What you never knew about Love Actually
IT’S a Christmas classic adored worldwide. But there are some facts about 2003 rom-com Love Actually that may still manage to surprise you.
CHRISTMAS is absolutely built for re-runs of Richard Curtis’ rom-com classic Love Actually.
If you haven’t already snuck in a cheeky out-of-season viewing, you will be guaranteed to catch it on the small screen at least half a dozen times in the run up to Christmas, The Sun reports.
But if we’re honest we’re not complaining. We love nothing more than cosying up on the sofa to see Colin Firth attempt to woo his love in a foreign tongue, Hugh Grant dance around 10 Downing Street and Bill Nighy perform his Christmas number one in the nuddy.
Avid fans of the film will no doubt know it back to front, but there are a few facts you may not be aware of.
Alan Rickman’s character Harry did have an affair
We all remember the heartbreaking moment after the school play when Emma Thompson confronted her unfaithful husband.
The words still ring in our ears as the tears roll down our cheeks: “Would you wait around to find out if it’s just a necklace, or if it’s sex and a necklace, or if, worst of all, it’s a necklace and … Would you stay, knowing life would always be a little bit worse?”
Well last year during a screening of the film, script writer and Curtis’ wife Emma Freud answered the question we have all been asking: Was it just a necklace?
Unfortunately not. When asked is the affair had actually happened she said: “Definitely had an affair. I begged richard just to make it a flirtation, but no. the whole way. [sic]”
The original version of the film had 14 love stories
Four of the originally written stories were cut, two of them before filming and another two ended up on the editing room floor.
The first was about an African couple who supported each other through famine and the second was about a strict headmistress who nursed her lesbian partner through cancer.
Writer Richard Curtis had specific people in mind for the main roles
Curtis always destined Hugh Grant for the role of PM and Emma Thompson to play his sister.
He also wrote Martine McCutcheon’s role for her after spotting her years before on Eastenders.
The part which she plays was originally called Martine but he changed the name to Natalie before she auditioned so that she wouldn’t know that she would definitely get the job.
Claudia Schiffer was also never supposed to have a part, Curtis actually just wanted someone who looked like her. But unable to track down an appropriate doppelganger he offered her the role instead.
He also snuck his own daughter in as one of the lobsters in the nativity play.
Love struck schoolboy Sam was played by Hugh Grant’s second cousin
Actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster was cast to play the character Sam and he is actually second cousins with Hugh Grant who played David, The Prime Minister.
Thomas said: “He’d call me cousin and ruffle my hair.”
Thomas went on to star in the hugely popular Game of Thrones but for his part in Love Actually his father taught him to play the drums, an instrument which he still plays now.
The US version didn’t include the Sugababes song Too Lost in You
In the UK version, the Sugababes single played over the Christmas party scene in the art gallery.
But for the American audience it was replaced with Kelly Clarkson’s The Trouble with Love Is.
Tony Blair made reference to Hugh Grant’s momentous speech
Back in 2005, Mr Blair obviously felt the pressure being compared to Hugh Grant as PM.
He said: “I know there’s a bit of us that would like me to do a Hugh Grant in Love Actually and tell America where to get off. But the difference between a good film and real life is that in real life there’s the next day, the next year, the next lifetime to contemplate the ruinous consequences of easy applause.”
The lake which Colin Firth dived into was just 45cm deep
The lake which Colin Firth and his Portuguese love interest dive into to save his precious manuscript was very shallow.
In order to make their swimming convincing the pair had to kneel down and bob about in the water.
Kris Marshall offered to work for free
My Family funny guy Kris Marshall reportedly attempted to hand back his pay-cheque after filming.
Apparently he enjoyed the scene where he was undressed by three American beauties — January Jones, Elisha Cuthbert and Ivana Miličević — so much that he didn’t feel he could take payment.
This story originally appeared in The Sun and has been republished here with permission.