HOLLYWOOD -- Because of his success with such romantic comedies as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones' Diary and now the Sandra Bullock comedy Two Weeks Notice, Hugh Grant is often called the new Cary Grant.

"I'm very flattered people will even mention his and my name in the same breath, but I don't model my performances after his. I absolutely do not."

Grant is a bit sheepish when he confesses "when Four Weddings and a Funeral came out, and everybody started mentioning (Cary Grant's) name, I hadn't even seen any of his films."

Grant says he has since done his homework.

"I am now a huge fan of Cary Grant, but I never deliberately modelled myself after him."

Grant feels the key to chemistry with a romantic comedy co-star is "to choose the girl carefully.

"I think there has to be at least some part of you that quite fancies them. That always works for me. And I think it helps if you get the sense that maybe there's some corner of them that quite fancies you. If that's the case, you're really in business."

He has been nominated this year for a Golden Globe for his performance in the comedy About a Boy.

Grant has just signed to star opposite Penelope Cruz in the romantic comedy Head in the Clouds.


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