The ‘Love Actually’ Cast Is Still All Around Us, 20 Years Later (2024)

Hugh Grant

as David, the Prime Minister

About the Character

David has recently been elected prime minister when he develops feelings for his staffer Natalie. He mistakenly believes she has feelings for the US president when he walks in on an awkward moment, but learns the truth when she leaves him a Christmas card.

Previously In

No stranger to rom-coms, Grant followed upLove Actually by reprising his role as Daniel Cleaver inBridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and starring alongside Drew Barrymore inMusic and Lyrics. He stepped outside the genre forFlorence Foster Jenkins and to play the villain in Paddington 2. He most recently starred in HBO’sThe Undoing andDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, along with amemorable cameo inGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Martine McCutcheon

as Natalie

About the Character

As a member of the prime minister’s staff, Natalie often finds herself nervous — and cursing — around her boss. She’s recently been broken up with, but starts developing feelings for David.

Previously In

Following the success ofLove Actually, McCutcheon appeared in various British TV shows, includingSpooks andAgatha Christie’s Marple. In 2021, she appeared in the UK’s version ofThe Masked Singer.

Billy Bob Thornton

as The US president

About the Character

The president is visiting England for a meeting with the prime minister. During his stay, he does not do America proud: He makes inappropriate comments about the PM’s staffer Natalie.

Previously In

The same year thatLove Actually came out, Thornton starred inBad Santa. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the next year. His credits since then have included the films School for Scoundrels andMr. Woodco*ck, as well as the TV seriesFargo.

Emma Thompson

as Karen

About the Character

David’s sister Karen is a stay-at-home mom to two kids with her husband, Harry. She has arguably the worst holiday in the whole film as she finds out that her husband has feelings for his secretary. She stumbles upon an expensive necklace in his coat pocket — thinking it’s for her — only to discover on Christmas Day that he bought her a CD.

Previously In

Thompson has had no shortage of acting credits sinceLove Actually in 2003. She’s gone on to star in theHarry Potter film series,Nanny McPhee and its sequel (both of which she also wrote),Men in Black 3, Saving Mr. Banks, the 2017 version of Beauty and the Beast, Cruella, and Matilda the Musical.

Alan Rickman

as Harry

About the Character

For a married man, Harry pays a little too much attention to his secretary, Mia. She’s extremely flirtatious toward him, which he rewards by purchasing her an expensive Christmas gift, and slow-dances a little too closely with her at their company holiday party.

Previously In

Like Thompson, Rickman starred in theHarry Potter series. Severus Snape would become one of his most memorable roles, but he continued to star in films —​​ including Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetandAlice in Wonderland — and on stage until his death in 2016.

Heike Makatsch

as Mia

About the Character

Mia isn’t someone the audience can easily root for: She’s over-the-top flirty with her boss, Harry — one time even in front of his wife. We don’t know much else about Mia except that she’s Natalie’s next-door neighbor.

Previously In

Makatsch appeared in the 2013 war dramaThe Book Thief, as well as a number of German films.

Keira Knightley

as Juliet

About the Character

Juliet thinks her new husband’s best friend, Mark, doesn’t like her. He’s cold to her and even refuses to show her the video he shot at her and Peter’s wedding. But when she finally sees the footage and realizes Peter isn’t in it, Mark admits he’s distant because hedoes like her.

Previously In

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, in which Knightley starred as Elizabeth Swann, came out the same year asLove Actually. Knightley portrayed the character in the two sequels as well. She continued to see success in the films King Arthur,Price & Prejudice,Atonement, andThe Imitation Game. She has received Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations.

Andrew Lincoln

as Mark

About the Character

After finally admitting he has feelings for his best friend’s new wife, Mark shows up at their apartment pretending to be a holiday caroler. When Juliet answers the door, he plays music on a boombox and, in one of the film’s most famous scenes, declares his love in a series of large cue cards.

Previously In

After this card-wielding character, Lincoln is likely best known for his portrayal of Rick Grimes inThe Walking Dead, in which he starred from 2010–2018.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

as Peter

About the Character

Poor Peter thinks he’s happily married to Juliet and is unaware that his best friend, Mark, is confessing his love to her — and that he’s barely in his own wedding video.

Previously In

Ejiofor appeared in various films and stage productions throughout the early 2000s. In 2013, he starred as Solomon Northup in12 Years a Slave, a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination. His acting credits also include the Doctor Strange films, the 2019 remake of The Lion King, and the TV series The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Colin Firth

as Jamie

About the Character

Peter and Juliet’s wedding also isn’t a happy time for Jamie, who goes without his girlfriend because she’s sick. He comes home early to find her having sex with his brother. Heartbroken, Jamie escapes to a French cottage to work on his next book. There he meets his housekeeper, Aurélia, who speaks only Portuguese, while he speaks only English.

Previously In

FollowingLove Actually, Firth starred inWhat a Girl Wants,Girl with a Pearl Earring, and alongside Thompson inNanny McPhee. He then got into musicals with a lead role inMamma Mia!and appeared in critically acclaimed films The King’s Speech (which won him an Oscar) andTinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Like Grant, he reprised his role in theBridget Jones sequel — and also appeared in the third film in the franchise.

