Hugh Grant opens the gates of “Love Actually” and describes how the airport’s arrival gate is the best example of innocent and uncomplicated love. We can think of ten better places where naive and true love can be found. He continues by saying that witnessing the emotions shared between the arrivals and their loved ones is the perfect escape route from the world’s despairing state.
The introduction to the movie ends, and the meticulous love stories involved are revealed. The writers of the movie intended to take us through La-La land, however, we all know, that no matter how pure the love between those arriving and those picking them up can be, when it comes to the real world there is a bit more to it.
The Opening Lines
Hugh Grant opens the gates of "Love Actually" and describes how the airport's arrival gate is the best example of innocent and uncomplicated love. We can think of ten better places where naive and true love can be found. He continues by saying that witnessing the emotions shared between the arrivals and their loved ones is the perfect escape route from the world's despairing state.
The introduction to the movie ends, and the meticulous love stories involved are revealed. The writers of the movie intended to take us through La-La land, however, we all know, that no matter how pure the love between those arriving and those picking them up can be, when it comes to the real world there is a bit more to it.
The Airport Scene
Everything you see in the opening airport scene is authentic, however, the question is how real is that scene and what the producers manage to wipe out. A week prior to shooting, the production team scattered hidden cameras around Heathrow airport and filmed the arrival gate.
The arrival gate can be a perfect place to witness reunited lovers or parents who haven't seen their kids for a while but where is the representation of the people who had a rough night on the airport's floors following a flight delay, or the never-ending lines in the coffee shops, as there is only one decent cup of coffee in the entire airport?
The Hugh Grant Trick
We love his wittiness, we love his accent and he is probably the best British export to the movie industry. Having said that, we must admit it feels sometimes as if the same character Grant plays has jumped from one movie to the other.
He did wonders in "Love Actually" playing the role of David the Prime Minister but he pulled the same trick when he stepped into the role of William Thacker in "Notting Hill," Charles in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and Daniel Cleaver in "Bridget Jones's Diary".
The Grant Scandal
In "Love Actually" Grant plays the role of David, the British Prime Minister, and escorts Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) in one of the movie's greatest love stories. His real-life scandal of a relationship with Elizabeth Hurley is something we can never forget and kind of labels his reputation. Not in "Love Actually".
Do you seriously believe his role in the movie would easily pass the #MeToo Movement? We don't think so. Yes, his storyline is supposedly endearing but in the real world we live in today, it would never be accepted. Back to reality, and since 2018 charming Hugh Grant has been going strong with Anna Eberstein, praying not to produce a rerun of his past.
The World Needs This Kind of Prime Minister
Was Prime Minister David for real? There was no intention of the British government to gain public sympathy through Grant's role, however, the "Love Actually" elections made us dream of the kind of politicians the world deserves. Or not. Although PM David is fiction, we could have used a bit of corruption, dishonesty, and less of a goody-two-shoes.
Was Richard Curtis (script writer) trying to clean up Grant's character of 2001's Daniel Cleaver from "Bridget Jones" by presenting a too-good-to-be-true David? Either way, we feel he should have used a different approach with the whole Natalie situation. Perhaps not firing a perfectly good employee just because he has a crush on her?
Martine McCutcheon on GMT
To the non-British viewers, Martine McCutcheon means absolutely nothing. "Love Actually" was her big step toward Hollywood, however, the American viewers didn't understand her, not only because of her Cockney accent. She has embellished TV screens for endless hours, however, this is true for GMT only.
Her royal roots are not the only thing misunderstood in the movie, as she is constantly referred to as being overweight and called "Miss Chubby". In fact, a big portion of the storyline between Natalie, who McCutcheon plays, and David (Grant) is based on her weight issues and the way she is referred to in the movie.
The Shame of Love
Let's clean the dust of the memory cells and go back to the movie. Natalie comes from the rough areas of London and is positioned as the new tea lady for the Prime Minister (Grant). Throughout the entire movie, Natalie is referred to as heavy, and although she is in perfect dimensions (whatever that means), she is subjected to comments on her weight.
