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{{Short description|2003 film by Richard Curtis}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox film {{Infobox film
|name = Love Actually | name = Love Actually
|image = Love Actually movie.jpg | image = Love Actually movie.jpg
|caption = Theatrical release poster | caption = Theatrical release poster
|director = ] | director = ]
| writer = Richard Curtis
|producer = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]
|writer = Richard Curtis | producer = {{Plainlist|
* ]
|starring = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]
* ]
|music = ]
* ]
|editing = ]
* ]
|cinematography= Michael Coulter
* ]
|studio = ]<br>]<br>]
}}
|distributor = ]
| starring = {{Plainlist|
|released = 7 November 2003 ({{small|limited}})<br>14 November 2003 ({{small|US}})<br>21 November 2003 ({{small|UK}})
* ]
|runtime = 136 minutes
* ]
|country = United Kingdom<br>France
* ]
|language = English<br>Portuguese<br>French<br>Italian
* ]
|budget = $45&nbsp;million ({{small|USD}})<br>£30&nbsp;million<ref></ref>
* ]
|gross = $246,942,017
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}<!-- Cast list is per the film poster per MOSFILM -->
| cinematography = ]
| editing = ]
| music = ]
| studio = {{plainlist|
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}
| distributor = {{Plainlist|
* ] (International)
* ] (France)<ref>{{cite web|title=Film #20310: Love Actually|website=]|access-date=20 June 2021|url=http://lumiere.obs.coe.int/web/film_info/?id=20310}}</ref>
}}
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2003|11|14|United States|2003|11|21|United Kingdom|2003|12|3|France}}
| runtime = 135 minutes
| country = {{ubl|United Kingdom|United States|France<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b885c5bbb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518024611/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b885c5bbb|archive-date=18 May 2016|title=Love Actually (2003)|publisher=]|access-date=7 December 2017}}</ref>}}
| language = English
| budget = $40{{nbsp}}million
| gross = $250.2{{nbsp}}million
}} }}
'''''Love Actually''''' is a 2003 British ]] ] written and directed by ]. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress.


'''''Love Actually''''' is a 2003 ] ] ] film written and directed by ]. The film features an ], composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous projects. An international co-production of the ], ], and ], it was mostly filmed on-location in ], ], ]. The film delves into different aspects of love as shown through 10 separate stories involving a variety of individuals, many of whom are interlinked as the plot progresses. The story begins six weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an ] that takes place in the New Year.
Set primarily in London, the story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an ] that takes place one month later.

The film was released in the US on 14 November 2003 and a week later in the UK during its theatrical run. ''Love Actually'' was a box-office success, grossing $250.2{{nbsp}}million worldwide on a budget of $40{{nbsp}}million. The film received mixed reviews and a nomination for the ]. A ] ] sequel, '']'', aired in two different versions on ] and ] in 2017, as part of the fundraising event ]. In retrospective years, it has developed a ], and is often a staple film shown during the Christmas period in both the United Kingdom and United States.


==Plot== ==Plot==
The film begins with a voiceover from David (]) commenting that whenever he gets gloomy with the state of the world he thinks about the arrivals terminal at ], and the pure uncomplicated love felt as friends and families welcome their arriving loved ones. David's voiceover also relates that all the messages left by the people who died on the ] planes were messages of love and not hate. The film then tells the 'love stories' of many people: A voice-over<!--by who?--> opens the film, commenting that whenever the narrator gets gloomy about the state of the world, he thinks of the arrivals gate at ], and the pure and uncomplicated love of lovers, friends and families welcoming their loved ones. He also points out that the messages from the ] ] were ] of love and not hate. The story then switches among the interconnecting "love stories" of many people:


===Billy Mack and Joe=== ===Billy Mack and Joe===
With the help of his longtime manager Joe (]), aging ] legend Billy Mack (]) records a Christmas variation of ]' classic hit "]". Although he thinks the record is terrible, Mack promotes the release in the hope it will become the ]. The song does go to number one; after briefly celebrating his victory at a party hosted by Sir ], Billy recognises that Joe needs affection and suggests that he and Joe celebrate Christmas by getting drunk and watching ]. With his long-time manager Joe (]), ] legend Billy Mack (]) records a Christmas version of the ]' 1967 song "]", titling it "Christmas Is All Around". Although believing the record is terrible, Mack promotes the release in the hope it will become the ], which it does. He forgoes a victory party hosted by ] to celebrate Christmas with Joe, since he realised that Christmas was the time to be with the people one loved. Billy then confesses to Joe that he turned out to be the love of his life. After hugging each other, Billy suggests that they get drunk and watch ].


