Successfully Working With Talented, Challenging People

Jerry Seinfeld and Hugh Grant

Jerry Seinfeld can’t say he wasn’t warned.

Actor Hugh Grant honestly, directly told the comedian — and first-time film director — up front exactly what it was going to be like collaborating on a project.

“We had lots of fights,” Seinfeld said. “He’s a pain in the a-- to work with. He’s horrible. He tells you before you work with him, ‘You’re gonna hate this.’ And he’s so right.”

During a recent interview, talking about directing the movie comedy “Unfrosted,” Seinfeld admitted that he came to enjoy time with Grant off the set and has long been a fan, even if he didn’t initially think of him to play a leading role in the picture.

Grant, meanwhile, complimented his boss, Seinfeld.

He “and his team are able to massage the scene the whole time and come up with new jokes left, right and center.” Grant says. “He was lovely and very supportive of me.”

Seinfeld professionally admired Grant and knew that Grant would be excellent in the role and such was confident that the actor’s work could help make the movie a success.

Seinfeld decided he didn’t have to love or enjoy working with him. He just had to collaborate, be professional and tolerate Grant.

So he did so. Grant made it work too and now the two, publicly at least, speak well of each other. No hard feelings. Maybe they never work together again. Who knows. Yet they speak respectfully of each other now, despite the hardship of creating a movie.

It’s not an easy or desirable road but the work, a shared goal, can be the unifying driver of effort, accomplishment, success and profit.