'Love Actually' Cast Then And Now
It's been 20 years since the Christmas film was released - this is where the cast of our favourite festive flick is now.
Love Actually is one of the most beloved Christmas movies out there.
The 2003 film is a long-lasting success for a multitude of reasons, the interconnecting romantic themes that run throughout, the one-liners ('Eight is a lot of legs, David'), the fact it's an easy and entertaining watch and, of course, the stellar cast line-up.
Richard Curtis' festive offering featured a strong cast with some of the most iconic British actors of that moment. We had Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman (who sadly passed away in 2016), Bill Nighy, the list goes on.
The film also introduced some emerging talent like January Jones (she plays one of the American girls who fancies Colin Frissal) who went on to star in one of the most successful TV dramas of all time - Mad Men.
Click through to see the Love Actually cast members 20 years ago and what they've been up to since...
Mark (Andrew Lincoln) In Love Actually
His Love Actually angle:
Poor old (slash, bordering on creepy) Mark fell in love with his best friend Peter's wife Juliet, which was exposed only when their wedding tape was shown revealing Mark's stealthy camera close ups of the bride on her big day. He then apologised and professed his love via an iconic flash card sequence.
Andrew Lincoln Now
What's he been doing since?
Lincoln is best known for his role as Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead, which he starred in from 2010 until July 2018.
Sarah (Laura Linney) In Love Actually
Her Love Actually angle: Sarah has been desperately in love with her colleague Karl for roughly 'two years, seven months, three days and an hour and thirty minutes'. They get together at the office Christmas party but it all becomes very emotional when she's interrupted from a phone call from her brother.
Laura Linney Now
What's she been doing since?
Winning awards left, right and centre. Linney, who has starred in more than 25 films and 10 TV series since Love Actually, has won an Emmy and Golden Globe for her role as a cancer patient in hit TV series The Big C. She's also been nominated for three Oscars, won Emmys for Wild Iris, Frasier, John Adams (and a Golden Globe and SAG award for this role) and starred in 2019's Netflix hit Ozark.
Jamie (Colin Firth) In Love Actually
His Love Actually angle: After finding his wife in bed with his brother when she faked an illness to attend a wedding with him, Jamie heads to France to write a book only to find love too.
Colin Firth Now
What's he been doing since?
Winning an Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG award for The King's Speech, reprising the role of Bridget Jones' love interest Mr Darcy - and starring opposite Hugh Grant again in the process - as well as multiple other film roles like in The Kingsman franchise.
In 2020, he starred in the Oscar-winning film 1917, featured opposite Stanley Tucci in the hugely-anticipated Supernova and was in the remake of children's classic The Secret Garden.
Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) In Love Actually
His Love Actually angle: Peter ended up getting kind of screwed over by his best friend Mark who fell in love with his wife Juliet. All ends well for Peter though as he and Juliet remain happily married, with him blissfully unaware of the whole flashcard slideshow thing.
Chiwetel Ejiofor Now
What's he been doing since?
A number of things! Ejiofor had the lead role in Kinky Boots in 2005 and was then nominated for the BAFTA rising star award a year later, losing out to James McAvoy.In 2008, he won a prestigious Olivier award for Best Actor for his performance in Shakespeare's Othello.
Ejiofor then played Solomon Northup in Steve McQueen's Oscar-winning film 12 Years A Slave in 2013 (for which he won the Best Actor BAFTA and was was Oscar and Golden Globe nominated)and starred in the 2015 film The Martian. He was awarded a CBE in 2015.
In 2019, he was part of an all-star cast including Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Seth Rogen voicing the part of Scar in the Lion King remake. Ejiofor has also joined the cast for the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King's short story, The Life of Chuck, which will also star Karen Gillan.
Karen (Emma Thompson) In Love Actually
Her Love Actually angle: Devastating, purely devastating. Karen stumbles upon her husband Harry's Christmas gift of a gold necklace only to discover it wasn't bought for her, but for his younger, sexually-alluring female colleague - she got a Joni Mitchell CD.
Emma Thompson Now
What's she been doing since?
Generally being the world-dominating actress who is Emma Thompson. Most recently, she's received a Golden Globe nomination for Late Night. Then there were further iconic parts like Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter franchise, Nanny McPhee and Mrs Potts in the Beauty and the Beast remake.
In 2018, Thompson was made a dame. To accept the honour at Buckingham Palace, Thompson wore a Stella McCartney suit, a pair of Stan Smiths and an equal-pay badge. A true icon.
John (Martin Freeman) In Love Actually
His Love Actually angle: Playing awkward adult movie fluffer John, who falls in love with his on-screen scene partner Judy.
Martin Freeman Now
What's he been doing since?
After becoming best known for his parts in British rom coms and as Tim from The Office, Freeman conquered Hollywood with his lead role in The Hobbit, TV series Sherlock opposite Benedict Cumberbatch, Fargo and parts in Black Panther and other Avengers films.
Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) In Love Actually
His Love Actually angle:
Playing the seedy, inappropriate and slightly tragic ageing rocker who's version of Wet Wet Wet's 'Love Is All Around' becomes Christmas number one.
Bill Nighy Now
What's he been doing since?
The legendary English actor portrayed villain Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and won a Golden Globe for the TV show Gideon's Daughter in 2006. He's also had roles in Pride, About Time, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 as Rufus Scrimgeour.
In 2023, he scored his first Oscar nomination for his work in Living.
Juliet (Keira Knightley) In Love Actually
Her Love Actually angle:
Juliet marries Peter only to have his best friend Mark fall in love with her. This is her face when she sees Mark's creepy wedding video close-ups ('I look quite pretty actually'). Director Richard Curtis recently revealed Juliet's profession after fans demanded answers: she's an interior designer. While it was never explicitly said on screen, Curtis insists there were clues in the set, such as multiple paint swatches in her apartment.
Keira Knightley Now
What's she been doing since?
Well it's global megastar Keira Knightly, so a lot! Knightley, who was 17 when she starred in the film, became a huge A-List phenomenon after roles in Bend it Like Beckham!, Pirates of the Caribbean, Atonement, Pride and Prejudice, The Duchess, Anna Karenina and more.
Most recently, she starred in Colette, The Official Secrets Act and Misbehaviour and The Imitation Game, for which she received an Oscar nomination. She's also a face of Chanel and received an OBE from the Queen in 2018.
The Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) In Love Actually
His Love Actually angle:
The new Prime Minister (very similar to PM at the time Tony Blair) who starts a relationship with Natalie, his secretary, and stands up to the American President in a press conference.
Hugh Grant Now
What's he been doing since?
King of Rom Coms Hugh Grant continued to do more of those, like Bridget Jones' Diary, Music and Lyrics, Did You Hear About The Morgans?.
Over the past few years, he's gone in a different direction, with roles in the Paddington franchise, A Very English Scandal (where he recently nominated for an Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe), The Undoing (opposite Nicole Kidman, no less) and last year's hit Netflix film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Judy (Joanna Page) In Love Actually
Her Love Actually angle: The sweet adult movie actress who finds love with her co-star John and tells him after their dates: 'All I want for Christmas is you.' Adorable.
Joanna Page Now
What's she been doing since?
Gavin and Stacey, of course! Page rose to fame as Barry Island-native Stacey who falls in love with Essex-born Gavin and together with James Corden, Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon became household names. The sitcom, which ended in 2010, returned for a delightful Christmas special in 2019. Since 2021, she's segued into the world of presenting alongside Dermot O'Leary on ITV's The Pet Show.
Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
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