The beloved characters from Love Actually went through some changes after the movie ended, and its short sequel helped answer unanswered questions.
Summary
- Love Actually‘s short sequel, Red Nose Day Actually, provides updates on the fates of beloved characters like Juliet, Peter, and Mark.
- Prime Minister David and Natalie are still together, with David continuing his iconic dance moves.
- Karen and Harry’s relationship is strained but they’re still together, while characters like Billy Mack and Rufus are still pursuing their passions.
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Love Actually is one of the most beloved rom-coms that has become a holiday tradition for many to rewatch annually, and despite the fact that a full sequel was never released, many of its characters’ fates received updates after the movie ended. Because of its popularity, Love Actually‘s ensemble cast returned for a short sequel 14 years after the 2003 movie’s conclusion, in 2017’s 17-minute Red Nose Day Actually short film. The Notting Hill filmmaker Richard Curtis decided to bring back many of the actors and answer some questions about what happened to the Love Actually characters after the events in the original film.
Love Actually is set around Christmastime in London, and it comes with an all-star ensemble cast. The late Alan Rickman, Emma Thomson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, and more are part of its magnetic cast, all with incredible chemistry. The movie focuses on individual characters with diverse storylines, with most of the characters proving to be connected in the end somehow. Although the movie was a major hit, there are several moments from Love Actually that didn’t age well. However, the interest in the characters is still remarkable after so much time, and most of them really found their happily ever after at the end of the beloved film.
Related: Love Actually’s Secret Lost Love Story – Theory Explained
Juliet, Peter & Mark (Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor & Andrew Lincoln)
One Of The Movie’s Most Iconic Scenes Makes A Comeback
In the 2003 Christmas film Love Actually, Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln) were one of the most controversial storylines. Mark had never officially tried to get along with Juliet, but it turns out he was in love with her all along. However, Juliet was married to Mark’s best friend, Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor). In one of Love Actually‘s most famous scenes, Mark showed up on her doorstep with cards to confess his love and get closure, and Juliet kissed him.
After the events in the film, the Red Nose Day Actually sequel shows Juliet and Peter are still together. It also pokes fun at his most iconic scene: Mark holding the cards, giving details about what happened to the rest of the characters. Juliet reveals she and Peter are very happy, while Mark moved on and did, indeed, marry a supermodel, who is played by Kate Moss.
Prime Minister David & Natalie (Hugh Grant & Martine McCutcheon)
The Prime Minister Is Still Dancing
Fourteen years later, Hugh Grant’s David is still Prime Minister, and he still enjoys dancing at his official residence at 10 Downing Street. In the soft sequel, he performs his iconic dance moves to Drake’s “Hotline Bling” rather than The Pointer Sisters’ “Jump,” although not gracefully, and despite the fact that Grant hated filming the original dance scene. He and Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) are still together after uniting at the end of the original movie. The Red Nose Day Actually special shows her still teasing and keeping him on his toes, and David and Natalie remain a very strong couple. He also still gives funny, meaningful, and optimistic monologues in press conferences.
Related: Natalie From Love Actually: Where Else You’ve Seen Martine McCutcheon
Billy Mack (Bill Nighy)
Still Releasing Cover Songs of His Hit Song, “Love Is All Around”
In Love Actually, Bill Nighy plays rock star Billy Mack, who is trying to be number one again with the cover of the song “Love Is All Around,” turning it into a holiday cheer song. Not much changed in the years since, as Billy Mack turned the song around for charity on Red Nose Day. He has also released a biography, Macknificent, and is still trying to sell records. Marcus Brigstocke is still a radio DJ, at the same radio station as the 2003 film, Radio Watford. Unfortunately, Billy reveals that his beloved manager and close friend Joe, played by Gregor Fisher, passed away because of a big heart attack.
