
• “What are you wearing tonight?” (Grant’s answer: “Just my suit.”)
• “Who made your suit?” (Grant’s answer: “My tailor.”)

Ashley eventually hit her breaking point and quit the interview, prompting Hugh to seemingly roll his eyes at her.