Can you believe it’s been two decades since we wanted Andrew Lincoln silently tell Keira Knightley, “To me, you are perfect”?That’s right,Love Actuallyturns 20 years old on Nov. 6, 2023, and the timeless holiday rom-com still holds a special place in fans' hearts.Members of the star-studded cast — already quite established when the film hit theaters — has gone on to even bigger things, with Oscar wins and major movie franchises under their belts.Here, onLove Actually’s milestone 20th anniversary, catch up with the cast, then and now.
Can you believe it’s been two decades since we wanted Andrew Lincoln silently tell Keira Knightley, “To me, you are perfect”?
That’s right,Love Actuallyturns 20 years old on Nov. 6, 2023, and the timeless holiday rom-com still holds a special place in fans' hearts.
Members of the star-studded cast — already quite established when the film hit theaters — has gone on to even bigger things, with Oscar wins and major movie franchises under their belts.
Here, onLove Actually’s milestone 20th anniversary, catch up with the cast, then and now.
01of 22Hugh GrantHugh Grant in Love Actually and now.Peter Mountain/Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Jeff Spicer/GettyByLove Actually’s 2003 release, Grant already had quite the roster of films on his résumé, includingSense and Sensibility,Notting HillandBridget Jones’s Diary. The English starmarried for the first timein 2018, has kept busy being a father of five, and is still acting — you can currently see him inGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.And, about that famous dance scene? Grantrevealed he was reluctant to do it— but said he is now proud he was able to pull it off.“People do like it,” he said inThe Jess Cagle Interview. “I’m proud of the fact I did it without any stimulants.”
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Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant in Love Actually and now.Peter Mountain/Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Jeff Spicer/Getty
ByLove Actually’s 2003 release, Grant already had quite the roster of films on his résumé, includingSense and Sensibility,Notting HillandBridget Jones’s Diary. The English starmarried for the first timein 2018, has kept busy being a father of five, and is still acting — you can currently see him inGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
And, about that famous dance scene? Grantrevealed he was reluctant to do it— but said he is now proud he was able to pull it off.
“People do like it,” he said inThe Jess Cagle Interview. “I’m proud of the fact I did it without any stimulants.”
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Martine McCutcheon
McCutcheon hasn’t stopped feeling the holiday magic since playing Hugh Grant’s love interest in the rom-com — she also starred inElf: The Christmas Spectacular, a musical tour in the U.K. based on the Will Ferrell film.
“It was one of my all-time favorite scenes to film,“she said in a press release. “Even now I get so excited every time I’m at Heathrow — welcoming someone home is such a great feeling that never gets old!”
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Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley in Love Actually and now.Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
The actress was just 17 years old when she starred in the holiday film. In the same year she made her debut as Elizabeth Swann in thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise — she’s starred in all five films, with the most recent out in 2017.
Knightley shares two daughters with husband James Righton, whom she wed in 2013.
04of 22Chiwetel EjioforChiwetel Ejiofor in Love Actually and now.Mary Evans/UNIVERSAL PICTURES/WORKING TITLE FILMS/DNA FILMS/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection;Jay Maidment/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett CollectionIn the years surrounding his brief role as an unsuspecting husband inLove Actually, Ejiofor was one of the industry’s premier “that guy” actors, popping up in small parts in big films likeInside ManandChildren of Men, as well as anchoring indies likeDirty Pretty ThingsandKinky Boots. After his star-making turn in 2013’s12 Years a Slave, the London-born actor has one Best Actor Academy Award nomination under his belt. In 2016, he joined the Marvel Universe asDoctor Strange’s Mordo.
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Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor in Love Actually and now.Mary Evans/UNIVERSAL PICTURES/WORKING TITLE FILMS/DNA FILMS/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection;Jay Maidment/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
In the years surrounding his brief role as an unsuspecting husband inLove Actually, Ejiofor was one of the industry’s premier “that guy” actors, popping up in small parts in big films likeInside ManandChildren of Men, as well as anchoring indies likeDirty Pretty ThingsandKinky Boots. After his star-making turn in 2013’s12 Years a Slave, the London-born actor has one Best Actor Academy Award nomination under his belt. In 2016, he joined the Marvel Universe asDoctor Strange’s Mordo.
