‘Love Actually’ is Celebrating It’s 20th Anniversary — See The Cast Then And Now
Catch up with the beloved stars of the Christmas cult classic!
On November 6, 2003, the world was introduced to the romantic Christmas comedy Love Actually, and with an ensemble cast and heartstrings-tugging storylines, it quickly became a cult classic. Written and directed by Richard Curtis, also known for Four Weddings and a Funeral, the romantic and comedic film features a large cast of characters as they embark on seemingly random and unconnected adventures around London, five weeks before Christmas. But as the story goes on and Christmas gets closer, the Love Actually characters cross paths, and we learn that most are interlinked in one way or another.
And now, celebrating it’s 20th anniversary, this heartwarming web of love stories still brings joy — and tears — to audiences around the world with it’s mix of hope, despair, love and loss.
Related: Emma Thompson’s ‘Love Actually’ Storyline Was Inspired by Real-Life Heartbreak
“Keira [Knightley] was cast for the youthfulness and cheerfulness of her spirit, and she is still like that. Bill [Nighy] is everlastingly young and irresponsible; Liam [Neeson] terribly paternal,” creator Richard Curtis told The New York Times in May 2017 after reuniting with the cast for a Red Nose Day short film. “Hugh Grant behaved well for one week of the original shoot, very badly for the rest, and did exactly the same thing over one day now. It’s rather reassuring.”
Related: 8 Mature Romance Movies That Will Make You Swoon in the Best Possible Way
Here, in honor of two decades of bringing us laughter and heartfelt moments, we decided to see what Love Actually cast has been up to since the film’s release.
The Love Actually cast then and now
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Liam Neeson as Daniel
Action star Liam Neeson has gone through a lot of changes since the 2003 release. Professionally, he has continued to appear on the silver screen in movies like The Taken franchise, The Grey, Cold Pursuit, The Marksman, Widows, Men in Black: International and Made in Italy. He has also continued to star in the Star Wars franchise.
Neeson lost his wife, actress Natasha Richardson, after a skiing accident in 2009. And like his Love Actually character Daniel, he has raised their two sons alone.
But despite it all, Neeson has remained positive and has continued to talk very highly about Love Actually.
"We've all lived lives," the actor said in a 2017 interview with Entertainment Weekly. "Some of us have died. Oh, my dear old friend Alan Rickman, God rest him. Some have gotten divorced. I've lost 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."
Fun fact: He wanted to be in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) so badly that he did not even bother reading the script to see if it was good. He just knew it would be.
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Emma Thompson as Karen
Dame Emma Thompson (yep, you read that right, after starring in Love Actually, Emma Thompson was named a Dame) has still been capturing people's hearts across the world. She played Mrs. Potts in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks, Nany Mcphee in Nanny Mcphee, and The Baroness in Cruella. She also starred in the Harry Potter series alongside Love Actually costar Alan Rickman.
Fun fact: Prince William Arthur Philip Louis personally appointed Emma Thompson with the title of Dame, which is one of Britain's highest honors.
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Alan Rickman as Harry
Best known for his brilliant performance as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films, Alan Rickman is nothing short of a silver screen icon. As well as the Harry Potter films and Love Actually, Rickman has also starred in Die Hard, Galaxy Quest, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Sense and Sensibility. In 2022, Henry Holt and Co. released his authorized biography called Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, which contained his personal diary entries from 1993-2016, and the forward was written by co-star Emma Thompson.
He was also awarded the Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actors Guild awards for his role as Rasputin in the 1996 television movie Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny.
Sadly, in 2016, Rickman died from cancer at age 69. The final film he worked on before his death was Alice Through the Looking Glass, which was dedicated to him.
Fun fact: Despite being author J.K. Rowling's first choice to play Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films, he was only given the role after Tim Roth (the studio's choice) backed out to star in Planet of the Apes (2001).
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Hugh Grant as The Prime Minister
By the time Love Actually came out in 2003, Hugh Grant already had quite the roster of films on his résumé, including Sense and Sensibility, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones's Diary. The actor has since become an action star, starring in The Grey, Cold Pursuit and The Marksman. He also appeared in Widows, Men in Black: International and Made in Italy.
In 2018, Grant married TV producer Anna Elisabet Eberstein, and they share three children together. Grant also shares two children with Tinglan Hong.
Fun fact: Grant revealed he was reluctant to do that iconic dance scene — but said he is now proud he did it and was glad he was able to pull it off.
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Keira Knightley as Juliet
Two-time Oscar-nominated actress Keira Knightley has made quite a name for herself since Love Actually. Known for her historical fiction and fantasy roles in films like Pride & Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean, Anna Karenina, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and Star Wars: Episode I alongside Nesson. Yes, Knightly has certainly done it all.
But she still has a soft spot for Love Actually, telling Entertainment Weekly, "I don't think any of us expected it to become a phenomenon...But it took on this wonderful following, and now it's almost bigger in America than anywhere else."
