For those who love romantic comedies, the 2003 filmLove Actuallystands as an iconic piece within the genre. This is mostly due to the fact that it is written anddirected by Richard Curtis, a British filmmaker well-known in the romantic genre, famous for makingNotting Hill,Bridget Jones’s Diary,andFour Weddings and a Funeral, among other successful films. And, as if Curtis' involvement wasn’t enough to guarantee the success of this rom-com, it also features some of the film industry’s most renowned and beloved actors.
Love Actuallyis one of the many rom-coms that take placeduring the holiday season, and introduces different stories starring characters that, in some way, are connected to one another, attempting to explore different sides of one of the most beautiful yet complicated phenomena that we go through as human beings: love. Thus, the film features a number of stories depicting different situations, both reciprocated and not, from a political figure who falls in love with his assistant to a man who goes to great lengths to help his stepson charm a classmate, passing through hopeful stories and others that are not so positive.
Back in 2003,Love Actuallybecame an absolute box office hit, earning over $246 million worldwide and becoming one of the audience’s favorite rom-coms. While it did not meet with the best reviews from critics, it did manage to score a few nominations and awards. Over the years, the brilliant cast of this production went on to star in films and shows as successful as this one. Have a look at what they are doing today.
Alan Rickman
InLove Actually,Alan Rickmanplayed Harry, a design agency manager who, while married to Karen, strikes up an affair with his young secretary Mia that ends up tearing his family apart. And, as with most of the actors in this rom-com, Rickman’s reputation precedes him: over the course of his career, he rose to become a crowd favorite and was widelyacclaimed for his movies. Rickman became world-famous for many of his performances, including the role of Severus Snape in theHarry Potterfilm saga.
After appearing in Curtis' rom-com, he went on to star in a number of other projects in the industry, includingSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetandAlice in Wonderland.Rickman passed away in 2016due to pancreatic cancer, leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, his fans, and everyone who got to know him.
Related:Love Actually Director Reveals Alan Rickman Was ‘Driven Insane’ Filming One Particular Scene
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompsonplays Karen, a stay-at-home mom who finds out in the worst way possible that her husband is interested in another woman. Just like Rickman, Thompson has worked extensively throughout her career, establishing herself as one of the most acclaimed actresses in the industry. The last few years have been jam-packed for Thompson, who has been spotted in a number of wildly popular productions.
Among them, it is worth mentioning Disney’s live-actionCruella, starring Emma Stone, the filmGood Luck to You, Leo Grandeand the movie adaptation ofMatilda the Musical, in which she brilliantly played Miss Trunchbull. Thompson was last seen on screen in the 2023 British rom-comWhat’s Love Got to Do with It?, starring alongside Lily James, Shazad Latif, and Shabana Azmi.
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grantfirst became known for his roles in romantic movies, and he later proved his outstanding acting skills in roles of all kinds. In recent years, he has headlined a variety of projects, including Guy Ritchie’s filmsThe GentlemanandOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thievesand the HBO miniseriesThe Undoing, starring alongside Nicole Kidman and Donald Sutherland.
He is expected to appear in the upcoming filmsUnfrosted: The Pop-Tart StoryandWonka, as well as the HBO seriesThe Regime. InLove Actually, Grant plays David, the newly appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who falls in love with one of his employees.
Keira Knightley
The same year thatKeira Knightleyplayed Juliet inLove Actually, she jumped to fame for her role in the first film of thePirates of the Caribbeanmovie series, along with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Over the years, Knightley remained active primarily in film, starring in productions such asMisbehaviour,Silent NightandCharlotte, an animated movie inspired by a true story. Her latest role so far came this March in the crime filmBoston Strangler, a production inspired bythe real-life murder caseof the 1960s.
Colin Firth
Colin Firthplays Jamie, a writer whose world is turned upside down after he finds out that his girlfriend is cheating on him with his own brother, and ends up falling in love with a young Portuguese housekeeper he meets during a trip.
In recent years, Firth has been mostly active in film, appearing in productions such asMary Poppins Returns,Operation Mincemeat,andEmpire of Light. However, one of his most significant projects of recent times was the one that marked his comeback to television: Max’s miniseriesThe Staircase, inspired by the case of Michael and Kathleen Peterson.
Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheonplays Natalie, the employee who stole Hugh Grant’s character’s heart, and it was precisely this role that made her known worldwide. Over the years, she continued to appear in a few film and TV projects, but mostly focused on her career as a pop singer, which led her to release four musical albums. The latest film in her portfolio so far is the 2018 British comedyThe Bromley Boys, although back in 2021 she was spotted as a contestant inThe Masked Singer UK’s second season.
Liam Neeson
Liam Neesonstars in one ofLove Actually’s most emotional stories as Daniel, a man who has just lost his wife and, while grieving, tries to bond with his stepson Sam by helping him win over a girl he likes. Shortly after starring in this Curtis production, Neeson cemented himself as a major action star with the 2008 filmTaken, and over the years he went on to star in other films, including 2022’sMarloweandMemory.
Neeson’s future looks as bright as his extensive career in the industry, as he is expected to appear in many projects in the next few months. Among them, it is worth mentioning the filmsIn the Land of Saints and Sinners,Thug,andRetribution, a movie by Nimród Antal that is set for release in late August.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Thomas Brodie-Sangsterrose to fame as"the Love Actually kid", and his role in this production earned him nominations at the Young Artist Awards and Satellite Awards, among others. Over the years, he continued to play characters in film and TV, gaining recognition for roles such as Ferb Fletcher in the animated showPhineas and Ferband Newt inThe Maze Runnerfilm franchise.
Brodie-Sangster’s most recent projects include the Netflix miniseriesThe Queen’s Gambit, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, andPistol, a 2022 production inspired by the true story of the band Sex Pistols.
Related:Rodrigo Santoro Believes His Love Actually Character is Still Hung Up on Sarah
Bill Nighy
Bill Nighyis an English actor with an extensive career in film, theater and television that has brought him enormous critical acclaim. In recent years, he has been featured in highly praised projects, such as the filmsEmmaandLiving, which earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Golden Globe Awards.
Additionally, Nighy landed a role in the TV seriesThe Man Who Fell to Earth, which served as a sequel to the 1976 film starring David Bowie. The actor is expected to appear in Thomas Vincent’s upcoming thriller filmRole Play, which will star Kaley Cuoco. InLove Actually, Nighy plays singer Billy Mack, who becomes obsessed with making his new song a hit of the holiday season.
Laura Linney
Laura Linneyplays Sarah, a young woman who devotes her life to caring for her intellectually disabled brother, and stars in what, for many, is the film’s saddest story. Like many of her castmates, Linney is a leading figure in film, theater, and television, and over the past few years, she has appeared in hit productions in all three fields, achieving critical and audience acclaim for her role in the Netflix seriesOzark.
She was then seen starring in Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s filmThe Miracle Cluband Max’s seriesThe Last Movie Stars, created by Emily Wachtel and directed by Ethan Hawke. In the future, she is expected to appear in the filmsWildcatandSuncoast, both of which have no release date yet.
