Elizabeth Hurley on new Christmas movie, staying bikini ready and Hugh Grant

Elizabeth Hurley is bringing some vacation cheer to the large display screen this week together with her new film, Christmas in Paradise. The 57-year-old actress performs Kelsey Grammer’s daughter, one thing she will’t assist however chuckle at given he is solely 10 years her senior.

“I do not fairly know the way Kelsey feels about me enjoying his daughter — I am definitely older than his spouse!” Hurley jokes to Yahoo Leisure. However for Hurley, who catapulted to fame within the ’90s, this exhibits the kind of progress that is been made for ladies within the leisure business.

“I believe I have been actually lucky as a result of, bizarrely, I type of really feel that within the final couple of years I have been provided extra and I have been getting higher roles than I’ve had for years,” she continues. “I really feel that it might be completely different. You understand, you usually suppose when you’re a youthful actress, ‘Oh my God, it is gonna come to a stage the place I by no means work, or I am solely gonna be provided actually frumpy, uninteresting, [mom] components.’ And I used to be actually not trying ahead to that in any respect. I do not know whether or not it is a change on the planet, or whether or not I’ve simply been very fortunate, however I actually really feel that proper now, there’s simply a variety of alternative to nonetheless have a variety of enjoyable and to actually play some nice components with nice coronary heart. Generally comedy, typically tragedy, however I really feel actually blessed and fortunate for that. Lucky day by day, actually.”

Hurley is something however frumpy in Christmas in Paradise. The film was shot on the island of Nevis within the Caribbean, which implies the actress primarily lives in swimsuits throughout filming. Hurley says she’s all the time ready for a bikini second.

“As a result of I, in a second of insanity began my very own beachwear firm, Elizabeth Hurley Seashore, 15 years in the past… I type of had an obligation to be comparatively seashore prepared always, which is an insane stress to placed on oneself,” Hurley shares. “And I do not know why I did it! I may have made candles or cleaning soap or one thing, however as an alternative I made a decision to make very small bikinis. So I do should shoot all yr spherical.”

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Hurley explains it is “by no means that dangerous having to get again into form” — she even dodged the dreaded COVID 15.

“Lockdown may have been an issue. However actually, as a result of I stay within the nation and I’ve acquired an enormous yard, which all the time wants lots doing to it… throughout lockdown, I handle to spend 10 hours day by day exterior doing handbook labor. So although I ate like a pig, I did a lot work exterior within the yard I did not placed on an oz.,” Hurley quips. “I ate all the pieces all day lengthy, which, you understand, we should always all principally do extra handbook labor, I assume!”

With the vacation season upon us, Hurley has her Christmas classics lined as much as watch: Final Christmas, Unhealthy Santa, House Alone and, in fact, Love Truly, starring her pal Hugh Grant.

“He is unbelievable in that. I am, in fact, an enormous fan of all of his movies, however that is a goodie,” Hurley says of her pal and ex-boyfriend.

Hurley and Grant starred reverse one another in 1988’s Rowing with the Wind, however have not appeared on-screen collectively since. When requested if she’d like to alter that, Hurley replies: “I do not know.”

“I imply we met on [that] film 100 years in the past and we have been solid to play love pursuits in opposition to one another,” she explains. “I produced two films he was in, however once more, that was a really very long time in the past. I do not know if we may work collectively.”

Hurley laughs, “We’re greatest associates however a) we would make ourselves snort and b) we shout at one another! So I am unsure how good that will be for everyone else round us.”

One particular person Hurley will work with is her 20-year-old son, Damian. The actress is at present on location as she’s starring in his first film, Strictly Confidential, which he is directing and writing.

“I am presumably essentially the most burdened I’ve ever been in my life as I am far and wide making an attempt to make this one of the best expertise for him attainable,” the actress, who can also be a producer on the movie, shares. “We wrap simply earlier than Christmas after which we’ll be going dwelling to the nation.”

Christmas will probably be all about “canines, household, associates, meals” and, hopefully, “not a lot handbook labor” within the Hurley family this yr.

Christmas in Paradise is out in choose theaters, on demand and digital on Friday, Nov. 11