The actor starred as Elinor Dashwood, who is secretly in love with Hugh’s character Edward Ferrars, in the 1995 big-screen adaptation of Jane Austin’s novel.
In a scene near the end of the film, Emma’s character is overcome with emotion when Edward reveals to her he did not get married to the woman he’d been engaged to.
Speaking to the New Yorker, Emma revealed that Hugh was not exactly impressed when she decided to cry over his character’s monologue.
“She was not aware of what was inside her, and it suddenly emerges,” she said, previously writing in her diary, “I was trying to make it as involuntary as possible. A case of the diaphragm taking over.”
She continued: “Hugh Grant was so cross. He said, ‘You’re going to cry all the way through my speech?’ I said, ‘Hugh, I’ve got to. That’s the gag. It’s funny.’ And he says, ‘Yeah, but I’m speaking.’ I said, ‘I know.’”
Watch the scene in question below…
Emma and Hugh have maintained a friendship over the years since first becoming co-stars, and reunited on screen in 2003 festive favourite Love Actually.
Back in 2018, Hugh hailed Emma as “a genius” in an interview with People, but quipped that she is “not remotely sane”.
“She’s nuttier and nuttier as the years go,” he said.