Karen & Harry (Emma Thompson & Alan Rickman)
The Couple Stayed Together After The 2003 Movie
Karen actress Emma Thompson and Harry actor Alan Rickman didn’t return for the short sequel. That is because Alan Rickman tragically died of cancer at the age of 69 in 2016, and Emma Thompson and Richard Curtis wanted to honor him (The Guardian via the Press Association). However, Love Actually script editor Emma Freud gave an update on their situation a couple of years before Red Nose Day Actually. During the live Tweets, she added that the two didn’t break up, but “home isn’t as happy as it once was.” Freud also added that the Joni Mitchell scene from the original movie took Emma Thompson seven takes, “crying every time.”
Rufus (Rowan Atkinson)
Still Wrapping Gifts
Rowan Atkinson played Rufus in Love Actually, and his character served as a plot device to help or hinder characters, especially Alan Rickman’s Harry and Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s Sam. Emma Freud, scriptwriter and Richard Curtis’ wife, also described him as an “angel” (via Twitter) in her live tweets when re-watching the film with her husband. In Red Nose Day Actually, he is still a salesperson, and he’s still taking his time over-wrapping purchases.
Jamie & Aurelia (Colin Firth & Lucia Moniz)
Still Struggling With Language Barriers
Jamie, played by Colin Firth, was a book author who moved to Marseille to get inspiration for his new book in Love Actually. There, he met Aurelia, played by Lúcia Moniz, who was helping him around the house. The two fell in love despite not speaking the same language, and he traveled all the way to Portugal at the end of the movie to confess his love and propose. Against all odds, 14 years later, Jamie and Aurelia are still together. This time, Aurelia speaks English well, although Jamie struggles with basic Portuguese. The two are still very happy and have three children, with Aurelia revealing she’s pregnant again in the 2017 follow-up.
Daniel & Sam (Liam Neeson & Thomas Brodie-Sangster)
Daniel (Liam Neeson) and Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) are two of Love Actually‘s most endearing characters. Daniel is Sam’s stepfather, who takes care of him after his wife, Sam’s mother, dies. After the movie, their connection is still strong, although Sam moves to New York after growing up and Daniel stays in London. In the Red Nose Day Actually sequel, Sam reveals he and Joanna (Olivia Olson), his middle school crush, reconnected in New York and are getting married. However, it’s unclear if Daniel and Carol (Claudia Schiffer) are still a couple.
Sarah (Laura Linney)
She Finally Found Love
Sarah, played by Laura Linney, had one of the loneliest arcs in Love Actually. She had a longtime crush on one of her co-workers, Karl, and when she finally got a chance to act on her love, she had to give up and go care for her brother Michael. Red Nose Day Actually makes it look like not much has changed in her life, as she’s still working late, seemingly refuses to flirt with her co-workers, and rushes to the phone whenever it rings. However, it turns out it wasn’t her brother calling, but her husband, played by Patrick Dempsey. The 2017 follow-up also showed a child’s drawing, proving she finally found love and started her own family.
The Rest Of Love Actually’s Characters
Colin, Tony, John & Judy Don’t Return
Although the majority of the cast reunited for Red Nose Day Actually, some of the characters weren’t part of the reunion. Colin (Kris Marshall) and his best friend, Tony (Abdul Salis), don’t return for the short sequel. At the end of Love Actually, Colin returns from the U.S. to London with Harriet (Shannon Elizabeth) and her sister Carla (Denise Richards), who kisses Tony at the airport.
In the original movie, John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page) didn’t have a conventional meet-cute, as they were filming adult films. However, by the end of Love Actually, the two got married and were off on their honeymoon. The couple does not return for Red Nose Day Actually. However, it’s likely that they stayed together.
Source: Twitter, The Guardian
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Love Actually Release Date: 2003-11-14 Director: Richard Curtis Cast: Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln Rating: R Runtime: 135 minutes Genres: Comedy, Drama, Holiday, Romance Writers: Richard Curtis Summary: The 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually follows various couples as they explore their relationships throughout the Christmas season. With a star-studded cast composed of Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Rowan Atkinson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Freeman, and Martine McCutcheon, Love Actually has since become a Christmas staple for rom-com lovers. Budget: 45million Studio(s): Universal Pictures Distributor(s): Universal Pictures
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