Natalie shares with David how she was dumped by her ex because he didn't want a girlfriend with thighs the size of hers. Even her dad called her 'plumpy' in one scene. Any body weight is accepted by us, however, in "Love Actually" body dimensions were still a thing and body shaming was unheard of.
David and Natalie — Yes or No?
The story between David and Natalie is a Cinderella saga. We can see the modern upstairs-downstairs tale, however, we still can't come to terms with the fact that when they first meet, Natalie spares nothing and swears as if she is talking to her next-door neighbor.
Funnily enough, Natalie's swearing was just a bit on the side for the scriptwriters, and the main focus was the love (or hate) triangle between David, Natalie, and the US president.
David, Natalie, and Mr. President
We need the US president's appalling behavior to kickstart the David and Natalie love story, however, is this really how politics work? Do great-nation relations all lean on one President hitting on the others' personal assistance?
When a press conference is held, David, in an uncharacteristic way, stands up for Natalie (and all women) and condemns the president's behavior. As if any Prime Minister, anywhere in the world, would give the US President a piece of their mind in public... Even if the president is wearing a pink tie.
Belated Christmas Card
Towards the end of the movie, Natalie sends a Christmas card to David. If he would have just looked up the application form she filled in when she applied for the job, he could have avoided the hustle and bustle he went through looking for her.
If he couldn't find her application form, how about her employee records? Just a small thing in the "Love Actually" love life Curtis never thought about.
Jamie's Love Line
Although he played the role of Jamie who is supposedly in love with the whole Christmas and Family gathering ideas, in reality, Colin Firth can't stand the holiday season and anything related. Firth is a pro when it comes to Christmas romcoms and he manages to take his characters to the extent.
Remember the scene where Jamie gets ready to go to a wedding without his partner? Who leaves a sick girlfriend behind? The fact that he went alone to celebrate a ceremony of love, leads to what was about to happen in Jamie's love story. That he was about to be dumped.
The Eurovision Contest Export
Who are you Lúcia Moniz? If it wasn't for "Love Actually" and the fascinating Portuguese accent she brings with her, no one would know who Lucia Moniz was. Maybe only in Lisbon. Apparently, she represented her homeland in the biggest European song contest and grew to fame from there.
We don't care much about song contests, let alone European ones, however, she added modest charms to the plot in the movie and in our opinion, was a great pick.
Jamie and Aurélia's Affair
What year are we in? Why is Jamie (Colin Firth) using a typewriter to compose his never-going-to-be-published novel? (We say that because even by the end of the movie there is no mention of the outcome of his novel.)
The love story between Jamie and Aurélia shows that there is no language for love. Aurélia doesn't speak a word of English and they still manage to cross all barriers and allow their natural attraction to lead. We appreciate this, however, who wouldn't fall for a foreign stunner with a lower back tattoo?
Typical Characters Under Typical Roles
The touchy part of Liam Neeson's character is that he is widowed. Enough of that now. Emma Tompson (Karen) who plays his good friend in the movie is not being very sensitive to his conditions and we can see why. He is needy, he calls her non-stop, and she on the other hand is a typical British B#t@h.
Karen spares nothing and says to Daniel "it was always going to be a totally sh*t time” when they discuss his stepson, Sam. She just put it out there without trying to beautify it. It's going to be a tough time.
Daniel, Sam, and the Drowning ship
Ok, Sam, Daniel's stepson has a crush on a much-taller-than-him girl from school. So far so good. At first, we felt the writers of the movie chose a way too sticky approach, but now, the more we think of it the more we like it.
Could you see yourself with a 10 or 13-year-old kid, discussing their broken heart and using the movie "Titanic" as the rescuer? We think not. We can take so much from the relationship between Daniel and Sam and for us this is what love is actually about.
The Never-Ending Love Story
"Love Actually" covers no less than 10 love stories, all connected in one form or the other. Intentionally (or not), Curtis (script writer) plants the eleventh affair between two characters that in the movie, have no romantic relations at all.
Karen (Thompson) and Daniel (Neeson) are good friends who lean on one another whenever in need, however, if you recall back to the scene where Daniel meets his rebound girlfriend, Carol, he initially called her Karen. Subconsciously, Daniel must have had less-than-innocent feelings for Karen, and Karen on her side could have done better than what she was handed out in the first place.
