Celebrating 15 Years of Love Actually

By Rueben | November 13, 2018

On November 6, 2003 a special holiday movie was released in the theatres that has become a perennial favorite among romantics and lovers of all things holidays. That movie was Love Actually, which examined many intertwined stories of the one emotion that connects us all: love.

The film was written and directed by Richard Curtis, featuring an ensemble cast that included many actors who had worked with Curtis in previous film and television projects. Filmed primarily in London, the screenplay delved into different aspects of love as shown through nine separate stories, beginning five weeks before Christmas, playing out in a weekly countdown until the holiday; then followed by an epilogue that took place one month later.

Among the stories told in the movie were:

Aged has-been rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy), who was attempting a Christmas-time comeback against a much younger boy band; eventually reaching the top of the charts and unexpected success only to end up spending the holiday with his manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) instead of staying at a big fancy party with Elton John.

Recent widower Daniel (Liam Neeson) was dealing with the passing of his wife and taking care of his adolescent stepson Sam (Game of Thrones’ Thomas Sangster) by himself. Meanwhile, little Sam was in a dilemma too. He was in love with American Joanna Anderson (Olivia Olson), a fellow student at his school, who he believed didn’t even know he was alive.

NOTE: Daniel had “joked” that he would only consider dating again if he were ever to meet Claudia Schiffer only to end up meeting Carol (Claudia Schiffer) at the school’s big holiday concert at the end of the movie.

Juliet and Peter (Kiera Knightley and a then relative unknown Chiwetel Ejiofor) had just gotten married. They believed that Peter’s best friend and best man Mark (The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln) hated Juliet but wouldn’t say so to his or her face. Others looking at the situation from the outside believed Mark was jealous of Juliet as he was in love with Peter himself. [Mark was actually hopelessly in love with Juliet as shown in the now priceless cue card scene featured near the end of the movie.]

Jamie (Colin Firth), a writer, was taking a retreat by himself in rural France because he needed to get away from his girlfriend who he learned was having an affair. While in France, Jamie fell in love with Aurelia (Lucia Moniz), the woman hired to take care of him and the home he was renting.

David (Hugh Grant), the handsome newly elected British prime minister, was dealing with matters of “state” while fighting his feelings for Natalie, a young junior staffer (Martine McCutcheon).

NOTE: One of those big matters of “state” was dealing with the President of the United States (Billy Bob Thornton), who made a move on young Natalie.

Sarah (Laura Linney), a graphic designer whose devotion to her mentally ill brother complicated her love life with fellow co-worker Karl (Rodrigo Santoro).

Harry (the late, great Alan Rickman) – and Sarah’s boss – who was married to Karen (Emma Thompson) – the younger sister of David, the new elected PM, was tempted by his attractive new secretary Mia (Heike Makatsh).

NOTE: Rowan Atkinson, played a jewelry salesman who waited on Harry at the department store AND played a role in assisting young Sam to declare his love to young Olivia at the airport.

Colin (Kris Marshall) – a bit of a loser with English woman – informed his best friend Tony (Abdul Salis) that he was going to America where he was convinced his “Britishness” would be an asset.

NOTE: Colin ended up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, meeting three stunningly attractive woman at the local bar: Stacey (Ivana Milicevic), Jeannie (January Jones) and Carol-Anne (Elisha Cuthbert). He later met Harriet (Shannon Elizabeth), who returned to England with him along with her sister Carla (Denise Richards) much to Tony’s wonderment.

John (Sherlock’s Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page) were professional body doubles for films; the current one where Tony was a production assistant. While they were comfortable being naked and simulating sex on-set, they were very shy and tentative off-set; but they ended up getting engaged.

Last year [on May 25, 2017] – as part of the Red Nose Day televised fundraiser – some of the Love Actually cast returned for a short film focusing on where many of the characters were in life 14 years after the events of the original film.

The short film featured appearances by Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keira Knightley, Martine McCutcheon, Bill Nighy, Thomas Sangster, Lucia Moniz, Olivia Olson and Rowan Atkinson.

A different version of the film aired in the US, which eliminated the Bill Nighy portion of the film but did include a portion that featured Laura Linney whose character turned out to be married to a character played by Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey.

Make sure to check out the original trailer for Love Actually:

You can also check out the U.K.’s version of Red Nose Day Actually video here.

Are you a fan of Love Actually? How many times have you watched the film? Do you watch it every Christmas (and/or every Valentine’s Day)? Do you have a favorite storyline or character(s)? Please share your thoughts on the film with us in our comments section below.