Credit: Universal Pictures
Film
It’s been 20 years since Love Actually was released – we imagine where the characters are now
By Meg Walters
2 years ago
5 min read
In honour of the 20th anniversary of Love Actually, we imagine where all of the characters from the classic romcom ended up.
Twenty years ago today, the face of the British romantic comedy was changed forever. Richard Curtis’s Love Actually was an instant hit that has gone on to become a cult classic and a Christmas staple for many. One of the first true ensemble romcoms, it paved the way for other holiday-themed projects like 2010’s Valentine’s Day and 2011’s New Year’s Eve.
There isn’t really an overarching plot in Love Actually. Instead, we follow a series of loosely connected couples as they gear up for Christmas. There’s David (Hugh Grant), the bumbling new prime minister who falls for his assistant, the charming and chatty Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). Then there’s Jamie (Colin Firth), the glum and newly single writer who strikes up a romance with his Portuguese maid, Aurelia (Lúcia Moniz), even though she doesn’t speak a word of English. There’s also Daniel (Liam Neeson), a grieving widow taking care of his stepson, Sam (a young Thomas Brodie-Sangster). Then, there is the lovely Karen (Emma Thompson), who after discovering her husband, Harry (Alan Rickman), is having an affair, allows herself to have one quiet breakdown upstairs before painting on a smile for the kids. And, crucially, there are also lots and lots of turtlenecks and one utterly iconic octopus costume.
Looking back at it now, Love Actually is certainly a product of its time. There are several horrifying jokes about weight and Curtis doesn’t offer a particularly diverse portrait of London. Nevertheless, it remains a nostalgic, festive reminder that maybe for a while we can all pretend that love is all around, actually. With its impeccable cast, it’s also a very satisfying who’s who of British cinema in the 00s.
If, like us, you find yourself switching on Love Actually once a year, you may find yourself wondering: where might these characters be today, two decades later? Well, here’s what we imagine.
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The prime minister and Natalie
Credit: Rex Features
After standing up for the UK in a rousing, if simplistic, speech aimed at the bullying American president, David continued his term as PM with a bit more gumption and confidence. However, his new girlfriend, Natalie, made things complicated; it was 2003, after all, so she quickly became a frequent face on the front pages of the tabloids. It wasn’t a great time for young women in the public eye, and soon, Natalie found everything too difficult. They broke up.
However, as they live in a Richard Curtis romcom, David realised he couldn’t live without her and decided not to run for another term. The pair opted to live somewhere in Europe and have a documentary coming out on Netflix next year about their experiences with the press. Oh, and Annie, David’s fatphobic chief of staff, was fired.
Jamie and Aurelia
Credit: Universal Pictures
We are happy to say that Jamie and Aurelia are now a happily married couple living in rural Portugal – after all, Jamie wasn’t a huge fan of the city. He still writes on his ancient typewriter, while Aurelia runs a local restaurant. In their spare time, they’ve taken up wild swimming. While Jamie begrudgingly sees his own huge family from time to time (including his awful brother), he has grown to love his expressive in-laws and prefers to spend the holidays with them.
Karen and Harry
Credit: Universal Pictures
After sticking with her awful husband for a few more years for the sake of their children, Karen finally divorced Harry about 12 years ago. Since then, she has been living her best life, travelling with friends, getting back to work and even dating a little.
Harry is sad and depressed and alone. He is starting to see the appeal of Joni Mitchell, but unfortunately, it is too little too late.
Juliet and Peter (and Mark)
Credit: universal pictures
Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are still together, although, after marrying young, they have had their ups and downs. They have two teenage kids and one doodle mix dog and live either in Islington or East Dulwich.
As for Mark (Andrew Lincoln), things got a bit weird between him and his bestie after Peter found out about the stalker-ish wedding video and the creepy “say it’s carol singers” business. However, over time, it has become something of a standing joke and all three are now good friends.
Judy and John
These two got married six months after meeting on set and now live in a cute Hobbit-like cottage outside of London. Judy (Joanna Page) landed a few roles in British TV shows and she now teaches drama to kids. As for John (Martin Freeman), he ended up working in film production. They had several kids and lived happily ever after.
Sarah and Karl
Credit: Universal Pictures
Sarah (Laura Linney) and Karl (Rodrigo Santoro) sadly never went on a date or really spoke to each other again, even though Sarah had been in love with him for “two years, seven months, three days and I suppose an hour and thirty minutes”. Sarah left her job and found an office with a manager who didn’t pull her aside and tell her to ask out other employees. She eventually met a nice, understanding man who, though less ruggedly handsome, could comprehend that, yes, adults have complex families and responsibilities.
Daniel and Sam
Credit: Universal Pictures
Daniel dated the Claudia Schiffer look-a-like for a while, but soon realised he needed more time after his wife’s death. When Sam moved away for university, he hit a low point. But that’s when he suddenly began to see Karen, his best friend, in a whole new light. The pair are now in the midst of a late-in-life romance that honestly deserves its own film.
Billy and Joe
Credit: Universal Pictures
These two are pretty much right where we left them. Billy (Bill Nighy) left music behind for good after his cover of Love Is All Around was a surprise hit. He and manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) spend most weekends on the sofa, beer in hand, reminiscing about the good old days. It is a bromance for the ages.
Images: Universal Pictures
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