Sienna Guillory

as Jamie’s girlfriend

About the Character

Jamie’s cheating girlfriend doesn’t even get a name in the film. She fakes being sick so she can stay home from their friend’s wedding in order to sleep with her own boyfriend’s brother.

Previously In

The year afterLove Actually came out, Guillory starred as Jill Valentine in the sci-fi sequelResident Evil: Apocalypse, and returned as Jill in two subsequent films. Most recently, Guillory appeared inMeg 2: The Trench.

Lúcia Moniz

as Aurélia

About the Character

Aurélia meets Jamie while working at his French cottage. Although they don’t share a language, they develop feelings for each other.

Previously In

After her role as Aurélia, Moniz has predominantly stuck with Portuguese television and music (she represented Portugal in Eurovision 1996). She released albums in 2005, 2011, and 2015. In 2017, like many of her co-stars, she reprised herLove Actually role for the short-film sequelRed Nose Day Actually for charity.

Liam Neeson

as Daniel

About the Character

A friend of Karen’s, Daniel is mourning the death of his wife while trying to care for his stepson, Sam. When Sam develops feelings for a classmate, Daniel helps him win her over.

Previously In

Neeson developed a very particular set of skills followingLove Actually: He appeared as Bryan Mills in all threeTaken movies and starred in countless other action films.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

as Sam

About the Character

Sam falls in love with an American classmate named Joanna. He learns the drums so that he can accompany her at the school’s Christmas pageant.

Previously In

Brodie-Sangster was only 13 when he filmed Love Actually — it was his first major film and he’s gone on to have a successful acting career. Like Thompson and Firth, he also starred inNanny McPhee. He’s also appeared inDoctor Who,The Maze Runner trilogy, andThe Queen’s Gambit.

Olivia Olson

as Joanna

About the Character

Joanna is one of the few Americans in the film; she’s classmates with Sam and performs “All I Want for Christmas” by Mariah Carey at the school’s holiday pageant. She’s accompanied by Sam on the drums, which he learned to play just to get close to her.

Previously In

Olson continued working with Brodie-Sangster through animation: The two voiced characters inPhineas and Ferb from 2008–2015 (Olson voiced Vanessa, who Ferb — voiced by Brodie-Sangster — had a crush on). She went on to voice characters inAdventure Time, Steven Universe, andThe Powerpuff Girls. She has also released music over the years and appeared onThe X-Factor: Celebrity in 2019.

Bill Nighy

as Billy Mack

About the Character

Billy Mack was once a rock legend, but he’s attempting to stage a comeback with a Christmas version of the ’60s song “Love Is All Around.” He hates the song, and is perpetually grumpy about it, but he wants to have another No. 1 hit, which is what happens.

Previously In

HisLove Actuallycharacter may have been staging a comeback, but Nighy never needed one. He’s appeared in countless films, includingShaun of the Dead,Hot Fuzz,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1,The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, andEmma. His 2022 drama Living also earned him an Oscar nomination.

Laura Linney

as Sarah

About the Character

Another guest from Juliet and Peter’s wedding, Sarah works at Harry’s design company. She has a major crush on her co-worker Karl.

Previously In

The same year thatLove Actuallycame out, Linney also starred inMystic River, which earned her a BAFTA nomination. The next year, she appeared inKinsey alongside Neeson; for her role she was nominated for an Academy Award, a SAG Award, and a Golden Globe. Linney starred in films includingThe Nanny Diaries andHyde Park on Hudson, and earned Emmy recognition for her performances in TV series The Big C (one win) andOzark (four nominations). She’s also received five Tony nominations for her work onstage, most recently for the play My Name Is Lucy Barton.

Rodrigo Santoro

as Karl

About the Character

Karl is Sarah’s co-worker and the object of her affections. Following their company’s holiday party, Karl drives her home and they start to hook up, but a phone call from Sarah’s brother interrupts things.

Previously In

After joiningLost as the much-maligned character Paulo, Santoro had more successful turns in the Zack Snyder film300 and its sequel300: Rise of an Emperor. He also appeared in the HBO seriesWestworld.

Martin Freeman

as John

About the Character

John is working as a stand-in for a film where he meets fellow stand-in Joanna. The two must act out a sex scene while naked. They’re comfortable chatting during the test shots, but are shy with one another off camera.

Previously In

BeforeLove Actually, Freeman was best known for his role in the UK version ofThe Office. Following the film, he had a number of notable roles, including Bilbo Baggins inThe Hobbit trilogy, Watson inSherlock, and Everett K. Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Joanna Page

as Judy

About the Character

After meeting on set, Judy starts to date John. They attend the school Christmas pageant, where John’s brother’s children are performing (along with many other characters).

Previously In

Page starred in various UK TV shows throughout the early 2000s. She also appeared in the UK’s version ofThe Masked Dancer in 2022 and currently co-hostsShop Well for Less on BBC One.

Rowan Atkinson

as Rufus

About the Character

Rufus is found across a few of the Love Actually storylines. He’s the sales rep who sells Harry the necklace for his secretary and helps distract airport employees so Sam can sneak through to talk to Joanna.

Previously In

In 2007, Atkinson reprised his role as Mr. Bean in the filmMr. Bean’s Holiday. He also appeared as Johnny English in the film’s three installments. In addition to theater work in the UK, Atkinson will appear in the upcoming movieWonka.