===Juliet, Peter and Mark=== ===Juliet, Peter, and Mark===
The wedding of Juliet (]) and Peter (]) is videotaped by the ], Mark (]), where a surprise band plays the ]' "]" as they walk out of ]. Although Juliet believes Mark dislikes her, he is actually in love with her.
Juliet (]) and Peter (]) are wed in a lovely ceremony orchestrated and ]d by Mark (]), Peter's best friend and best man. One day Juliet arrives unexpectedly at Mark's apartment and watches his video, discovering that the footage is entirely of her. This confuses Juliet, who thought Mark didn't like her: He never talked to her, avoided her, and was generally distant and uncomfortable around her. He blurts out that he acts that way for 'self-preservation', and she finally realises that he's always been head over heels for her, but has kept it to himself out of respect for her and Peter's relationship. At Christmas Mark takes a moment to truly confess his ] for Juliet (silently, using ]-esque word cards), which Juliet acknowledges by giving him a kiss. After this, Mark decides to set aside his infatuation and move on.

When he evades her requests to see the video he shot at the wedding, she shows up at his flat. Juliet insists she wants them to be friends, but when she views the wedding video Mark recorded, she sees many extreme close-ups of herself and few of Peter's face. She realises Mark's true feelings towards her. After an uncomfortable silence, Mark blurts out that he acts coldly toward her out of "self-preservation".

On ], Juliet answers the doorbell to find Mark carrying a ] playing a ] and large ]. While Peter is inside watching television, Mark shows a message of his love to Juliet through a series of cue cards. As he walks away down the street, Juliet runs after him, gives him a quick kiss, and returns inside. Mark walks away, uttering "Enough", to imply he can move on and be content as friends.


===Jamie and Aurélia=== ===Jamie and Aurélia===
Writer Jamie (]) prepares to attend the wedding of Juliet and Peter's while his girlfriend (]) misses the ceremony to sleep with his brother. Crushed by this, Jamie withdraws to his French cottage where he meets Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia (]) who speaks only her native tongue. When Jamie returns to England he realises he is in love with Aurélia and begins learning Portuguese. When he returns to France<!-- Please do not change to Portugal he clearly goes from the Marseilles airport to Aurelia's home and then the family takes him to the restaurant --> to find her, he proposes and she says, ''"Yes"''. It would seem that she has been learning English. Writer Jamie (]) is pushed by his girlfriend to attend Juliet and Peter's wedding alone because she is ill. He returns before the reception to check on her, discovering she is having sex with his brother. Crushed, Jamie withdraws to his French cottage, where he meets Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia (]), who does not speak ]. Despite not sharing a common language, a mutual attraction grows.

Jamie returns to the ], realises he is in love with Aurélia and begins learning ]. He returns to ], ]<!-- Please do not change to Portugal. Jamie leaves the Marseille airport before proceeding to Aurelia's home. He knows where it is because he dropped her off there several times. --> to find her and ends up walking through town with her father and sister, gathering additional people as they walk to her waitressing job. In basic, and often grammatically incorrect, ], he declares his love for her and proposes. She says yes in broken English, showing she too had been studying ] "just in cases", as the crowd erupts in applause.

===Harry, Karen, and Mia===
Harry (]) is the managing director of a design agency. Mia (]) is his secretary. Harry is married to Karen (]), a stay-at-home mother. They have two children, Bernard and Daisy (]). Mia behaves in an overtly sexual way with him at the office and asks him for a Christmas present. At the company Christmas party held at Mark's gallery, they dance closely.

Before Christmas shopping at a ], Harry calls Mia and asks what she wants for Christmas. He is almost caught by his wife purchasing an expensive necklace with a gold heart pendant from the jewelry ] when the salesman, Rufus (]), takes an inordinate amount of time to wrap it. Later, Karen finds the necklace in Harry's coat pocket and assumes it is for her.


Opening a similarly shaped box on Christmas Eve, she is heartbroken to find it is a ] CD, realises he bought the necklace for someone else, and cries in their bedroom alone. She keeps a happy face so as not to ruin her family's holiday. She later confronts Harry and asks what he would do if he were her. She feels he has made a mockery of their marriage and of her. Harry comes clean and admits that he has been foolish.
===Harry, Karen and Mia===
Harry (]) is the managing director of a design agency; Mia (]) is his new secretary. For Christmas he buys her an expensive necklace from jewellery<!-- This is the way this word is spelled in the UK so please do not change it --> salesman Rufus (]), who elaborately wraps while Harry becomes increasingly nervous with the fear of detection. Meanwhile, Harry's wife Karen (]) is busy dealing with their children, Daisy (]) and Bernard (]), who are appearing in the school ]. Karen discovers the necklace in Harry's coat pocket and initially assumes it is a gift for her; she later confronts Harry over the necklace and he admits his foolishness.