Claudia Schiffer on Set
Having German Model Claudia Schiffer in the movie started as a joke as she is mentioned twice in the movie before making her grand appearance. The first time is when Daniel's (Liam Neeson) wife jokingly suggested Schiffer escorts him to her funeral, as she (Daniel's wife) was on her deathbed.
She is mentioned again when Sam (Tomas Sangster) talked to Daniel about his romantic involvement. Curtis had no intention for the real Claudia Schiffer to be in the movie and just wanted someone who looked like her. Eventually, he had to settle for the real thing.
More Interesting Than You Thought
Unlike the rest of the couples in the movie, John and Judy (Joanna Louise Page and Martin Freeman) are introduced to the viewers at the same time they are introduced to one another. All other characters seem to know each other from way before. Surprisingly, John and Judy have one of the most intriguing stories in the movie.
John is shown as a considerate partner (he warms his hands before touching Judy'd bare body) and manages to clear the atmosphere and overcome the awkwardness of being nude in front of a complete stranger.
John and Judy
The contrast between John and Judy as movie body doubles and John and Judy off-set is quite remarkable. From two shy and modest people, they turn into experienced and skilled adult-only movie doubles and meet while filming an erotic scene together.
When "Love Actually" was shown on TV, John and Judy'd erotic love scene was cut off as it was too much for the TV broadcasters to handle. That bit of spice added to the script did go a little too far. Our question is, did John and Judy have to go to the extreme so they could have a chit-chat and eventually go on a date? Funnily enough, their story is probably the purest relationship of them all.
Bill Nighy and His Famous Saying
His notable screen moments are endless. He has always been associated with comic and outrageous characters, and in "Love Actually" he spices the plot with one of the most memorable phrases. "Kids, don’t do dr*gs. Become a pop star and they’ll give you them for free".
Billy Night didn't intend to read for the movie. It all happened by the way. He was sure he was doing a favor for a friend and ended up getting the part.
The Office Party
When we sit to watch a Christmas movie, we know sooner or later the Christmas party scene will appear. Remember the wicked hot assistant (Heike Makatsch) Harry (the late Alan Rickman) has a thing with? Well, we ask ourselves, why was she dressed in a devil's costume? Was she mistaking Christmas for Halloween?
And who nowadays goes to the most expensive store in London and buys a piece of jewelry expecting the misses back home not finding out? These things don't happen in reality, just like Priministers don't fall for their assistants, and no one lives happily ever after.
Sarah Is Always on the Phone
From the very first scene, Sarah (Laura Linney) is constantly on the phone. It is unknown who's on the other end. Only as the story proceeds it is revealed that Sarah and Karl (Rodrigo Santoro) were handed the disappointing side of the movie.
Karl and Sarah are an unfulfilled love affair. Their last scene together is heartbreaking and emotional and makes you wonder, what was the purpose of this chapter in the movie.
Sarah and Karl
In the original script, the two were supposed to make out at the Christmas party, which made you believe they too would have a happy ending. Everything in the plot was leading to yet another enchanted fairytale but for the writers, things were going the wrong way and the Sarah-falling-in-love episode was called off.
Then, one phone call changed the storyline and left a bitter taste. It is later revealed that Sarah was occupied caring for her sick brother, and wasn't able to prioritize love. Her brother's condition comes between Sarah and Karl and we are left disappointed.
Emma Thompson Is the Best
Thompson is one of the most precious gems in the movie. After a publicly hideous divorce from Kenneth Branagh, which made her step so easily into character in "Love Actually", she has been content and happy.
One of the most memorable and influencing scenes in the movie is when Karen (Thompson) breaks down into tears after she finds out her husband has been enjoying a bit on the side.
When Everything Falls in Place
The crying scene was taken in no less than 12 shots before being brought to perfection. Curtis the producer said, "It was an amazing feat of acting."
Emma found it naturally easy to sink into character as she personally had plenty of crying hours in reality. She knew what picking up broken heart pieces was all about. This was so easy to relate to, both to the scene and especially to Karen.
