‘Yellowstone’ Star Luke Grimes Calls Hugh Grant His ‘North Star’ For Romantic Comedies: ‘He Was Perfect’

Actor Luke Grimes said he took inspiration from one of the most well-respected actors in the romantic comedy genre while filming his new Netflix movie, “Happiness for Beginners.”

The longtime “Yellowstone” cast member had nothing but praise for actor Hugh Grant. The British star is best known for rom-coms like “Love Actually,” “Notting Hill,” “About a Boy,” “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” and many others.

Grimes cited “Four Weddings and a Funeral” (1994) as one of his favorites. “I think Hugh Grant was the romantic-comedy god,” Grimes said of Grant during an interview with People.

“I think he was so good at what he did in those movies,” he continued. “I was like, ‘I’m going to do my best to try to be Hugh Grant,’ because he was always the straight man, but he was funny enough on his own.”

The “Yellowstone” star said he appreciated Grant because he was funny but “not too funny that it took away from the funny characters.”

“He had just enough that he was perfect,” Grimes said. “You actually believed him and felt for him and had a lot of empathy for him. So he was sort of my North Star [in] trying to do this movie.”

“Happiness for Beginners” is based on a 2015 novel by the same name. It follows a divorcee named Helen (Ellie Kemper) as she embarks on an Appalachian Trail survivalist course. That’s where she meets Jake (Grimes), a friend of her younger brother.

Grimes has appeared in movies with romantic storylines but never took on an official rom-com until now. He told People it had always been a goal of his.

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“I always wanted to do a romantic comedy. It was on my bucket list, because I always skew a little more dramatic and a little more intense,” the actor said “There’s enough bad stuff in the world. And I read the script and I was like, ‘I think I could do this.’”

Overall, he was nervous about the new genre but believes it turned out well.

“I didn’t know if I’d be any good. But in this room when we’re rehearsing with all these really funny people, they accepted me into their circle, and I got to watch them be really funny and try it myself,” he said.

“I understand the reason for [romantic comedies] and I understand why they exist, because sometimes I just want to watch something a little lighter and a little more happy and go to bed with good dreams instead of bad ones,” Grimes said.