===David and Natalie=== ===David and Natalie===
Karen's brother, David (]), is the recently elected ]. Natalie (]) is a new junior member of the household staff at ] and serves his tea and biscuits. Something seems to click between them. David walks in to find the U.S. President (]) sexually harassing Natalie, which inspires him to take a stand against the bullying President's policies. Finding that his relationship with Natalie has become strained, David has her moved to another job, but later comes across a Christmas card from Natalie ending with a declaration of her love for him. He eventually finds Natalie at her family's home, seeing that they are on the way to the local school for the nativity play (the same one in which his niece and nephew are appearing). He drives her family to the play, and the two watch the show from backstage, their budding relationship exposed when a curtain is raised on them kissing at the end of the pageant's big finale. David (]), Karen's brother and the recently elected ], is single. Natalie (]) is a new junior member of the household staff at ]. During a meeting with the ] (]), they pass Natalie, and the president makes inappropriate comments to David about her. Later, David walks in on Natalie who is serving tea and biscuits to the president, and finds him kissing her. Natalie seems embarrassed, and the president has a sly grin on his face. At the following
], David is uncharacteristically assertive while taking a stand against the president's intimidation techniques.


Feeling uncomfortable around Natalie, David has her moved to another position. He is spurred to action on Christmas Eve when he finds a ] from her in his ], declaring that she is his and only his. He finds her after a door-to-door search of her street. Her entire family is on their way to a multi-school ], and he offers to drive them so he can talk to her. As Natalie sneaks him into the school, he runs into his heartbroken sister, Karen, who believes he is there for his niece and nephew. As David and Natalie try to keep from being seen and watch from backstage, they finally kiss. Everyone sees them kissing as the back-cloth is raised.
===Daniel, Sam, Joanna and Carol===
Daniel (]), Karen's friend, and his stepson Sam (]) fend for themselves as they mourn the loss of their wife and mother, Joanna. Sam has fallen for American classmate, also named Joanna (]), and, after discussion with his stepfather, decides to learn the drums so that he can accompany her in the big finale for their school's Christmas pageant (the same one that Natalie's nephew and Karen and Harry's children are in). After Sam feels that he missed his chance to make an impression on her, Daniel convinces Sam that he must go catch Joanna, who is returning to the US, at the airport that night and show her how he feels, lest he regret it for his whole life. Sam runs away from the airport security and says hi to Joanna, who then kisses him on the cheek. Meanwhile, Daniel, who previously mentioned admiring supermodel ], meets Carol, played by Schiffer, the parent of another of Sam's school mates.


===Sarah, Karl and Michael=== ===Daniel, Sam, Joanna, and Carol===
Daniel (]), Karen's close friend, mourns the recent death of his wife, Joanna, as he tries to care for his stepson Sam (]). Sam has fallen for an ] classmate, also named Joanna (]), and after talking with his stepfather, decides to learn the drums to accompany her in the big finale of their school's Christmas pageant at Karen and Harry's children's school.
Sarah (]) first appears at Juliet and Peter's wedding, sitting next to her friend Jamie. She works at Harry's graphic design company and has been in love for years with the company's creative director, Karl (]). A tryst between Karl and Sarah is interrupted by phone calls from her brother, Michael, (who has undisclosed mental problems) from the care home he lives in. This effectively ends their relationship. On Christmas Eve, she visits her brother at the institution where he lives, wrapping a scarf around him as he hugs her.


Sam feels he has missed his chance to impress her, but Daniel convinces him to try to tell Joanna how he feels at ] before she returns to the ]. Sam slips through ] and catches up with her. She acknowledges him by name, which surprises him. Sam returns to Daniel to tell him, and Joanna follows him, surprising him again, and kisses him on the cheek.
===Colin, Tony and the American girls===

After several blunders attempting to woo various English women, including Nancy (]), the caterer at Juliet and Peter's wedding, as well as Mia, Colin Frissell (]) informs his friend Tony (]) he plans to go to America and find love there, convinced that his Britishness will be an asset to him in a foreign country. Landing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Colin meets Stacey (]), Jeannie (]), and Carol-Anne (]), three stunningly attractive women who fall for his ] accent and invite him to stay at their home, where they are joined by roommate Harriet (]).
A subplot in this storyline involves Daniel stating a few times his wish to date ]. Eventually, Daniel meets Carol (portrayed by ]) who is the mother of Sam's schoolmate, and there is a mutual spark.