All Colors of the Rainbow of Love
A lot of thought was put in when writing the script. If you take moment and think about it, you will realize that almost every stage and status of a relationship is highlighted through one of the storylines. From childhood crushes (Sam and Joanna) to midlife crises (Karen and Harry), undesired separation (Daniel's story), and the most uncommon love affairs like the ones between David and Natalie or John and Judy.
Curtis didn't spare any of the elements that are most symbolic of Christmas either. He made sure there was a Christmas party and a school play and the Christmas carols were not left behind.
How Weird
Another bit of odd information we found sitting around the Christmas tree while opening our presents. Foolishly, Harry didn't hide the neckless he bought his mistress well enough and Karen found it. This almost leads to her finding out about Harry's secret life.
Harry wrapped Joni Mitchell’s "Blue" album in the same gift box as the neckless. What was he thinking? And adding on to that, if "Blue" was Karen's favorite album, don't you think she would have had the album already? Deep inside, Harry was waiting for his secret to be revealed.
Colin Frissell and the American Girls
Three stunning American women, including Ivana Miličević, January Jones, and Elisha Cuthbert find themselves in bed with an average British geek and his Estuary English accent. Ok, right, as if.
Only at the very end of the movie, it is unknown if Colin made it with any of the three and the cliche of foreigners getting down to business with a local woman turns from myth to reality.
21st Century Text Messages
The movie was made in 2003, however, no one knows in which year the plot actually takes place. When Mark (Andrew Lincoln) dishes out his feelings on a bunch of cue cards, it is basically like the past century version of text messages. I mean, there were phones back then and he could have just texted her. No?
There is one card we are fond of and even managed to put a smile on our faces. When he holds the final "Enough, now", then we know this ridiculous saga has come to an end and each can continue with their lives. Now, one more thing — why did he wait until after the wedding to reveal his real feelings?
Who thought of the Cue Cards?
Curtis wrote the famous cue card scene five times before wrapping it up. He was inspired by Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues video. He then approached one of the women he worked with and asked for her opinion (or approval).
Only after she gave him the final OK, he was ready to make it part of the script. He wanted to make sure it wasn't too sticky or too inauthentic which could have led the movie down a completely different path. Between you and I, it was a little too moist.
The Unreal Airport Scene
Sam has a crush on his friend from school, Joanna (Olivia Olson). After a long facts-of-life talk with his stepdad (Neeson), they decided to try and stop her from returning to America, or at least give her a kiss before she takes off.
Name one airport terminal in the world that would allow a dramatic scene of Sam pushing his way through the airport crowds, sneaking past security, and managing to run all the way down to the gate without being stopped. In a post-9/11 world, these things just don't happen.
Is There Such a Thing as Too Good?
In "Love Actually" Olivia Olson plays Joanna, the talented young singer who breaks little Sam's heart. She was praised for her performance in the movie singing "All I Want for Christmas Is You," however, recording the song wasn't as easy as you might think.
Her act was so good, that the producer felt no one would believe a ten-year-old could sing that way. He asked her to record the song, in a less perfect way. It's not you, it's me.
Inspired by a True Life Prime Minister
David wouldn't have been David if it wasn't for Sir Edward Richard George Heath, AKA Ted Heath, who served as England's Prime Minister between 1970 and 1974. Hugh Grant's character was inspired by him as he was known to be an ever-single bachelor who never married.
Prime Minister Daniel gives the impression that he too is not made of marriage material and when he does finally fall for Natalie, in a way, it breaks all conventions.
The Role Was Written for Her
When Richard Curtis first saw Martine McCutcheon on screen, he knew she was what he wanted for his movie. The part of Natalie was written specifically for her and in the first drafts, the character's name was Martine.
Just before McCutcheon auditioned for the part, he changed the name to Natalie as he didn't want her to think she got the part before even completing the reading.
Skinny Dipping
In one memorable scene, Jamie's work pages are hit by strong wind and disappear into the distance beyond the nearby lake. Those pages were a part of a novel he was writing and meant the world to him. Aurélia was there to the rescue. She stripped her clothes off and ran into the water, saving the day, and the wet pages.
