Love Actually deleted scene portrays one character as a gifted gymnast

An uncovered scene from the beloved holiday classic sees one character with a ridiculous subplot that would have changed the whole film.

Liam Neeson and Thomas Brodie-Sangster in 2003 film Love Actually. Picture: Supplied

An absolutely wild deleted scene from beloved holiday film Love Actually is doing the rounds on social media this week, and it has to be seen to be believed.

The scene, which first surfaced in 2013, is an extended version of the moment lovesick Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), the son of Liam Neeson’s character, runs through Heathrow Airport to tell Joanna (Olivia Olson) he loves her, evading security like a pro.

While in the film, 11-year-old Sam managing to lose the adult security guards is impressive enough, in the original version, Sam’s airport dash actually featured a series of complicated gymnastic moves and flourishes as he wove his way through the crowds.

It also included some pretty unbelievable body doubles.

Check it out:

It is your holiday duty to make sure everyone you know is aware of the deleted subplot in Love Actually where the little boy is a trained gymnast. pic.twitter.com/Za2pzGVn6H

— Patrick Fisackerly (@fisackerly) December 3, 2022

It turns out Sam’s gymnastic abilities were a central part of his story in the original draft of the film, but director Richard Curtis decided to scrap it.

“We were a bit torn whether or not to put [the scene] in because there would have been sort of effects and polish done on it, but we didn’t and I think it’s fun,” Curtis said in the director’s commentary.

“In the original draft of the movie there were lots of mentions about the fact that Sam, the little boy, was a brilliant gymnast and you casually saw him when he was very sad doing double twists and turns and not getting any joy out of it at all.”

Sam notably managed to learn the drums from scratch in a few short weeks. Turns out he was also a secret gymnast.

He added that the deleted scene was a “very rough edit”.

“So when it came to the airport … he brought his gymnastic prowess into play and this is a very rough edit of how he would have been the Nadia Comăneci [or] Olga Korbut of the movie.

The scene, and the thought of glum little Sam doing Olympic-level gymnastics throughout the film, has tickled fans of the Christmas favourite.

On Twitter, they’ve been collectively shocked by what could have been.

jfc the body double is so blatantly a full grown adult

— Josh Clayton (@JoshClayton) December 3, 2022

I always switch from running to cartwheels when I need a burst of speed.

— OX .oO( parody ) (@HueSatLight) December 3, 2022

a sequence as Too Long as the stunt double's legs. perfect.

— Cakemittens (@cakemittens) December 3, 2022

Interesting they thought this was too unrealistic but him leaning to play drums in two weeks was entirely plausible

— Roberto Valdes🇨🇺🎉 (@Rob36622) December 3, 2022

I’m torn between absolutely believing this is real and not believing this could possibly be real.

— pokey pup (@Whatapityonyou) December 3, 2022

One more simply wrote of the insane footage: “Delete it again.”

Last week, The Laughter and Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later, a TV special celebrating two decades since the film’s release, uncovered several behind-the-scenes titbits from filming.

Among the revelations, actor Hugh Grant revealed his most loathed scene was his infamous Downing Street dance sequence.

Elsewhere, director Curtis shared that Keira Knightley was convinced the film would ruin her career. Instead, it did quite the opposite.

Originally published as Love Actually deleted scene portrays one character as a gifted gymnast