Elizabeth Hurley

Elizabeth Hurley
4.5
Elizabeth Hurley photo 1 Elizabeth Hurley photo 2 Elizabeth Hurley photo 3 Elizabeth Hurley photo 4
Discuss
Name:
Elizabeth Hurley
Real name:
Elizabeth Jane Hurley
Who is:
Birth date:
(60 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Basingstoke, Hampshire, England
Height:
5'9 ft ()
Weight:
119 lb (54 kg)
Namesakes:
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Photos: Elizabeth Hurley

Elizabeth Hurley photo 1
Elizabeth Hurley photo 2
Elizabeth Hurley photo 3
Elizabeth Hurley photo 4
+31 Photos

Elizabeth Hurley's Biography

Elizabeth Hurley is a British actress and model, best known for her role as the Devil in "Bedazzled" and as Queen Helena Henstridge in the series "The Royals."
Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Hurley

Childhood and Early Life

The future screen star and magazine cover model was born in Basingstoke, England, in June 1965. Her father, Roy, served in the military, and her mother, Angela, taught at Kempshott Primary School, a suburb of Basingstoke. Liz grew up with her older sister Kate and younger brother Michael.
Elizabeth Hurley with her grandmother and older sister
Elizabeth Hurley with her grandmother and older sister
The family was exceptionally close-knit, her parents deeply in love. "Many of my friends experienced their parents' divorce, but such a thing was unthinkable in my family," Elizabeth recalled later.

Liz attended Kempshott Primary School, where her mother taught, then moved to Harriet Costello School. At 12, she fell in love with ballet and took classes for two years before losing interest. "I showed promise, but then they were disappointed in me, and besides, most of the boys there were gay," she recalled.
Elizabeth Hurley as a child
Elizabeth Hurley as a child
What truly captivated young Elizabeth was punk rock. She dyed her hair pink, got a nose piercing, and hung out with local punks. "Most of them were unemployed or manual workers. Because of how we looked, we got turned away from a lot of local pubs," the actress admitted. For a while, she even sang in a punk band named Vestel Virgins, frequently traveled to London for music festivals, and led quite a rebellious lifestyle.
In her youth, Elizabeth Hurley was a punk
In her youth, Elizabeth Hurley was a punk
Despite her rebellious streak, Elizabeth kept her punk passion from interfering with her studies. She was especially drawn to psychology and sociology – and aced her exams in both subjects during her senior year.

After graduating in 1983, she moved to London and enrolled in the London Studio Centre, a dance and performing arts school. But by 1986, she got kicked out for skipping classes. She'd taken off for a vacation to Greece without telling her teachers. When she got back, she was immediately called into the director's office.
I thought it would be fun living in London but getting a job was not easy and all the more difficult because of the nose-ring and the hair. I recognised that it was time to change. So, I did. My Mum was very happy about that and probably, I was too really.