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Andrew Lincoln
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Colin Firth
Firth has been busy since hisLove Actuallydays, starring in hits likeMamma Mia! Here We Go AgainandMary Poppins Returns. It was revealed in 2017 that the actor almost switched roles with Hugh Grant in the film, but eventually everyone settled into their characters.
Firthsplit from his wife of 22 years, Livia Giuggioli, in 2019. They have two sons, Luca and Matteo.
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Lúcia Moniz
Lucia Moniz in Love Actually and now.Mary Evans/Universal Pictures/Working Title Films/DNA Films/Ronald Grant/Everett; Goncalo Villaverde/Global Images/Sipa
Moniz, who plays Colin Firth’s love interest, only speaks Portuguese in the film, while Firth only speaks English — but that doesn’t stop them from falling in love.
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Liam Neeson
A lot has changed for theaction starsinceLove Actually, including the tragic death of his actress wife Natasha Richardson in 2009. After her death, Neeson threw himself into work and has appeared in dozens of movies in the years since.
“It’s [the film] 14 years ago now and we’ve all lived lives,” the actor said ofLove Actuallyin a 2017 interview withEntertainment Weekly. “Some of us have died. Oh, my dear old friend Alan Rickman, God rest him. Some have gotten divorced. I’velost my wife. And, oh, sure, plenty of times I’ve thought about this film and my own life.Love Actually, that’s the way it is. That’s the tapestry of life.”
09of 22Thomas Brodie-SangsterThomas Brodie-Sangster in Love Actually and now.Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection;Ben Rothstein/TM and 20th Century Fox Netherlands/Courtesy Everett CollectionBrodie-Sangster — who played lovelorn moppet Sam inLove Actually —has grown into a serious actor, trying his hand at everything fromPhineas and FerbtoGame of ThronesandThe Maze Runnerfranchise.Most recently, he starred as chess pro Benny Watts in the hit Netflix dramaThe Queen’s Gambit. He’s still got those same twinkling eyes, though.
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Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Thomas Brodie-Sangster in Love Actually and now.Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection;Ben Rothstein/TM and 20th Century Fox Netherlands/Courtesy Everett Collection
Brodie-Sangster — who played lovelorn moppet Sam inLove Actually —has grown into a serious actor, trying his hand at everything fromPhineas and FerbtoGame of ThronesandThe Maze Runnerfranchise.
Most recently, he starred as chess pro Benny Watts in the hit Netflix dramaThe Queen’s Gambit. He’s still got those same twinkling eyes, though.
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Emma Thompson
11of 22Heike MakatschHeike Makatsch in Love Actually and now.Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Michael Timm/face to face/REX/ShutterstockThe German actress is best known for her role in the rom-com, as well as starring inThe Residentin 2002 andThe Book Thiefin 2013.She welcomed a daughter in 2007, and has continued to act in mostly German films.
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Heike Makatsch
Heike Makatsch in Love Actually and now.Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Michael Timm/face to face/REX/Shutterstock
The German actress is best known for her role in the rom-com, as well as starring inThe Residentin 2002 andThe Book Thiefin 2013.
She welcomed a daughter in 2007, and has continued to act in mostly German films.
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Bill Nighy
From voicing characters in popular video games (includingThe Elder Scrolls OnlineandDestiny 2) to playing Davy Jones inThe Pirates of the Caribbeanand guest starring inDoctor Who, the actor has been constantly working since playing rocker Billy Mack inLove Actually.
In 2023, he scored his first Oscar nomination for his work inLiving.
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Laura Linney
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Rodrigo Santoro
Rodrigo Santoro in Love Actually and now.Alamy; Neilson Barnard/Getty
Santoro most recently starred in HBO’s sci-fi hitWestworld.