She is married to James Righton, and they have two children.
Fun Fact: Her birth name was going to be "Kiera," but her mother made a typo on the birth certificate.
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Colin Firth as Jamie Bennett
Colin Firth has become a jack of all trades, acting-wise. Starring in films like The King’s Speech, Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again and Bridget Jones’s Diary franchise. He also starred in the Kingsman films, Mary Poppins Returns, The Secret Garden and the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. With over 70 wins to his name and an Oscar for The King’s Speech, Firth has proven time and time again he can do it all.
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Billy Nighy as Billy Mack
When Golden Globe winner Bill Nighy took on the role of washed-up rocker Billy Mack, no one expected him to have a hit song in Christmas Is All Around. But he did, and post-Love Actually, Nighy has starred in Pirates of the Caribbean, Rango, Emma, Arthur Christmas and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. He also took his acting skills to the stage, starring in Skylight in both London's West End and on Broadway and later appearing in Castlevania.
Fact: He has Dupuytren's Contracture, a condition that causes the ring and little fingers of each hand to be permanently bent inwards towards the palm.
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Thomas Brodie Sangster as Sam
Love Actually was Thomas Brodie-Sangster's first feature film, but since then, he has been in films ranging from Nowhere Boy, The Maze Runner franchise, Phineas and Ferb, Thunderbirds Are Go, Game of Thrones and Nanny McPhee alongside Emma Thompson. Most recently, he announced that he is engaged to actress Talulah Riley.
Fun Fact: At age 13, he accidentally viewed a sex scene in the film Love Actually. He told director Richard Curtis it was the first PG-13 movie he had ever seen.
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Andrew Lincoln as Mark
Andrew Lincoln’s character Mark famously tells his best friend’s wife, Juliet (Knightley), that he loves her using cue cards, but Lincoln himself has done a lot more than that. Lincoln has appeared in Afterlife and Strike Back before landing the titular role in The Walking Dead. Most recently, he can be seen in the Netflix anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. He has been married since 2006 and has two children.
Fun fact: He is well known in the UK for his voicework in TV, radio ads, and documentaries.
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Kris Marshall as Colin Frissell
Kris Marshall played the hopeless romantic Colin Frissell in Love Actually. Since then, he has continued to star in several TV series, including the British show Borderline, Death in Paradise, Beyond Paradise and We Hunt Together. He has been married since 2012 and has two children.
Fun Fact: He is rumored to become the 13th Dr.Who.
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Martine Mccutcheon as Natalie
Known for her iconic jump in Hugh Grant's arms at London Heathrow Airport, Martine McCutcheon brought the loveable Natalie to life.
Ever since starring in Love Actually, McCutcheon has continued to shine on the small screen, Moving Wallpaper, Echo Beach and The Bromley Boys. She also released her four studio albums, her most recent being in 2017. She is married to Jack McManus, and they share one son together.
Fun fact: In 2017, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and made her last onscreen role The Bromley Boys in 2018.
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Chiwetel Ejiofor as Peter
After starring in Love Actually, Chiwetel Ejiofor had some guest-starring roles in box office hits like Inside Man and Children of Men, as well as some indie films like Dirty Pretty Things and Kinky Boots. Then, in 2013, he starred in 12 Years a Slave, earning him an Academy Award nomination. In 2016, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Doctor Strange as Mordo. Some of his other notable tiles include The Martian, the live action Lion King and Sherlock Gnomes.
Fun fact: He was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honors List and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honors List for his services to drama.
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Heike Makatsch as Mia
A German native, Heike Makatsch is best known for her role in Love Actually. But did star in The Resident in 2002 and The Book Thief in 2013. Since then, she has mainly acted in German films.
Fun fact: She has one daughter, who was born in 2007.
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Lúcia Moniz as Aurelia
Speaking only Portuguese didn't stop Lúcia Moniz's character, Aurelia, from finding her soulmate in Love Actually. Since then, she has released four studio albums and can be seen starring in international films and TV shows.
Fun fact: She participated in Eurovision's singing contest in 1996.
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Laura Linney as Sarah
Ever since entering the acting industry in the early 90's, Laura Linney has made quite the name for herself. She has won four Emmys for her TV performances in the show Frasier and Showtime's The Big C. Linney has also won two Golden Globes. Since Love Actually, she has continued to act, her most recent show being Ozark and her most recent movie being Wildcat.
Fun fact: She used to be a teacher specializing in teaching deaf and autistic children.
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Rowan Atkinson as Rufas
Before becoming a jewelry salesman in Love Actually (click through to read some crazy fan theories!) Rowan Atkinson was (and still is) best known for his work on the 1990 sitcom Mr.Bean. He also voiced Zazu in the cartoon version of The Lion King.
Fun fact: Atkinson has trouble pronouncing words that begin with the letter B, and then followed by a vowel. He has to pause slightly to say them.