===Sarah, Karl, and Michael===
Sarah (]) first appears at Juliet and Peter's wedding, sitting next to Mark. An American working at Harry's graphic design company, she is in love with the creative director, Karl (]). Prompted by Harry, they finally connect at the Christmas party, and Karl drives her home. Sarah invites Karl in and they immediately pull off their clothes and begin to get intimate when Michael (Michael Fitzgerald), her ] brother, telephones from a psychiatric hospital, aborting their tryst. On Christmas Eve, they are both working late. Karl tries to find words but just wishes her a merry Christmas and leaves. In tears, Sarah calls Michael and visits him to give him a Christmas gift.

===Colin, Tony, and the American girls===
After unsuccessfully attempting to woo various ] women, including Mia and Nancy (Juliet and Peter's wedding caterer; ]), Colin Frissell from Basildon (]) informs his friend Tony (]) that he plans to go to the ], convinced that his ] will be an asset. Landing in ], ], US, Colin hails a ] and asks the driver to take him to the nearest bar. There, he immediately meets Stacey (]), Jeannie (]), and Carol-Anne (]), three stunningly attractive women who instantly fall for his ] accent, and invite him to stay at their home, where they are joined by their "sexiest" roommate Harriet (]).


===John and Judy=== ===John and Judy===
John (]) and Judy (]) meet as body doubles for the ]s in a film where Tony is a production assistant. John tells Judy that "it is nice to have someone can just chat to." While the two are perfectly comfortable being naked and simulating sex on-set, they are shy and tentative off-set; they carefully pursue a relationship, and see the play (same one as David & Natalie, Harry & Karen, Daniel & Sam, et al.) at the local school together with John's brother. John (]) and Judy (]) are professional ]s for films. They meet doing the ]s for a film for which Tony is a production assistant. John tells Judy, "It's lovely to find someone I can actually chat to." While they are perfectly comfortable being naked and simulating sex on-set, they are shy and tentative off-set. They carefully pursue a relationship, attending the Christmas pageant (involving David and Natalie, Harry and Karen's children, Daniel and Sam) at the local school with John's brother. They get engaged by the end of the film.


===Rufus=== ===Rufus===
Rufus, played by ], is the jewellery salesman whose obsessive attention to gift-wrapping nearly gets Harry caught by Karen buying Mia's necklace. Also, it is his distraction of staff at the airport which allows Sam to sneak through to see Joanna. In the director and cast commentary, it is revealed that Rufus was originally supposed to be a Christmas angel; however, this was dropped from the final script. Rufus (]) is the jewellery<!-- This is the way this word is spelled other than in the US, so please do not change it --> salesman at ] whose meticulous gift-wrapping nearly results in Karen seeing Harry buying a necklace for Mia. In another scene, his distraction of ] at ] enables Sam to sneak past them to talk to Joanna. In the director and cast commentary, it is revealed that Rufus was originally supposed to be a Christmas angel, but this was dropped from the final script.


===Epilogue=== ===Epilogue===
A month later, all the characters are seen at ]. Billy's Christmas single has spurred a comeback. Juliet, Peter, and Mark meet Jamie and his bride, Aurélia. Karen and the kids greet Harry, but Karen's stilted reaction suggests they are struggling to move past his affair.
In the ] set one month later, the relationships of the characters have continued to evolve. Billy arrives with a gorgeous groupie in tow to be greeted by Joe and indicating that his comeback has remained successful. Juliet, Peter, and Mark come to meet Jamie and his new bride Aurelia, showing both that they have married. Karen and the kids greet a returning Harry confirming that they have remained together. Sam greets Joanna who has returned with her mother from the US as Daniel looks on, joined by his new girlfriend Carol and her son. John and Judy run into Tony, who is there to meet Colin on his return from the US; they are shown to be just married and off to their honeymoon. Colin returns with the gorgeous Harriet, and Harriet's sister Carla (]) who hugs and kisses Tony in greeting. Natalie is seen welcoming David back in front of press cameras, indicating that their relationship is now public. These scenes dissolve into live-footage of actual arrivals at Heathrow Airport, which divide the screen and eventually form a heart as ]' "]" plays on.

Sam greets Joanna, who has returned from the US, and Daniel is joined by his new girlfriend, Carol, and her son. Newlyweds John and Judy, heading off to their honeymoon, run into Tony who is awaiting Colin's return from the US. Colin returns with Harriet and her sister Carla, who meets Tony for the first time and greets him with a hug and a kiss on the lips.
]

Natalie welcomes David back from ] in view of the press, showing that their relationship is now public. These scenes dissolve into footage of actual arrivals at Heathrow, as the screen is divided into an increasing number of smaller segments to form a ] of a heart.