15of 22Billy Bob ThorntonBilly Bob Thornton in Love Actually and now.Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Sundholm Magnus/action press/REX/ShutterstockThornton’s award-winning acting career started 17 years before his role as the U.S. president inLove Actually. He recently starred in the seriesGoliathand in the Ryan Gosling/Chris EvansfilmThe Gray Man.He’s currently married to Connie Angland, his sixth spouse, and mother to his teen daughter Bella.
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Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton in Love Actually and now.Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Sundholm Magnus/action press/REX/Shutterstock
Thornton’s award-winning acting career started 17 years before his role as the U.S. president inLove Actually. He recently starred in the seriesGoliathand in the Ryan Gosling/Chris EvansfilmThe Gray Man.
He’s currently married to Connie Angland, his sixth spouse, and mother to his teen daughter Bella.
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Rowan Atkinson
Before his role as a jewelry salesman inLove Actually, the English actor was (and still is) best-known as Mr. Bean, a comedic character created in 1990 for a sitcom. Atkinson has starred in several movies, shorts and even voiced an animated series as the character.
In 2018, he returned to his other famously comedic role, Johnny English, inJohnny English Strikes Again.
17of 22Olivia OlsonOlivia Olson in Love Actually and now.Universal Pictures; Greg Doherty/GettyLove Actuallysparked Olson’s career in 2003 — after her memorable scene singing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at just 10 years old, she was invited onTheEllen DeGeneresShowandThe Tracy Morgan Show. Olson has mostly done voice acting since, notably for animated seriesPhineas & FerbandAdventure Time.
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Olivia Olson
Olivia Olson in Love Actually and now.Universal Pictures; Greg Doherty/Getty
Love Actuallysparked Olson’s career in 2003 — after her memorable scene singing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at just 10 years old, she was invited onTheEllen DeGeneresShowandThe Tracy Morgan Show. Olson has mostly done voice acting since, notably for animated seriesPhineas & FerbandAdventure Time.
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Martin Freeman
The actorsplit from his longtime on-and-off screen partnerAmanda Abbington in 2016; they share two children.
19of 22Joanna PageJoanna Page in Love Actually and now.Alamy; Joe Maher/WireImageSince stripping down with Martin Freeman in their adult film scene, Page gained fame for her lead role in British sitcomGavin & Stacey. The actress also starred asQueen ElizabethI in a 50th anniversary episode ofDoctor Who.Page has three children with husband James Thornton.
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Joanna Page
Joanna Page in Love Actually and now.Alamy; Joe Maher/WireImage
Since stripping down with Martin Freeman in their adult film scene, Page gained fame for her lead role in British sitcomGavin & Stacey. The actress also starred asQueen ElizabethI in a 50th anniversary episode ofDoctor Who.
Page has three children with husband James Thornton.
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Kris Marshall
Kris Marshall in Love Actually and now.Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock; Dan Wooller/REX/Shutterstock
Marshall has been married since 2012, and has two children.
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January Jones
January Jones in Love Actually and now.Mary Evans/UNIVERSAL PICTURES/WORKING TITLE FILMS/DNA FILMS/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection;Jordin Althaus/FOX
Jones went on to join the X-Men franchise, and most recently appeared alongside Will Forte and Kristen Schaal in the post-apocalyptic comedyThe Last Man on Earth.
22of 22Alan RickmanAlan Rickman in Love Actually and now.In 2016 at 69 years old, Rickman died from cancer. The prolific British actor already had quite the career before the rom-com, with iconic roles inDie Hard,Sense and Sensibilityand theHarry Potterfranchise.The final project the actor worked on before his death was the filmAlice Through the Looking Glass.
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Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman in Love Actually and now.
In 2016 at 69 years old, Rickman died from cancer. The prolific British actor already had quite the career before the rom-com, with iconic roles inDie Hard,Sense and Sensibilityand theHarry Potterfranchise.
The final project the actor worked on before his death was the filmAlice Through the Looking Glass.
source: people.com