When writing the scene, it was debated what should Aurélia wear underneath her sweater. More than 20 sets of underwear were considered and it took almost a whole hour to call the final set.
Hitchcock Obsession
When Juliet comes over to Mark's place to view the wedding footage, Curtis sprinkles clues to Mark's obsession around the apartment. As we recall, Mark is Peter's best man and best friend who holds a well-kept secret from his friend and his fiancee.
A videotape of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954) is seen in the apartment. One of the main themes in Hitchcock's movie is voyeurism, which is what Mark was doing with Juliet without her knowing about it. Until she watched his filming of the wedding, that is.
Perfect Hand Writing
The famous Cue Card scene is more real than you can imagine. If you think they were printed or written by an artist, think again. Andrew Lincoln who played the role of Mark wrote the cue cards himself.
Lincoln was so confident with his handwriting and believed it would look good even on the big screen. He used his talent and created a scene to remember.
The Cutout Scene
"Love Actually" had originally 14 love stories written, however, not all of them made it to the final cut. One draft featured a love story between a school teacher and her gay student. As much as this was controversial and as much as it helped to raise some brows, it was featured on the DVD bonus material.
Curtis regretted removing the story from the final version. He said that story was the one that emphasized the point he wanted to make the most. He wanted to show that love comes in all shapes and colors and that everyone has a complicated story to share. A teacher and a pupil? It would never have passed.
A Free Ride
The scene where Colin is in bed with the three girls was taken over 20 times. Marshall was willing to do the scene free of charge as he enjoyed it so much. If the production would have known about this, they might have written a few more scenes in the same mode. Nothing beats an actor who is willing to work for free.
Marshall said that he enjoyed being stripped of his clothes by three gorgeous women so much, that he didn't mind doing the take over and over again.
The Magic of Christmas
Rowan Atkinson was originally meant to be Rufus the Christmas angel. He is shown in two scenes where he influences the plot significantly. Just like Clarence in "It's a Wonderful Life", Rufus sprinkles the Christmas magic and manages not to over-sweeten the storyline.
Rufus is the salesman and gift wrapper in the store when Harry buys Mia the mistress a Christmas gift. The second time Rufus appears, he enables Sam to skip the airport staff, pass the crowds and talk to Joanna. Things that only happen during Christmas. The idea was good, however, all we could think about was, what the hell is Mr. Bean doing here?
Time Zone
Even the clock on the wall has a meaning. Remember when Sara spills her heart out to Harry, sharing how she feels towards Karl yada yada yada...? Well, next time you watch the movie, notice that there are two clocks on the wall.
One clock showed the time in New York and the other the time in Brazil. Laura Linney who plays Sarah is originally from New York and Rodrigo Santoro who plays Karl is, you guessed it, from Brazil.
UK v. The US
There are many things Americans and Brits don't agree on, and here's another one to add to the pile. In the original UK version of the movie, during the office Christmas party, "Too Lost in You" by the Sugababes is played. In the US version, the soundtrack is changed and Kelly Clarkson's "The Trouble With Love Is" is heard. This doesn't end here.
During the credits, the UK version plays "Jump" by Girls Aloud while the US version uses the "Too Lost in You" that the UK version used to start with. Talk about inconsistency.
Things That Are Revealed on Set
Could you imagine discovering a long-lost relative who happened to be a co-star on set while filming a movie? Well, this is what happened to Hugh Grant on the "Love Actually" set. Apparently, Grants' maternal grandmother, Margaret Isabel Randolph, was the sister of Barbara May Randolph. Barbara was Thomas Brodie-Sangster's (Sam) maternal great-grandmother.
Sangster approached Grant and said that he was his uncle, or cousin, or something like that and for the entire shooting of the film, he just referred to Grant as 'cuz'.
Bernard
In most Richard Curtis movies, there is a character named Bernard. There is a Bernard in "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Bridget Jones's Diary" and "Notting Hill". In "Love Actually" Karen's (Emma Thompson) son is called Benard. Like everything, this has reasoning too.
Apparently, when Curtis was young he fell for a girl who was interested in another guy, named Bernard. It was Curis's time for revenge. Just to spice things up, it turns out the real Bernard from Curtis's love triangle, became a British MP, known as Bernard Jenkin.
