Where is 'Love Actually' cast now? Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy and others reunite for TV special 20 years later
Cast members of the beloved modern Christmas classic 'Love Actually' are set to reunite for a TV special to air on ABC, the network has announced. This would mark 20 years of the popular 2003 romantic comedy. 'The Laughter & Secrets of 'Love Actually,' 20 Years Later' will premiere on Tuesday, November 29.
ABC shared a promotional clip on Twitter, with the caption, "Now, more than ever, we all need some love…actually. "The Laughter & Secrets of 'Love Actually,' 20 Years Later: A @DianeSawyer Special" premieres Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 8/7c on @ABC."
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According to ABC, "The special will look at how the film became a beloved Christmas tradition and a global sensation, with new insight into behind-the-scenes secrets and iconic scenes. The special will also examine how the COVID-19 pandemic refocused the ways we love and connect and the omnipresent acts of kindness inside our families and communities."
Now, more than ever, we all need some love…actually.
— 20/20 (@ABC2020) November 22, 2022
"The Laughter & Secrets of 'Love Actually,' 20 Years Later: A @DianeSawyer Special" premieres Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 8/7c on @ABC. Stream later on @Hulu. https://t.co/ZGewRPfd2o pic.twitter.com/aDUYk4gAJR
The special will bring together Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, among others. 20 years later, here is where the 'Love Actually' cast members are:
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant (The Prime Minister in 'Love Actually') had already appeared in films like 'Sense and Sensibility', 'Notting Hill' and 'Bridget Jones's Diary' before the 2003 release of 'Love Actually'. He can be seen in 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' currently.
Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon (Natalie in 'Love Actually') also starred in 'Elf: The Christmas Spectacular' later. She recreated her special 'Love Actually' scene, where she is seen jumping into Grant's arms at arrivals, in 2017, by greeting travelers at London's Heathrow Airport. "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!"
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley (Juliet in 'Love Actually') was only 17 when she starred in 'Love Actually'. That same year, she made her debut as Elizabeth Swann in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise. She starred in all five films of the franchise, with the most recent coming in 2017.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played the unsuspecting husband Peter in 'Love Actually', was later seen in small parts in films like 'Inside Man' and 'Children of Men', and anchoring indies like 'Dirty Pretty Things' and 'Kinky Boots'. He was later seen in '12 Years a Slave', and in 2016, he joined the Marvel Universe as Doctor Strange's Mordo.
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln (Mark in 'Love Actually') later starred in the zombie apocalypse TV series 'The Walking Dead' as the main character since 2010. However, he confirmed that he was departing from the series in July 2018.
Colin Firth
Colin Firth (Jamie Bennett in 'Love Actually') starred in hits like 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' and 'Mary Poppins Returns' after his 'Love Actually' days. In 2017, it was revealed that Firth almost switched roles with Hugh Grant in the film, but it eventually did not materialize.
Lúcia Moniz
Lúcia Moniz (Aurelia in 'Love Actually') plays Colin Firth's love interest and only speaks Portuguese in the film. The Portuguese actress, who is also a singer, participated in Eurovision's singing contest in 1996. She has released as many as four albums. Moniz now mostly stars in international films and TV shows.
Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson (Daniel in 'Love Actually') faced a tragedy when actress wife Natasha Richardson died in 2019 after hitting her head during a skiing lesson at a resort in Québec, Canada. Neeson, however, has appeared in several films since. "It's [the film] 14 years ago now and we've all lived lives," he said of 'Love Actually' 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."
Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Sam in 'Love Actually') is now all grown-up, and has appeared in 'Phineas and Ferb', 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Maze Runner' franchise. He starred as chess pro Benny Watts in Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit' most recently.
Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman (Harry in 'Love Actually') died aged 69 from cancer in 2016. Before the rom-com, he was seen in iconic roles in 'Die Hard', 'Sense and Sensibility' and the 'Harry Potter' franchise. The final project he worked on before his death was the film 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'.
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson (Karen in 'Love Actually') has become a Dame since her 'Love Actually' days. She co-wrote the holiday romance movie 'Last Christmas', and was seen as Mrs Potts in 'Beauty and the Beast', PL Travers in 'Saving Mr Banks' and Professor Sybill Trelawney in the 'Harry Potter' series.
Heike Makatsch
A German actress, Heike Makatsch (Mia in 'Love Actually') is best known for her role in the rom-com. She also starred in 'The Resident' in 2002 and 'The Book Thief' in 2013.
Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy (Billy Mack in 'Love Actually') has appeared in various roles after his 'Love Actually' days. He has voiced characters in popular video games like 'The Elder Scrolls Online' and 'Destiny 2', and played Davy Jones in 'The Pirates of the Caribbean'. He guest-starred in 'Doctor Who'. Nighy was recently seen in the Jane Austen adaptation 'Emma'.
Laura Linney
After 'Love Actually', Laura Linney (Sarah in 'Love Actually') has appeared in more than 25 films and 10 TV series. She has won four Emmys for her TV performances in shows like 'Frasier' and Showtime's 'The Big C'. She has also won two Golden Globes.
Rodrigo Santoro
Before appearing in the rom-com, Rodrigo Santoro (Karl in 'Love Actually'), appeared in 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'. After 2003, he has appeared in various films, including as Jennifer Lopez's on-screen hubby in 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'. He starred in HBO's sci-fi hit 'Westworld' most recently.
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton (The US President in 'Love Actually') began his acting career as many as 17 years before he starred in the rom-com. He was recently seen in the series 'Goliath' and in the Ryan Gosling/Chris Evans film 'The Gray Man'. He is married to Connie Angland, his sixth spouse, who is mother to his teen daughter Bella.
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson (Rufus in 'Love Actually') is best known as Mr Bean, a beloved character created in 1990 for a sitcom. He was seen in numerous movies, shorts and has voiced an animated series as the character. He returned as Johnny English in 'Johnny English Strikes Again' in 2018.
Olivia Olson
Olivia Olson (Joanna Anderson in 'Love Actually') is known for her memorable scene where she was seen singing 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' at 10 years old. She was invited on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tracy Morgan Show. Since 'Love Actually', she has mostly done voice acting, including for the animated series 'Phineas & Ferb' and 'Adventure Time'.
Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman (John in 'Love Actually') starred in the UK's comedy hit 'The Office' from 2001 to 2003. He later starred in TV series and films like 'The Hobbit trilogy', 'Sherlock' (TV show), and 'Black Panther'.
Joanna Page
Joanna Page (Just Judy in 'Love Actually') became famous for her lead role in the British sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey'. She also starred as Queen Elizabeth I in a 50th-anniversary episode of 'Doctor Who'.
Kris Marshall
Kris Marshall (Colin Frissell in 'Love Actually') starred in several TV series after 'Love Actually', including the British show 'Borderline', 'Death in Paradise' and PBS Masterpiece's 'Sanditon'.
January Jones
January Jones (Jeannie in 'Love Actually') just has a cameo in the rom-com. She was later seen as Betty Draper on TV's 'Mad Men', and went on to join the 'X-Men' franchise. Most recently, Jones appeared alongside Will Forte and Kristen Schaal in the post-apocalyptic comedy 'The Last Man on Earth'.