===Story association===
==Links==
All the stories are linked in some way; while Mack and his manager do not connect with the other characters physically, Billy appears frequently on characters' radios and TVs, his music video twice providing an important plot device for Sam's pursuit of Joanna, and they also cross paths with the other characters in the closing Heathrow scene. John and Judy work with Tony, who is best friends with Colin, who works for a catering company that services the office where Sarah, Karl, Mia, and Harry work. Mia is friends with Mark, who runs the art gallery where the Christmas office party takes place. Mia also lives next door to Natalie. Mark is in love with Juliet and friends with Peter. The couple is friends with Jamie and Sarah. Harry is married to Karen, who is friends with Daniel, and her brother is David, who works with Natalie. Harry and Karen's children (and thus David's niece and nephew), Natalie's siblings (and thus Mia's neighbours), and Carol's son are all schoolmates of Sam and Joanna. Daniel proclaims that his late wife was the only one for him unless he met ]. Carol is played by Schiffer.
]
{{clear}}
Each story is linked in some way except for Billy Mack and his manager, who are not friends with any of the characters, but Billy appears frequently on characters' radios and TVs, his music video twice providing an important plot device for Sam's pursuit of Joanna; the pair also cross paths with the other characters in the closing Heathrow scene. John and Judy work with Tony who is best friends with Colin who works for a catering company that services the office where Sarah, Karl, Mia, and Harry work and also catered Peter and Juliet's wedding. Mia is friends with Mark who runs the art gallery where the Christmas office party takes place. Mia also lives next door to Natalie. Mark is in love with Juliet and friends with Peter. The couple are friends with Jamie and Sarah. Harry is married to Karen who is friends with Daniel, and Karen's brother is David who works with Natalie. Harry and Karen's children (and thus David's niece and nephew), Natalie's siblings (and thus Mia's neighbours), and Carol's son are all schoolmates of Sam and Joanna. An additional plot that was dropped in editing concerned the children's headmistress and her dying lesbian partner.


==Cast== ==Cast==
{{colbegin|colwidth=25em}}
<div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
* ] as Harry * ] as Peter
* ] as Karen
* ] as David
* ] as Juliet
* ] as Jamie * ] as Jamie
* ] as Jamie's Girlfriend
* ] as Jamie's Bad Brother
* ] as Aurélia
* ] as Daniel
* ] as Sam
* ] as Billy Mack
* ] as Joe * ] as Joe
* ] as David, the ]
* ] as Natalie
* ] as Peter * ] as Jamie's girlfriend
* ] as Juliet
* ] as Mark * ] as Mark
* ] as Sarah * ] as Sarah
* ] as Natalie
* ] as Aurélia
* ] as Daniel
* ] as Billy Mack
* ] as Harry
* ] as Sam
* ] as Karl * ] as Karl
* Michael Fitzgerald as Michael * ] as Karen
* Joanna Bacon as Natalie's Mum
* Brian Bovell as Radio Watford DJ
* ] as Colin * ] as Colin
* ] as Tony * ] as Tony
* ] as Mia * ] as Mia
* ] as John * ] as John
* ] as Judy (credited as Just Judy) * ] as Judy
* ] as Joanna * ] as Joanna
* ] as President of the United States * ] as the ]
* ] as Rufus * ] as Rufus - Jewellery Salesman
* ] as Carol * ] as Carol
* ] as Annie * ] as Annie
* ] as Stacey * ] as Harris Street old lady
* ] as Jeannie * ] as cabinet minister
* ] as Carol-Anne * ] as Stacey - American dreamgirl
* ] as Harriet * ] as Wisconsin taxi driver
* ] as Carla * ] as Jeremy
* ] as Jamie's bad brother
* ] as the wedding singer
* ] as Jamie's Mum
* ] as Wedding DJ
* ] as Radio DJ
* ] as Jeannie - American angel
* ] as Carol-Anne - American goddess
* ] as record company executive
* ] as Radio 1 Chart Show DJ
* ] as Daisy * ] as Daisy
* ] as Mikey * ] as Mikey
* ] as Nancy the Caterer * ] as Nancy
* ] as Jean (Joanna´s mother) * ] as Jean
* ] as The Wedding Singer * ] as Mr Trench
* ] as Eleonore
</div>
* ] as Sam's grandfather

* ] as Sam's grandmother
==Title==
* ] as Mary, the PM's secretary
The title, ''Love Actually'', was intended by Curtis as an abbreviated version of the statement "Love Actually Is All Around", a reference to the mega-hit pop song "]", performed by ] in Curtis's breakthrough film '']''. The song is also parodied as "Christmas Is All Around" throughout ''Love Actually''.
* ] as Greta
* ] as Harriet - the sexy one
* ] as Carla - the real friendly one
* ] as trombone player (uncredited)
* ] as Joanna, Daniel's wife (uncredited)
* ] as taxi passenger Marseille Airport (uncredited)
* ] as TV host Ant (himself)
* ] as TV host Dec (himself)
* ] as TV host Parkinson (himself)
{{colend}}


