Elizabeth Jane Hurley Bio
Elizabeth Jane Hurley (born 10 June 1965), often known as Liz Hurley, is an English actress and model. She gained prominence for her turns in both film and television, including Vanessa Kensington in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) and the Devil in Bedazzled (2000). Hurley has also been a prominent figure in fashion and beauty, notably as a long-time Estée Lauder spokesmodel since the mid-1990s. Her television credits include The Royals (2015–2018) and Runaways (2019). She portrayed Diana Payne on Gossip Girl (2011). Born in Basingstoke, she studied at the London Studio Centre and began her career in the late 1980s, quickly becoming a recognizable screen figure and style icon.
Early Life and Background
Elizabeth Jane Hurley was born on 10 June 1965 in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, the younger daughter of Angela Mary (née Titt) and Roy Leonard Hurley. Her father was a major in the Royal Army Educational Corps, while her mother worked as a teacher at Kempshott Junior School. She has an older sister named Kate and a younger brother named Michael. During her teenage years, she became involved with punk fashion, dyeing her hair pink and piercing her nose, explaining that being punk was the thing to be in her hometown during the early 1980s.
Hurley attended Harriet Costello School in Basingstoke. Aspiring to be a dancer from a young age, she enrolled in ballet classes. She took A-levels in English, Sociology and Psychology in 1983 before studying dance and theatre at the London Studio Centre, which launched her professional career path.
Path to Celebrity
Hurley made her first film appearance in Aria (1987). She subsequently appeared in television productions, including Inspector Morse and Rumpole of the Bailey in 1988. She also portrayed the title character in the four-part television drama Christabel in 1988. When Hugh Grant founded Simian Films in 1994, Hurley was credited as a producer for the company’s films. Her rise to prominence during the 1990s was closely associated with her relationship with Grant.
The defining moment in Hurley’s rise to international fame came at the 1994 London premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral, when she attended wearing a plunging black Versace dress held together with gold safety pins. The appearance gained her instant media attention worldwide and transformed her from a relatively unknown actress into a global style icon.
Elizabeth Jane Hurley Career
Early Career (1987–1996)
Hurley’s early career was marked by supporting roles in films and television throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her appearance in Aria (1987) launched her film career, followed by roles in Passenger 57 (1992) and EDtv. Her association with Hugh Grant, whom she met in 1987 while working on a Spanish production called Remando al Viento, would prove instrumental in her rise to prominence.
When Grant founded Simian Films in 1994, Hurley was credited as a producer for the company’s films, including Extreme Measures (1996) and Mickey Blue Eyes (1999). Her visibility increased significantly during this period, particularly through her high-profile appearances alongside Grant at major film events.
Breakthrough (1997–2010)
1997 proved to be a pivotal year for Hurley when she co-starred with Mike Myers in the spy spoof Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, playing Vanessa Kensington. The film’s success established her as a recognizable comedic actress in Hollywood. She followed this with the role of the Devil in Bedazzled (2000), opposite Brendan Fraser, further cementing her status as a leading actress.
In 2000, she faced public criticism when she broke a five-month acting strike to film an Estée Lauder advertisement, for which she was fined $100,000 by the Screen Actors Guild. On television, she made guest appearances in various series and hosted the inaugural series of the British reality show Project Catwalk on Sky 1 in 2006, though she was dropped after one series.
Notable Works and Milestones
Hurley continued building her reputation with diverse roles, including appearances in Serving Sara and Dangerous Ground. In 2011, she joined the fifth season of Gossip Girl as Diana Payne, a sexy and ambitious media mogul. Her involvement with the Estée Lauder cosmetics company since 1995 established her as a major figure in fashion and beauty. She launched her beachwear line, Elizabeth Hurley Beach, at Harrods in 2005. More recently, she starred as Queen Helena in E!’s The Royals from 2015 to 2018. In 2024, she was voted the sexiest woman in the world by Maxim magazine.
Elizabeth Jane Hurley Personal Life
Hurley was a relatively unknown actress when she met Hugh Grant in 1987 while working on a Spanish production. They maintained their relationship through the 1990s, and she famously stood by Grant following a highly publicized incident in 1995. They announced an amicable split in May 2000 after 13 years together.
On 4 April 2002, Hurley gave birth to her son, Damian Charles Hurley. Steve Bing was confirmed as the baby’s father through DNA testing after initially disputing paternity. Hurley has stated that she, Damian and Bing reconciled before his death to celebrate Damian’s 18th birthday. Hugh Grant is one of Damian’s godfathers. Hurley is godmother to Patsy Kensit’s and Liam Gallagher’s son, Lennon, and David and Victoria Beckham’s two sons, Brooklyn and Romeo.
In late 2002, Hurley began dating Indian businessman Arun Nayar. They married in 2007 and lived on a 400-acre organic farm in Barnsley, Gloucestershire. They announced their separation in December 2010, and the divorce was granted in June 2011. Three months after her divorce, Hurley became engaged to former Australian cricketer Shane Warne. They purchased Donnington Hall in Herefordshire together in 2012. They separated in December 2013. Warne died of a heart attack on 4 March 2022 at age 52, and Hurley paid tribute to her former fiancé. In April 2025, Hurley announced on social media that she was dating American musician Billy Ray Cyrus.
Elizabeth Jane Hurley Charity Work
Hurley has been active in Estée Lauder’s breast cancer awareness campaign, as part of which the company created an Elizabeth Pink lipstick whose sales benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Hurley’s grandmother died of breast cancer. She supported The Prince’s Trust by co-presenting the 2003 Fashion Rocks event and helping launch the GetInto Cooking youth initiative in 2004.
She has helped raise funds for End Hunger Network, ARK children’s charity, and the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre. She is a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the City Veterans Network, a charity based in the City of London that supports former members of the Armed Forces.