Recycling Scripts
Hugh Grant goes a long way with Curtis, and so do his scripts. One known scene in "Love Actually" was originally written for another Curtis movie. Remember when Colin Frizzel (Kris Marshall) unintentionally insults the food caterer at the wedding? Well, that was originally written for "Four Weddings and a Funeral".
This scene was intended for Hugh Grant but for some reason was dropped. There are many scenes written for "Love Actually" and remained drafts that still have Hugh Grant's name all over them and haven't been used.
Whitty Wooden Companion
There are numerous scenes where Liam Neeson (Daniel) is shown with a toothpick in his mouth. At first, it seems that all Curtis wanted was to spice up the plot with a little authenticity, however, it was Neeson's old habits that brought the pick onto the set.
Neeson was a heavy smoker and said farewell to his habit not long before starting to shoot the movie. Having a toothpick in hand helped him go through the first difficult stages of giving up smoking so the little wooden companion became part of his character.
And Then There Was One
The initial script of the movie was actually two stories. The first was with Hugh Grant playing the role of David as eventually shown. The other was with Colin Firth playing the lead role, however, he eventually ended up with the part of Jamie, the heartbroken writer.
While writing the script, Curtis felt that he was falling back into his comfort zone. He said, "I’d worked out whole films on those subjects, and then I thought, I don’t want to do these because they are just turning out to be a shape I know". He ultimately went with the Grant version of the movie and sewed in Jamie's character to perfection.
All in the Family
Extras in any movie can be made of young actors pursuing their 15 min of background fame and they can be just by-passers who happen to be in the right place at the right time. On some occasions, extras can also be family. Really close family.
Emma Freud (scrip editor and Curtis's partner in life) recruited her own mother to play the housekeeper at the beginning of the movie when Hugh Grant arrives at Downing Street. And the girl in the Mini Lobster costume? Well, that was her daughter Scarlett. It's best to keep the extras close.
The Movie Sale
Could you imagine having the opportunity to buy the cast's wardrobe after filming? The "Love Actually" cast was fortunate enough to do so. When the shooting of the movie was completed, the entire wardrobe used in the movie was up for sale. But not for anyone — it was preserved for the cast only.
Emma Freud said that she still wears clothes she bought back then and has sentimental feelings for them. One day clothes worn by Grant and Thompson will be worth a small fortune.
It's Getting Crowded
There is one thing that can interrupt shooting a movie and that is the crowds. And when filming in London it can get pretty crowded. To avoid the screaming fans, most of the scenes were shot during dark hours in many landmarks around the capital.
Trafalgar Square, Somerset House, and St. Paul's Cathedral are only some of the places on the list. There is even one scene in Selfridges, London's most popular department store (if not THE most popular) when Harry purchases a neckless for Mia his mistress.
Location, Location, Location
For the scenes that involved David the Prime Minister, Curtis planned for them to be shot at 10 Downing Street, the real British minister's residents. He applied for permission to film at the prestigious location. The people at Downing Street first thought it was a bad joke, but when they realized the request was for real, they politely refused as befits the Brits.
The Prime Minister scenes were shot in a studio, however, Curtis did try to keep the sceneries as genuine as possible, and for the rest of the movie, he used London's milestones.
"Love Actually" in Three Different Ways
The English version most of us are acquainted with is not the only version out there and the movie has three other interpretations. "Tribute to Love" is the Hindi version while in Poland they named their creation "Letters to St Nicholas".
Even the Japanese can enjoy their own domestic version of "It All Began When I Met You". They are all formed in a similar manner with several stories linked to one another, and all no doubt clarify what actually, love is all about.
The Gap Year
Kiera Knightley's character, Julia, is supposed to be in her mid-twenties. In reality, she was only 17 when shooting the film, being much younger than her character.
On the contrary, Thomas Brodie Sangster who played the adorable little Sam was less than four years younger than her. Being only thirteen. He played an eight-year-old boy. Did Knightley appear to be older than she really was or did Sangster just seem more mature than his age?
