Are you a fan of romantic comedy films?
What about British comedy?
One of the best films that married romantic comedy with British humor was Love Actually
– which remains one of the best romantic comedy films in recent cinematic history.
Love Actually was written and directed by Richard Curtis – one of the UK’s most
prominent comedy creators.
His brilliant writing and direction made Love Actually into one of the UK’s most popular
romantic comedy films.
The Love Actually cast was also a big part of the film’s success!
Have you wondered what the Love Actually cast members are up to now?
Are you curious about what they ended doing after starring in that iconic film and what
their current projects are?
Let’s look back at the Love Actually cast then and now…
SAM & JOANNA
Let’s start with the youngest stars of Love Actually.
There was the love story between Sam and Joanna – played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Olivia
Olson.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster had acted in a few television films before Love Actually.
But it was his role as Sam that made him a household name.
For many Love Actually fans, they’ll always think of Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Sam.
Since then, he’s appeared in many popular films and TV shows.
He voiced the character of Ferb in the animated series Phineas and Ferb.
He also appeared in the Italian miniseries Pinocchio as Lampwick.
One of his most recent major TV roles was as Jojen Reed in Game of Thrones.
He’s also made waves on Netflix series – playing Whitey Winn in the show Godless and chess
player Benny Watts in The Queen’s Gambit.
Olivia Olson also became famous for her role as Joanna in Love Actually.
Part of her role involved her singing Mariah Carey’s song “All I Want for Christmas
Is You.”
This led to her pursuing a career as a singer in addition to her acting career.
Since Love Actually, she’s become a notable voice actress.
Along with Thomas Brodie-Sangster, she had a role in Phineas and Ferb as Vanessa Doofenshmirtz.
She’s also known for her role as Marceline the Vampire Queen in Adventure Time.
Olson is also an accomplished writer.
She authored the Adventure Time graphic novel, Marcy and Simon.
She’s also co-authored a couple of books and is continuing to pursue her writing career
alongside acting and singing.
As a singer, she’s released two albums.
Sam’s father was played by Liam Neeson, who was already a huge star before his role
in Love Actually.
His role as single father Daniel showed a gentler side to him and showed his versatility
as an actor.
Since then, Liam Neeson has continued to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars – with
the Taken series being his most popular work in recent times.
Before we tell you more about the Love Actually cast then and now, please like this video
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Now, back to the video…
BILLY MACK AND JOE Billy Mack is the rock and roll singer played
by Bill Nighy.
His manager Joe was played by Gregor Fisher.
Bill Nighy had begun his acting career in theatre.
His notable theatre work includes roles in plays such as Arcadia (by Tom Stoppard), Blue/Orange
(by Joe Penhall), and Skylight (by David Hare).
One of his early popular film roles was in the 1998 British comedy film Still Crazy – where
he played a Rock star.
It seems as if he was made to play rock stars because it was his role as Billy Mack that
made him a household name.
Since then, Bill Nighy has become one of the UK’s most recognized stars.
He played Davy Jones in two Pirates of Caribbean films.
He also played Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.
His recent film roles have been in the films Minamata and Buckley's Chance, and he's expected
to appear in the upcoming British drama film Living.
Anyone who’s followed Scottish comedy knows the name Gregor Fisher.
He's best known for his role as Rab C Nesbitt – one of Scottish TV’s most popular comedy
characters.
Apart from his role in Love Actually, he’s also acted in major films such as 1984, The
Girl in the Picture, White Mischief, and To Kill A Priest.
His most recent film roles include work in Wild Target (once again, alongside Bill Nighy)
and the 2016 film Whisky Galore!
His most recent TV work is playing the role of Ray in The Cockfields.
He took over the role following Bobby Ball’s death in 2020.
HARRY AND KAREN Harry and Karen are a married couple who have
problems in their marriage – which results in Harry eventually having an affair with
Mia.
Harry was played by Alan Rickman, and Karen was played by Emma Thompson.
Alan Rickman was one of the UK’s most iconic actors.
He studied at the prestigious Royal Academic of Dramatic Arts and would later perform with
the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His early film work included playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,
Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility, and Mark Antony in Antony and Cleopatra.
He was also lauded for his role as Hans Gruber in Die Hard.
In the 2000s and 2010s, he became known for playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter
series.
Alan Rickman passed away from cancer in 2016.
It’s fitting that Karen was played by Emma Thompson – as she, like Alan Rickman, is
one of the UK’s most iconic talents.
Emma Thompson got her start acting in many popular British comedies, including working
alongside her Cambridge university friends Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.
She also appeared in the popular British films The Tall Guy, Howard’s End, Peter’s Friends,
The Remains of the Day, and Maybe Baby.
She's continued her film career since then, with her most recent roles in offerings such
as Last Christmas, Dolittle, and Cruella.
JAMIE AND AURÉLIA Jamie is an English writer who falls in love
with his Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia.
They don’t share a language yet still manage to fall in love.
Colin Firth played Jamie, and he was one of the biggest stars in the film.
He became a huge star by playing Mr. Darcy in the TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
Since his role with Love Actually, he became even more popular with his role as King George
VI in The King’s Speech, for which he won an Oscar.
