This news came out yesterday, but there are more details today and I couldn’t resist covering it. Apparently Hugh Grant was in talks with Two and a Half Men producers to step in and take the kind of playboy devil-may-care role that was formerly occupied by addict wordsmith Charlie Sheen. As Kaiser wrote in the links, this was a genius idea and a potential win-win that would help this lucrative sitcom continue on with another high profile lead. Grant has been starring in some sh*t movies lately (have you seen Did You Hear About The Morgans?, I did and just for Grant) and his film career has stalled but he still has star power. Unfortunately talks are said to have broken down over the intense work commitment involved, but I’m hoping that he’ll reconsider or that someone leaked this news to gauge interest. With Grant in this show, I’d definitely watch it despite the corny jokes. I still own Four Weddings and a Funeral on VHS. (shameface)

We hear that the idea of Hugh Grant as a replacement for Charlie Sheen in Two And A Half Men was first pitched to CBS boss Les Moonves and CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler about a month ago. After a couple of weeks sorting out the Sheen lawsuit fallout, the two execs blessed the plan and Grant was approached by the producers at Warner Bros. We hear Hugh flew in and had 2 creative meetings. Things were progressing and he had all but a completed deal when he backed out unexpectedly. ‘It was not the money. He didn’t want to do TV because those 24 episodes are a grind and a lot of work. At the end he couldn’t get his head around doing a series.” Another insider tells us that, if Grant committed, “the show could have gotten another 3 to 4 more seasons”.

[From Deadline Hollywood]

Initial reports had Grant being offered $1 million an episode, although Deadline has updated with the news that “Warner Bros sources are now saying it was not that much.” The guy has a complicated relationship with fame, and doesn’t like to be in the spotlight at all. He’s been in altercations with paparazzi and recently audiotaped a conversation with a paparazzo after getting him to open up about News of The World routinely bugging celebrities.

I would bet that Grant was just as daunted by the pressure of helming a big series as by the work commitment. Plus, rumor has it that his girlfriend is expecting a baby. (Which could be patently untrue, but still.) It’s a shame, because he’s a fine actor and I’ve missed seeing him on the big screen. I’d watch any crap movie he was in, including a crap show.

Hugh Grant is shown on 5/9/11. Credit: WENN.com