Love Actually: Where are the cast now?

29 November 2022, 13:53

Love Actually: Where are the cast now?
Love Actually: Where are the cast now? Picture: Alamy
Hannah Lovejoy

By Hannah Lovejoy

Love Actually is one of the most popular Christmas movies of recent years and has become a huge part of British film culture.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Love Actually was released in 2003 and centres around the lives of eight London couples. They navigate the various obstacles of relationships while celebrating life and love at Christmas.

With everyone from Hugh Grant to Emma Thompson in the cast, we take a look at some of Love Actually’s most popular stars to see where they are now...

  1. Hugh Grant

    Love Actually / Hugh Grant
    Love Actually / Hugh Grant. Picture: Alamy

    Hugh Grant was already a famous face within British cinema at the time of Love Actually’s release. He had already appeared in films such as Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Sense and Sensibility.

    Since Love Actually, Hugh has sustained a massively successful career and continues to appear in noteworthy movie and television roles. These include Paddington 2 and The Undoing.

    He is also a father to five children and got married for the first time in 2018.

  2. Martine McCutcheon

    Love Actually / Martine McCutcheon
    Love Actually / Martine McCutcheon. Picture: Alamy

    Martine McCutcheon is a well-known singer and actress who played the role of Natalie in Love Actually. Martine established her acting career several years earlier in the mid to late '90s when she appeared as Tiffany in East London based soap EastEnders. She also had a string of top 10 singles including the number one track ‘Perfect Moment’ in 1999.

    After Love Actually, Martine has been featured on a number of television and musical projects. In 2017, she released an album titled Lost and Found. Martine also did a stint on daytime TV show Loose Women and appeared as a panellist.

    Martine is married to British singer-songwriter Jack McManus and they have one child together.

  3. Keira Knightley

    Love Actually / Keira Knightley
    Love Actually / Keira Knightley. Picture: Alamy

    In 2003, Keira Knightley appeared as Juliet in Love Actually and firmly established her presence in Western cinema. During the same year, Keira also made her debut as Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. She has continued to appear as Elizabeth throughout the franchise.

    Keira’s commitment to acting is strong as she has appeared in a film, TV show or short every year since 1999. Her recent work includes the horror comedy movie Silent Night.

    Away from the screen, Keira has been married to James Righton since 2013 and the couple have two children together.

  4. Chiwetel Ejiofor

    Love Actually / Chiwetel Ejiofor
    Love Actually / Chiwetel Ejiofor. Picture: Alamy

    Chiwetel Ejiofor played the role of Peter in Love Actually and has gone on to have massively popular roles including in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    After Love Actually, Chiwetel had various roles in film and TV - in 2010, he landed the role of Peabody in action film Salt and starred alongside Angelina Jolie and Andre Braugher.

    Chiwetel has also starred in 12 Years a Slave and voiced Scar in The Lion King remake. In 2016, Chiwetel also joined the MCU as Mordo in Doctor Strange and recently reprised his role for the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie.

  5. Colin Firth

    Love Actually / Colin Firth
    Love Actually / Colin Firth. Picture: Alamy

    Colin Firth starred as Jamie in Love Actually and had a well-established acting career before appearing in the Christmas romcom.

    After appearing in Love Actually, Colin starred in the Bridget Jones, Mamma Mia, St Trinian’s and Kingsman franchises.

    He also starred in the leading role as King George VI in the 2010 movie The King’s Speech. In 2011, Colin won the BAFTA for Best Leading Actor and the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his work in The King’s Speech.

    Most recently, Colin appeared as Ewen Montagu in the drama-war movie Operation Mincemeat.

    Colin was married to Livia Giuggioli until 2019 when they got divorced after over 20 years of marriage. Colin has three children.

  6. Emma Thompson

    Love Actually / Emma Thompson
    Love Actually / Emma Thompson. Picture: Alamy

    Emma Thompson played the role of Karen in Love Actually and is by far one of Britain’s most beloved actresses. She has been awarded a DBE as well as several other notable industry awards including two Oscars and a Primetime Emmy.

    Prior to her Love Actually stint, Emma appeared in Sense and Sensibility alongside Hugh Grant and Much Ado About Nothing amongst other noteworthy roles. Emma has also appeared in the Nanny McPhee, Harry Potter and Men in Black franchises.

    Most recently, Emma was seen in Late Night, Last Christmas and Cruella. She is also filming for the upcoming remake of Matilda.

    Away from the big screen, Emma is married to Strictly Come Dancing star Greg Wise and they have two children together.

  7. Thomas Brodie-Sangster

    Love Actually / Thomas Brodie-Sangster
    Love Actually / Thomas Brodie-Sangster. Picture: Alamy

    Thomas Brodie-Sangster played the role of young Sam in Love Actually and he has gone on to star in major TV roles.

    After his Love Actually stint, Thomas appeared in Doctor Who and also voiced one of the main characters in the Phineas and Ferb franchise from Disney.

    He also joined the cast of Game of Thrones between 2013 and 2014 and played the role of Jojen Reed. Thomas starred in the TV series Thunderbirds Are Go and The Maze Runner franchise.

    Most recently, he appeared in The Queen's Gambit as Benny Watts.