Elizabeth Hurley stars in the new thriller, “Strictly Confidential.” A veteran actress, Hurley is best known for her roles on the big screen in “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” and “Bedazzled,” and on the small screen in “The Royals.”
On the latest episode of Talk Is Jericho, Hurley chatted all about her new film, which was written and directed by her son, Damian. She also talked about one of her biggest breaks as an actress when she landed the role of Vanessa Kensington in the first “Austin Powers.” Turns out, she didn’t even have to audition to nab the part.
“I got offered ‘Austin Powers,’” she told Jericho. “That was an extraordinary thing, because it really was one of my first offers that I didn’t have to fight for. I was in Toronto producing ‘Extreme Measures’ with my then-boyfriend, Hugh (Grant). I was frazzled. It was a big, expensive studio production, and it was my first time producing.”
Hurley continued: “I remember in the morning, cell phones had just come out, and I just got this e-mail saying ‘Mike Myers would love for you to play opposite him in a movie called ‘Austin Powers.’ I was like, ‘What?’ My boyfriend Hugh said, ‘Just say yes. Mike Myers is a genius.’ I’m like, ‘What do you mean? What do I have to do? Comedy? I’ve never done a comedy.’ He’s like, ‘Just say yes. You don’t even need to read the script.’ I’m like, ‘I’m gonna read the script. So I read the script, and it was hysterical. So I said ‘Yes.”
Myers apparently saw Hurley on television and knew she was perfect for the part. “Later I found out that Mike had seen me on a talk show. Apparently as soon as I came on camera — this was in the ’90s — he went, ‘That’s Vanessa Kensington.’ It was that lucky.”
Hurley went on to say how appreciative she was to be cast in a film that has become such a comedy classic.
“It really made a difference to be in something that would go on to become a cult (classic),” she said. “It was interesting, because the first (Austin Powers) movie, it did well, but it did well because it was extraordinary and Mike was unbelievable as Austin. It was like, ‘Woah, what is this?’ And then that built and built and built, so when No. 2 came out, it was a massive smash in the box office. But it’s as big today as it ever was. And it’s pretty amazing to be in a film like that.”
Listen to the entire Talk Is Jericho episode here.
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