He’s since appeared in films such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Gambit, Kingsman, Mamma
Mia!, Mary Poppins Returns, and 1917.
Aurélia was played by Lúcia Moniz.
She’s a famous Portuguese singer and actress who became known to English-speaking audiences
with her role in Love Actually.
Her most recent film roles were in the Portuguese films Fatima and Listen – both released
in 2020.
She’s also acted in the Portuguese telenovela Na Corda Bamba also released in 2020.
Hopefully, Love Actually fans will get to see her appear in a few more English films
in the near future!
DAVID AND NATALIE
The British Prime Minister, or David – if you prefer, was played by heartthrob Hugh
Grant!
Hugh Grant has established himself as one of the most well-known stars of romantic films,
whether comedies or dramas.
He made his name with roles in films such as The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came
Down a Mountain, Four Weddings and Funeral, and Notting Hill.
Love Actually is another one of his famous roles that any Hugh Grant fan loves!
His popular film roles since Love Actually include work in Cloud Atlas, The Man from
U.N.C.L.E., Florence Foster Jenkins, Paddington 2, and The Gentlemen – which is arguably
one of his best roles to date!
He also played Dr. Jonathan Fraser in the 2020 HBO limited series The Undoing.
He also appeared in the Black Mirror mockumentary Death to 2020.
Natalie, The Prime Minister’s love interest, was played by Martine McCutcheon.
Before her role in Love Actually, she became known for her role as Tiffany Mitchell in
the popular British soap opera EastEnders.
She also had a role in the 2001 British comedy film Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang).
Her most recent film role was in the 2018 film The Bromley Boys.
JULIET, PETER, AND MARK
Love Actually also starred some of the most famous young talents from the UK.
Juliet was played by Keira Knightley, who became famous with her role in Bend It Like
Beckham, which was released the previous year.
Since then, she’s become a huge film star – appearing in films such as the Pirates
of the Caribbean series, Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, A Dangerous Method, The Imitation
Game, and Silent Night.
In Love Actually, we see Juliet get married to Peter, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.
While his role in Love Actually was rather small, he’s now one of British cinema’s
most famous actors.
One of his most famous roles in the UK was in the British film Dirty Pretty Things, directed
by Stephen Frears.
In the film, he played a Nigerian immigrant trying to make his way in England.
He rose to international stardom when he played Solomon Northup in the Steve McQueen film
12 Years A Slave.
Mark was Peter’s best man and also, Juliet’s secret admirer.
He was played by Andrew Lincoln.
He started his career appearing in popular British TV dramas including Wuthering Heights
and The Canterbury Tales.
Since his work in Love Actually, he’s become primarily known for his role as Rick Grimes
in The Walking Dead.
His latest film role was in the 2020 drama film Penguin Bloom.
WHAT ABOUT COLIN AND RUFUS?
We can't wrap up this video without talking about two of the most memorable comic characters
in the film.
The actors who played them are both household names in British comedy.
One is a relative newcomer to British comedy, and the other is a living legend.
The character of Colin was played by Kris Marshall.
In Love Actually, he struggles to have any luck with the ladies in England.
When Colin travels to America, he seems to attract all the ladies because of his accent!
Kris Marshall has regularly acted in popular British comedy series.
His most famous role was as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman in the comedy-mystery series
Death In Paradise.
He was also the original actor who played “Dave” in the BBC sitcom Citizen Khan.
His popular film roles since Love Actually have included roles in Death at a Funeral
and Father Christmas is Back.
His most recent work is in the upcoming romantic drama film Promises.
When Harry tries to buy a necklace without Karen finding out, he ends up dealing with
Rufus the Jeweler.
Rufus was played by one of British comedy's living legends – Rowan Atkinson.
Rowan Atkinson became a famous comic performer with his role in the sketch comedy series
Not The Nine O’Clock News, of which Richard Curtis was one of the writers.
It was through the various characters he played on the show that British audiences became
familiar with his unique comic style.
He later starred as Edmund Blackadder on Blackadder – which was co-written by Richard Curtis,
whom Rowan attended Oxford University with.
One of his greatest comic creations was, of course, Mr. Bean, which made him an international
star.
He once remarked that a friend of his visited a village in an African country, and the entire
village was watching an episode of Mr. Bean on a small TV in one of the huts!
Now that’s stardom!
His role as Inspector Fowler in The Thin Blue Line is also one of his great comic performances.
Apart from his TV work, he’s also known for his roles in Never Say Never Again, The
Tall Guy, Four Weddings and a Funeral, the Johnny English films, Bean and Mr. Bean’s
Holiday, Rat Race, Maybe Baby, Keeping Mum, and the upcoming film Wonka.
He’s a national treasure in the UK and his small role in Love Actually is one of the
best parts of the film!
Love Actually is one of the most popular British
romantic comedy films of recent times.
For many, it’s one of the best romantic comedy films that the UK has produced.
Now let’s hear from you!
Do you think that Love Actually is the best romantic comedy film in recent times?
Or has another recent film taken its place?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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