Acting Career

She made her film debut in the musical "Aria," a British-American collaboration in 1987. In one of the film's ten segments ("Die tote Stadt"), she played Marietta. Her first significant project was the mini-series "Christabel" (1988), which tells the story of a young Englishwoman who marries a German lawyer and lives happily in Germany until the Nazis come to power.
Elizabeth Hurley in 'Christabel'
Elizabeth Hurley in 'Christabel'
Hurley began appearing regularly in European films. Her breakthrough came with the Spanish drama "Remando al viento" (Rowing with the Wind, 1988). While working on this film, she met a young Hugh Grant, who portrayed the poet Byron. Their chemistry on set led to a long-term relationship.
Young Elizabeth Hurley
Young Elizabeth Hurley
The following year, she appeared in "Death Has a Bad Reputation" as Lou.
Elizabeth Hurley in 'Rowing with the Wind'
Elizabeth Hurley in 'Rowing with the Wind'
She made her Hollywood debut as flight attendant Sabrina Ritchie in the action thriller "Passenger 57," starring opposite Wesley Snipes.
A scene from 'Passenger 57'
A scene from 'Passenger 57'
In 1994, Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant co-founded their film production company, SIMIAN FILMS. Their first production was "Extreme Measures" (1996), followed by the romantic comedy "Mickey Blue Eyes" (1999). In both films, the lead role was played by Hugh Grant.
Elizabeth Hurley - Rumpole of the Bailey (1988)
That same year, she stole the spotlight at the "Four Weddings and a Funeral" premiere. She arrived with Hugh Grant, who starred in the film. But all eyes were on her show-stopping dress, not the actor. She wore a black Versace dress with dramatic side slits held together by oversized gold safety pins.
Elizabeth Hurley in the famous Versace dress
This moment not only launched Elizabeth into the spotlight but also revitalized Versace's reputation in the fashion world. Hurley landed her first major advertising contract with beauty giant Estee Lauder.
Elizabeth Hurley's striking dress
Elizabeth Hurley's striking dress
She became a multi-millionaire after starring in the spy comedy "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" (1997). Hurley played Vanessa Kensington, earning $3 million for the role. She returned as Vanessa two years later in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me."
Scene from 'Austin Powers'
Scene from 'Austin Powers'
She also starred in the romance "Permanent Midnight" (1998), the comedy "My Favorite Martian," and the dramedy "EDtv" (1999). In 2000, Hurley captivated audiences as the Devil in "Bedazzled." As the seductive female demon, she promises the main character, Elliot (Brendan Fraser), to fulfill his seven wishes. However, as usual, each wish has a catch.
Elizabeth Hurley as the Devil in 'Bedazzled'
Elizabeth Hurley as the Devil in 'Bedazzled'
In 2002, audiences saw Elizabeth in "Serving Sara." The comedy bombed at the box office and got slammed by critics. Hurley later described the shoot as a total nightmare.
'Serving Sara' with Hurley and Perry almost flopped at the box office
'Serving Sara' with Hurley and Perry almost flopped at the box office
The culprit was Matthew Perry's drug addiction, which made working with him incredibly difficult. Even so, she genuinely liked him as a person:
It was hard, obviously. He was struggling, but he was still very charming and a pleasant person. We saw he was suffering.
Elizabeth Hurley snagged a small but memorable role in "Gossip Girl's" fifth season. She played the ruthless businesswoman Diana Payne.
Elizabeth Hurley in 'Gossip Girl'
Elizabeth Hurley in 'Gossip Girl'
From 2015 to 2018, Hurley ruled as Queen Helena Henstridge in "The Royals," a drama about a fictional British royal family.
Elizabeth Hurley in the series 'The Royals'
Elizabeth Hurley in the series 'The Royals'
Lately, the actress has kept a low profile on screen.

Elizabeth Hurley's Personal Life

Elizabeth Hurley's first major relationship was with Hugh Grant. They were together for thirteen years.
Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant (1999)
Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant (1999)
In 1995, Grant made headlines when he was caught with a prostitute. Hurley forgave him, and they stayed together for another five years before splitting amicably in May 2000.
We're like brother and sister. I think it's partly because we went from zero to somewhere together, and we went through terrible years at the beginning when neither of us had any work, living in a tiny flat. It was quite bonding
Hugh Grant
After splitting from Grant, Liz started dating millionaire Steve Bing. Soon after they broke up, she found out she was pregnant. Bing, who'd always been jealous of Hurley's bond with Grant, thought Grant was the father. Things got even messier when Hurley made her ex the child's godfather. Bing denied he was the father, but a DNA test eventually proved otherwise.
Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian
Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian
Though her pregnancy was unplanned, Hurley always wanted the baby. When she found out she was pregnant, she gave up coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol. In 2002, she gave birth to a son named Damian. The actress calls Damian the best thing in her life and even thought about quitting acting in 2005 to focus on him.

In 2007, the actress married Indian politician Arun Nayar, whom she'd been dating since 2003. In 2011, Hurley was photographed with Australian cricket star Shane Warne, sparking cheating rumors. She later claimed her marriage to Nayar had been over for ages, and in October 2011, she got engaged to Warne—though they never actually tied the knot.
Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar
Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar
Rumors later linked her to Evgeny Lebedev's son, actor Jake Maskall, and producer David Foster.

Elizabeth Hurley Now

Elizabeth Hurley's name keeps making headlines, even though she's stepped back from acting. Fans joke that she must've made a deal with the Devil, just like Brendan Fraser in "Bedazzled", considering how young she looks and her fearless poses in swimsuits from her own brand.

The actress credits her beauty to a healthy diet and avoiding many indulgences. She avoids sweets, rarely drinks alcohol, and tries to skip dinner.
Elizabeth Hurley in 2023
Elizabeth Hurley in 2023
In 2022, Hurley's son, who's following in her footsteps as a model, graduated from drama school. Elizabeth attended his graduation ceremony accompanied by her ex-husband Arun Nayar. Damian refers to Nayar as "dad."

That same year, she starred in two Christmas movies. In the U.S. production "Christmas in Paradise," she played Joanna, and in the British film "Christmas in the Caribbean," she took on the leading role of Rachel.
A scene from 'Christmas in the Caribbean'
A scene from 'Christmas in the Caribbean'
Later that year, after Prince Harry's memoir was published, in which he mentioned his first sexual experience with a woman nearly two decades his senior living in the countryside, rumors swirled online that the woman might've been Elizabeth Hurley. This speculation was based on the fact that, during Harry's younger years, the actress lived on a farm near the royal estate. However, Hurley herself has denied these speculations.