Love Actually Village
While filming the movie, all cast and crew members moved into a trailer park. At one point, they were joking about the number of celebrities that were gathered in one place at the same time.
Bill Nighy said in one interview, "There were so many famous people in there, we used to talk about being on Liam Neeson Way or Emma Thompson Road or Hugh Grant Avenue. And it was a masterpiece of diplomacy".
The Dancing King
Hugh Grant is a phenomenal actor. He is charming in his British ways, however, there is one thing Grant can't do, and that is dance. Curtis insisted on the dancing scene David has in the movie even though Grant said he felt the whole routine clashed with his character.
Grant kept trying to avoid the scene and pulled a grumpy face whenever it was time to rehearse until eventually, he had to accept that the dance setting was there to stay.
Barbie Was in Fact Ken
In the movie, Karen (Thompson) is trying to decide which Barbie doll she should buy as a gift. The big dilemmas of life when it's Christmas time.
The Barbies that Karen was holding were actually two Ken dolls, dressed in drag. We just love the small hidden easter eggs that don't seem to have any impact on the viewers and make us wonder what the point was to start with.
Joanna's First kiss
"Love Actually" was Olivia Olson's (Joanna's) first professional experience shooting a wide-screen picture, and it was also her first real kiss. She was worried and nervous before shooting the scene.
Firstly, she was taller than Thomas and felt it could be an obstacle. Then she admitted to having a crush on him back in the day so true emotions were involved.
The Most Expensive Minute in the World
Curtis had so much experience when it came to producing movies, that he knew that whatever was invested would come back to him in no time. Hiring Claudia Schiffer was going to cost him a lot of money and he was willing to pay.
For the cameo that was one minute long, Schiffer reportedly earned $200,000. Let us save you on your math, that's $3,333 per second. "Love Actually" is known for so many things, but sorry Claudia, you are not one of them.
The Colin, Girlfriend and Boyfriend Romance
So, your friend returns from the United States with a beauty on his arm, and surprisingly enough, you weren't left behind. Denise Richards follows them, approaches you, and kisses you on the lips. You then both sail off into the distance. Wake up. This can only happen in a Curtis movie.
The movie had to have an unrealistic approach too (as if wet pages drawn out from a lake can be realistically used again) and Curtis spiced up the plot with the hysterical story of Colin Frissell the American Girls.
For All Religions of the World
This is not the first and definitely not the last Christmas rom-com out there. If you go through your library, you will discover that all plots make sure the sceneries are authentic as possible. Not in "Love Actually".
In all scenes, in all houses, all families, and all schools; No matter what love story the plot was covering, nobody in all of 2003 London, England, celebrated Hanukkah.
Red Nose Actually
In 2017, the "Love Actually" sequel was released by the name "Red Nose Day Actually". Curtis brings a 15 min long summary covering the stories of the characters, 13 years later. All of the "Love Actually" cast were in the short movie except for one; Karen, played by Emma Thompson.
Curtis felt he couldn't write a part for her. The previous year, Alan Rickman who played Karen's husband Harry, passed away. It was too much for Emma to handle and they mutually decided to bypass her role in the sequel.
We Are All Linked
We have to make this a little more sticky than what it is already and we can't ignore the main message of the movie. One thing we love about this movie is that all stories link in some way or the other. Even Billy and Joe, the musician and his manager are smoothly blended in when all of the characters are seen listening to Billy's music on the radio and on TV.
Let's face it, "Love actually" is all about love. The Love between siblings and friends, and love between people from different classes and different places. It's about love when it's least expected, between those who believe in others and those who believe in themselves. And just like Hugh Grant opened the movie with, we must agree. Love is actually, all around.
Did Curtis Get the Holiday All Wrong?
For someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, "Love Actually" might be considered the most romantic holiday on the Christian calendar. Well, it's not. It has got nothing to do with romantic love whatsoever. It's got to do with family, time, giving, and receiving, but in no way is Cupid related to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Does a love story need scenery with snow, eggnog, and a gingerbread house? Do people automatically yearn for one another just because they sense Santa is on his way? With all that was going on in the movie, we would have suggested Valentine's Day is a better choice of holiday.