“To me, you are perfect.” That’s what many fans say to the rom-com Love Actually each holiday season. First released in November 2003, the film — which is streaming now on Netflix in the US — has since developed a devoted following, with many believing it to be required viewing each year.
One of the best things about the seasonal flick is its robust cast: With interconnected love stories told over two hours, there are a wealth of featured players, many of them notable actors. Whether you can sing every word of “Christmas Is All Around” or you’ve only watched the modern classic once, you’ll definitely recognize many of its stars. Read on to see what the Love Actually cast has been up to in the two decades since the film came out.
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.
No stranger to rom-coms, Grant followed up Love Actually by reprising his role as Daniel Cleaver in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and starring alongside Drew Barrymore in Music and Lyrics. He stepped outside the genre for Florence Foster Jenkins and to play the villain in Paddington 2. He most recently starred in HBO’s The Undoing and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, along with a memorable cameo in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
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.
Following the success of Love Actually, McCutcheon appeared in various British TV shows, including Spooks and Agatha Christie’s Marple. In 2021, she appeared in the UK’s version of The Masked Singer.
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.
The same year that Love Actually came out, Thornton starred in Bad 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 and Mr. Woodcock, as well as the TV series Fargo.
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.
Thompson has had no shortage of acting credits since Love Actually in 2003. She’s gone on to star in the Harry 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.
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.
Like Thompson, Rickman starred in the Harry 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 Street and Alice in Wonderland — and on stage until his death in 2016.
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.
Makatsch appeared in the 2013 war drama The Book Thief, as well as a number of German films.
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 he does like her.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, in which Knightley starred as Elizabeth Swann, came out the same year as Love Actually. Knightley portrayed the character in the two sequels as well. She continued to see success in the films King Arthur, Price & Prejudice, Atonement, and The Imitation Game, and got back in the holiday spirit with the Christmas-set spy series Black Doves. She has received Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations.
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.
After this card-wielding character, Lincoln is likely best known for his portrayal of Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead, in which he starred from 2010–2018.
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.
Ejiofor appeared in various films and stage productions throughout the early 2000s. In 2013, he starred as Solomon Northup in 12 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.
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.
Following Love Actually, Firth starred in What a Girl Wants, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and alongside Thompson in Nanny McPhee. He then got into musicals with a lead role in Mamma Mia! and appeared in critically acclaimed films The King’s Speech (which won him an Oscar) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Like Grant, he reprised his role in the Bridget Jones sequel — and also appeared in the third film in the franchise.
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.
The year after Love Actually came out, Guillory starred as Jill Valentine in the sci-fi sequel Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and returned as Jill in two subsequent films. Most recently, Guillory appeared in Meg 2: The Trench.
Aurélia meets Jamie while working at his French cottage. Although they don’t share a language, they develop feelings for each other.
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 her Love Actually role for the short-film sequel Red Nose Day Actually for charity.
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.
Neeson developed a very particular set of skills following Love Actually: He appeared as Bryan Mills in all three Taken movies and starred in countless other action films.
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.
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 in Nanny McPhee. He’s also appeared in Doctor Who, The Maze Runner trilogy, and The Queen’s Gambit.
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.
Olson continued working with Brodie-Sangster through animation: The two voiced characters in Phineas and Ferb from 2008–2015 (Olson voiced Vanessa, who Ferb — voiced by Brodie-Sangster — had a crush on). She went on to voice characters in Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and The Powerpuff Girls. She has also released music over the years and appeared on The X-Factor: Celebrity in 2019.
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.
His Love Actually character may have been staging a comeback, but Nighy never needed one. He’s appeared in countless films, including Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Emma. His 2022 drama Living also earned him an Oscar nomination.
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.
The same year that Love Actually came out, Linney also starred in Mystic River, which earned her a BAFTA nomination. The next year, she appeared in Kinsey alongside Neeson; for her role she was nominated for an Academy Award, a SAG Award, and a Golden Globe. Linney starred in films including The Nanny Diaries and Hyde Park on Hudson, and earned Emmy recognition for her performances in TV series The Big C (one win) and Ozark (four nominations). She’s also received five Tony nominations for her work onstage, most recently for the play My Name Is Lucy Barton.
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.
After joining Lost as the much-maligned character Paulo, Santoro had more successful turns in the Zack Snyder film 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Emperor. He also appeared in the HBO series Westworld.
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.
Before Love Actually, Freeman was best known for his role in the UK version of The Office. Following the film, he had a number of notable roles, including Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy, Watson in Sherlock, and Everett K. Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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).
Page starred in various UK TV shows throughout the early 2000s. She also appeared in the UK’s version of The Masked Dancer in 2022 and currently co-hosts Shop Well for Less on BBC One.
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.
In 2007, Atkinson reprised his role as Mr. Bean in the film Mr. 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 movie Wonka.
