Episode 228

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Published on:

13th Sep 2026

Episode 227 - About A Boy

The men who made American Pie decided their next film should be a sensitive Nick Hornby adaptation starring Hugh Grant. Somehow, it worked.

This week we’re looking at About a Boy, the 2002 comedy-drama starring Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette and Rachel Weisz.

We dig into the making of the film, the long road to getting it on screen, Hugh Grant's involvement in casting Nicholas Hoult, the thousands of boys who auditioned for Marcus, the original director who left the project, the film's journey from American Pie to Nick Hornby, and the fascinating story behind Badly Drawn Boy's soundtrack.

Plus plenty more behind-the-scenes stories from one of Hugh Grant's most memorable roles.

Listen to 100 Things We Learned From Film wherever you get your podcasts.

Find us at 100thingswelearnedfromfilm.co.uk

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About the Podcast

100 Things we learned from film
Two friends take a light hearted deep dive in to film in an attempt to learn 100 things from a different movie each week. Expect trivia to impress your friends and nonsense from the start.

About your host

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Mark Plant