==Production== ==Production==
===Development===
The ] production, budgeted at $45,000,000, was released by ]. It grossed $62,671,632 in the United Kingdom, $13,956,093 in Australia<ref></ref> and $59,472,278 in the US and Canada. It took a worldwide total of $247,472,278.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/LVACT.php|title='&#39;Love Actually'&#39; at TheNumbers.com|publisher=The-numbers.com|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
]]]
Initially, Curtis started writing with two distinct and separate films in mind, each featuring expanded versions of what would eventually become storylines in ''Love Actually'': those featuring Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.<ref name="JW3Curtis">{{cite interview |last= |first= |subject-link= |interviewer=Vanessa Kirby |title=WATCH: Richard Curtis & Vanessa Kirby in Conversation – AH / JW3 Speaker Series |work= |date=28 February 2018 |publisher=Alan Howard/JW3 Speaker Series |location=London |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4VMTzGqUnk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/a4VMTzGqUnk |archive-date=21 December 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=18 March 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He changed tack and became frustrated with the process. Partly inspired by the films of ] as well as films such as '']'', and inspired by Curtis having become "more interested in writing a film about love and what love sort of means" he had the idea of creating an ensemble film.<ref name="Vulturelove">{{cite web|last1=Finger|first1=Bobby|title=Richard Curtis on About Time, Love Actually, and Being a 'Fool for Love'|url=http://www.vulture.com/2013/10/rom-com-king-richard-curtis-is-a-fool-for-love.html|website=Vulture|date=30 October 2013 |access-date=6 March 2017}}</ref> The film initially did not have any sort of Christmas theme, although Curtis's penchant for such films eventually caused him to write it as one.<ref name="VH">{{cite web|last1=Lambo|first1=Stacy|title=The Love Actually Cast Reveal 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Film|url=https://www.vh1.com/news/tar26a/unknown-facts-love-actually|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625204303/https://www.vh1.com/news/tar26a/unknown-facts-love-actually|url-status=live|archive-date=25 June 2022|website=VH1|access-date=6 March 2017}}</ref>


Curtis's original concept for the film included fourteen different scenarios, but four of them were cut (two having been filmed).<ref name="theguardian1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/16/how-we-made-love-actually|title=How We Made Love Actually|work=]|date=16 December 2013}}</ref> The scene in which Colin attempts to chat up the female caterer at the wedding appeared in drafts of the screenplay for '']'', but was cut from the final version.<ref name=audiocommentary>''Love Actually'' audio commentary</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=It turns out this Love Actually scene was stolen from Four Weddings and a Funeral |url=https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/it-turns-out-this-love-actually-scene-was-stolen-from-four-weddings-and-a-funeral/ |website=Woman and Home |date=16 December 2021 |access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref> The music video for Billy Mack's song, "Christmas Is All Around", is a tribute to ]'s 1986 video, "]".<ref name="theguardian1"/> Curtis has spoken negatively about the editing process for the film, which he labelled in 2014 as a "catastrophe" and "the only nightmare scenario that I've been caught in". The film was rushed in order to be ready for the 2003 Christmas season which he likened to "]".<ref name="GuardianChess">{{cite news|last1=Child|first1=Ben|title=Richard Curtis: Love Actually a 'catastrophe'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/oct/06/richard-curtis-love-actually-a-catastrophe-film-hugh-grant|work=]|access-date=5 March 2017}}</ref> For the scene in which Rowan Atkinson's character Rufus annoys Harry, Alan Rickman's reaction was reportedly genuine, having been "driven insane" by the time constraints.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Alan Rickman Was Apparently Driven "Insane" by One Love Actually Scene |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/11/alan-rickman-was-apparently-driven-insane-by-one-love-actually-scene |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=30 November 2022 |access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref> Hugh Grant disliked filming the dance scene as he called it "excruciating" and "absolute hell".<ref>{{cite web |title=Hugh Grant describes Love Actually dance as "absolute hell" |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/hugh-grant-hated-love-actually-dance/ |website=RadioTimes.com |access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hugh Grant Says 'Love Actually' Dance Scene Was "Excruciating" And Didn't Want To Do It |url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/hugh-grant-love-actually-dancing-scene-excruciating-1235182107/ |website=Deadline |date=27 November 2022 |access-date=26 December 2022}}</ref> In a 2023 interview, Curtis would later call the card scene "a bit weird".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/richard-curtis-genie-paapa-essiedu-christmas-b2454766.html | title=King of Christmas Richard Curtis: 'In the corner, fuming with anger, was Hugh Grant' | website=] | date=30 November 2023 }}</ref>
Most of the movie was filmed on location in London, at sites including ], the central court of ] in the ], ] on South Audley Street near ], St. Paul's Clapham on Rectory Grove, ] in the ], the ], ] department store on ], ], the ] in the former ], ], ], the St. Lukes Mews off All Saint's Road in ], ], the ], ], Poplar Road in ] in the ], ] in Pullman Gardens, ] in the ], and London Heathrow Airport. Additional scenes were filmed at the ] and Le Bar de la Marine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/l/loveact.html|title=Film locations for Film Locations for Love Actually|publisher=Movie-locations.com|accessdate=8 September 2013}}</ref>


