On Thursday, Moonlight director Barry Jenkins made everybody laugh when he silent watched Notting Hill on his flight home and live tweeted the whole thing. After hilariously explaining how Julia Roberts was "TEW MUCH FOR HUGH," the Oscar winner [1] asked the one question that's been on everybody's mind ever since the classic British rom-com [2] came out in 1999: how did Hugh's character, who is travel bookstore owner, manage to own a house right in the centre of Notting Hill? After all, this pretty location is one of London's most expensive neighbourhoods, and unless you discover that you are the lost Prince or Princess of Genovia, you probably won't ever be able to afford the steep property prices. *Cue the tears*
Ahead, read Barry's hilarious Twitter thread.
In other news, the woman next to me is watching NOTTING HILL. A few choice folks will get the irony of this happening on my last flight of this sojourn. Also... Julia Roberts is STUNNING in this film. And holy shit Lester Freamon is in this?!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [3]
After peeping these dolly/zoom combos in this dinner scene I looked up the director and OF COURSE it's Roger Michell!!! a G and a Gent, was a Telluride regular for quite some time.
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [4]
And this really is THE primo soundtrack for a NOTTING HILL watch, fyi pic.twitter.com/VAGoyPUUXo [5]
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [6]
Okay so I can't actually hear the movie, somebody help me, what's up with Hugh's character? He just made out with Julia Roberts and I'm like... HUH? Julia just looks waaaaaaaay too much for his character in this! But I can't hear it so maybe he got game? Like English cat game???
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [7]
Okay somebody tweeted me that Hugh owns a bookstore, but... on their first date Julia had that braid AND that onesie body suit tucked into jeans and flat heel boots, she was basically Jay-Lo on IN LIVING COLOR! Translation: TEW MUCH FOR HUGH!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [8]
And my ITunes is starting to actually sync with the movie. They seemed to break up and now Julia is in a space suit (?!) and THIS just came on!!! pic.twitter.com/FF2LTL0s5d [9]
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [10]
Yoooooooo is that wild lookin English cat I ain't seem him in forever!!! The dude with the crazy hair, he got jokes I remember that dude!!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [11]
Okay I maybe should stop drinking I had NO IDEA that woman was in a wheelchair. Like... is that a reveal or did I just miss it??? I mean, obviously this thread is being helped along by our friend Woodford Reserve 😬
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [12]
WHY IS THERE A SCENE OF HUGH GRANT SHAVING?! Everybody knows HUGH GRANT DONT SHAVE!!!! That dude ain't NEVER NOT BEEN CLEAN SHAVEN!!! I doth protest!!! English cat game means HUGH AIN'T TO SHAVE BRUH!!!!! Flag on the play Coach Michell!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [13]
Clearly a period piece BTW: what kind of bookstore owner has a flat like THAT in NOTTING HILL? This one actually isn't a joke, what we've done to our neighborhoods, to property values and the VALUE of certain jobs is so damn sobering, depressing
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [14]
Okay: Julia Roberts on a roof in Notting Hill. In Hugh Grants sweatshirt on a roof in Notting Hill. Little to no makeup. Reebok trainers. Wow. If I were Julia and I saw myself in the mirorr, SAW MYSELF looking that way, FEELING that comfortable? Okay THEN... then I would get it.
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [15]
Oh god oh god watching a quasi love making scene between Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts over someone's shoulder is like CRAZY AWKWARD!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [16]
But wait, did I miss it??? Like, she walked in this Oxford two-sizes too big a weeeeeeee bit PRETTY WOMAN but I didn't say that 👀 And then there was a circle dolly and a dissolve and his hand on her back...
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [17]
Or was it HER hand on HIS back?!?!?!?
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [18]
Wow and now she is PISSED!!! Because I was looking at my phone figuring out how to do a poll I have no idea why she is pissed 😫
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [19]
Random thought: the makeup artist working with Julia on this film is SUPERB. At first I thought it was too cute a tell to reduce her makeup as she grew comfortable with him but they stuck to it and it's subtle and just superb. Hats off to script sup and make up artist there 🙌🏿
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [20]
Okay so Hugh is in his bookstore now and as a lover of books and a believer of miracles I can see, I can FINALLY FULLY see how Julia Roberts as Jenny From The Block fell for this English Cat Game, I salute you book slinging grey Oxford wearing remnants of shaving Hugh Grant 🍷
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [21]
Fuuuuuuuuuug JULIA ROBERTS IS LIKE... Julia Roberts is a lamp you find in some antique shop in Novia Scotia. A bulb rather. With infinite lumens and a millionwatt range. She looked at him and I felt his loss. There was a time when this woman's smile could literally replenish you
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [22]
The Wi-Fi is finally getting spotty. But I think we're near the end? I just lost a tweet when the Wi-Fi gave out. But that's fine. I should get back to my actual writing.
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [23]
But... all I can think as I watch this is... I love that I get to do this for a living. And I have no idea what he's saying but he better be spitting some SERIOUS English Cat Game because that's JULIA FUGGIN ROBERTS bruh and she is SHO NUFF in this flick!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [24]
SHE LEFT?! SHE WALKED OUT THE DOOR!!!!!!! THIS MOVIE IS THE SHIT!!!!! 🙌🏿
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [25]
She's not coming back, right?! Tell me there's no epilogue?! And now he's at an AA meeting?!?!?
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [26]
He's at the... bookstore? And everybody just got into one tiny ass car, I'm shooketh!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [27]
THATS RIGHT HUGH HUMBLE YOSELF!!! That's Julia Roberts bruh, chase you must!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [28]
Then again he didn't have Waze or GPS so this runaround is understandable English Cat Game can only overcome so much. Also... I need a coffee, like... yeah 😊
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [29]
Oh LORD this just transitioned into PTSD that's a press junket! That's a junket, right?! Look I got love for the press but oh LORDT that wide shot sent a shiver down my spine 😬
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [30]
Oh he's gonna ask a question!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [31]
YAAAAAAASSSSS!!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [32]
Julia shot him that brow!!! Them eyebrows was like ANNNNNNND SAY SUMTHIN!!!!!!!!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [33]
BUT WHAT DOES HE SAY?!?!?!? What does SHE say?! Damnit she's smiling. His ass had better had EARNT THAT! What did he say?!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [34]
Okay and now EVERYBODY'S KISSING except English Cat Game Number One Hugh Grant?
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [35]
Okay I has whiplash they got married she had a premiere the woman in the wheelchair got a FANTASTIC bob and now... there's kids running around an English park with Hugh reading.... what on earth was he reading to her???
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [36]
It's over?!
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [37]
It's over, y'all.
I hope this isn't embarsssing tomorrow....
Two hours closer to LA though, there's joy in THAT 🙌🏿— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [38]
And FYI, I have no idea what the next film is but it stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. I'm going to drink some coffee and abstain from tweeting THAT 🤣
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) January 4, 2018 [39]