===Casting===
Scenes set in ] were filmed at the ].
] played themselves in the film with Nighy's character referring to ] as "Ant or Dec". This refers to the common mistaking of one for the other, owing to their constant joint professional presence as a comedy and presenting duo. The veteran actress ] is seen briefly, entering a taxi at the Marseille Airport. The ] singer ] appears as Anderson's mother, one of the ] at the school Christmas pageant. Helder Costa plays Mr Barros, Aurelia's father. He is a veteran actor in Portuguese cinema.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7952826/|title=Helder Costa &#124; Actor, Writer, Director|website=IMDb}}</ref> Thompson used the experience of her own marriage breaking up for the role of Karen.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/02/28/emma-thompson-acting-love-actually-betrayal-had-heart-badly/|title=Emma Thompson on acting Love Actually betrayal: 'I had my heart very badly broken by Kenneth Branagh'|first=Zoah|last=Hedges-Stocks|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=28 February 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> ] auditioned for the role of Sam; Alwyn read scenes with Grant and Curtis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/joe-alwyn-interview-2018|title=Joe Alwyn on working with Sir Ben Kingsley|date=25 November 2018|website=British GQ}}</ref>


Curtis cast his mother-in-law, actress Jill Freud, as the Prime Minister's cleaner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/love-actually-facts/|title=Love Factually: 46 things you may not know about the Christmas classic|website=Radio Times}}</ref> Curtis cast his daughter ] in the film; she was given the choice of being an angel or a lobster, and played the part of Lobster number 2 in the nativity play, on the condition that she meets Keira Knightley.<ref>. ''The Times''. {{Subscription required}}. Retrieved 12 August 2019</ref> Curtis originally had two actors in mind for the part of Mack, but he could not decide and then told casting director Mary Selway to find someone who would do the part well but whom he would never think to cast; she suggested Nighy.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/love-actuallys-10th-anniversary-the-cast-and-crew-reminisce-about-the-christmas-classic | title='Love Actually's' 10th Anniversary: The Cast and Crew Reminisce About the Christmas Classic | newspaper=The Daily Beast | date=7 November 2013 | last1=Stern | first1=Marlow }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=25 May 2017 |title=Paul Feig and Richard Curtis Discuss Love Actually |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/paul-feig-richard-curtis-discuss-love-actually/ |website=Empire}}</ref>
The scene in which Colin attempts to chat up the female caterer at the wedding appeared in drafts of the screenplay for '']'', but was cut from the final version.<ref name=audiocommentary>''Love Actually'' audio commentary</ref>


===Locations===
] played themselves in the film (in which Bill Nighy's character referred to Dec as "Ant or Dec"). This refers to the common mistaking of one for the other, owing to their constant joint professional presence as a comedy and presenting duo.
Most of the film was made on location in London, including ], ], the central court of ] in the ], ] on South Audley Street near ], ], the ], ] department store on ], ], the ] in the former ], ], ], St. Luke's Mews off All Saint's Road in ], ], the ], ], Poplar Road in ], ] in Pullman Gardens, ], and ]. Scenes set in ] were filmed at ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/l/loveact.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040305133824/http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/l/loveact.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 March 2004|title=Film locations for Film Locations for Love Actually|publisher=Movie-locations.com|access-date=8 September 2013}}</ref>


===Standing up to the US president===
Veteran actress ] is seen briefly, entering a taxi at the Marseille Airport. ] singer ] appears as Joanna Anderson's mother, one of the ] at the school Christmas pageant.
Following ]'s resignation as ], pundits and speculators commented on a potential anti-American shift in ]'s ] as a "''Love Actually'' moment", referring to the scene in which Hugh Grant's character stands up to the ].<ref>{{cite news|last=Sylvester |first=Rachel |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3617425/Blair-and-Bush-will-find-little-to-agree-on-at-Gleneagles-.html |title=Blair and Bush will find little to agree on at Gleneagles ... |work=] |location=London |date=6 June 2005 |access-date=16 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113160509/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fopinion%2F2005%2F06%2F06%2Fdo0601.xml |archive-date=13 November 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sylvester |first=Rachel |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3625149/Iraq-has-tested-Mr-Blairs-interventionism-to-destruction.html |title=Iraq has tested Mr Blair's interventionism to destruction |work=] |location=London |date=23 May 2006 |access-date=16 August 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208064805/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fopinion%2F2006%2F05%2F23%2Fdo2301.xml&sSheet=%2Fopinion%2F2006%2F05%2F23%2Fixopinion.html |archive-date=8 December 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Stinson|first=Jeffrey|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-09-07-blair_x.htm|title=Blair says he'll resign within a year, refuses to set a date|work=]|date=7 September 2006|access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref>


After the resignation of PM ], pundits and speculators referred to a potential anti-American shift in ]'s cabinet as a "''Love Actually'' moment," referring to the scene in which Hugh Grant's character stands up to the American president.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sylvester|first=Rachel|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/06/06/do0601.xml|title='&#39;The Telegraph'&#39;, 6 June 2005|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=UK|date=6 June 2005|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sylvester|first=Rachel|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/05/23/do2301.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2006/05/23/ixopinion.html|title='&#39;The Telegraph'&#39;, 23 May 2006|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=UK|date=23 May 2006|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Stinson|first=Jeffrey|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-09-07-blair_x.htm|title='&#39;USA Today'&#39;, 7 September 2006|work=USA Today|date=7 September 2006|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref> In 2009, during President ]'s first visit to the UK, ] referred to the president in ''Love Actually'' as an example of ] and other former presidents' bullying of European allies. In commenting on Matthews' view, ] Jon Bershad described the U.S. president character as a "sleazy Bill Clinton/George W. Bush hybrid".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/chris-matthews-explains-republican-strategy-with-a-scene-from-love-actually/|title=Chris Matthews Explains Republican Strategy With A Scene From '&#39;Love Actually'&#39;, by Jon Bershad &#124; 21 December 2010|publisher=Mediaite.com|date=21 December 2010|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref> In the scene in question, the swaggering president bullies the prime minister and then sexually harasses a member of the P.M.'s household staff. In 2009, during President ]'s first visit to the UK, ] referred to the president in ''Love Actually'' as an example of ] and other former presidents' bullying of ]. Commenting on this, ]'s Jon Bershad described the U.S. president character as a "sleazy Bill Clinton/George W. Bush hybrid".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/chris-matthews-explains-republican-strategy-with-a-scene-from-love-actually/|title=Chris Matthews Explains Republican Strategy With A Scene From ''Love Actually''|first=Jon |last=Bershad |publisher=Mediaite|date=21 December 2010|access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref>
In September 2013, David Cameron made a speech in reply to Russia's comment that Britain was a small insignificant country which drew comparisons with Hugh Grant's speech during the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10290835/David-Camerons-Love-Actually-moment-as-he-defends-Britain-against-small-island-jibe.html|title=David Cameron's Love Actually moment as he defends Britain against 'small island' jibe|publisher=Telegraph|date=9 August 2013|accessdate=8 September 2013}}</ref>


In the scene in question, the swaggering president bullies the prime minister and then sexually harasses a member of the household staff. In September 2013, ] made a speech in reply to Russia's comment that Britain was a small insignificant country, which drew comparisons with Hugh Grant's speech during the film.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10290835/David-Camerons-Love-Actually-moment-as-he-defends-Britain-against-small-island-jibe.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/10290835/David-Camerons-Love-Actually-moment-as-he-defends-Britain-against-small-island-jibe.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=David Cameron's Love Actually moment as he defends Britain against 'small island' jibe|work=]|date=9 August 2013|access-date=8 September 2013|location=London|first=James|last=Kirkup}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
The Music Video for Billy Mack's Song, "Love Is All Around", is a tribute to Robert Palmer's video, "Addicted To Love". <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/16/how-we-made-love-actually|title=How We Made Love Actually|publisher=The Guardian|date=16 December 2013}}</ref>


===Cut storyline===
Curtis' original concept for the film included 14 different scenarios, but 4 of them were cut (2 after having been filmed). <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/16/how-we-made-love-actually|title=How We Made Love Actually|publisher=The Guardian|date=16 December 2013}}</ref>
One storyline consisting of two scenes, featuring the only gay love story, was cut and not included.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wakefield |first=Lily |date=12 December 2020 |title=A tearjerking lesbian love story was cut from Love Actually |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2020/12/12/love-actually-lesbian-deleted-scene-christmas-film-anne-reid-frances-de-la-tour/ |access-date=6 November 2023 |work=PinkNews}}</ref> In the first scene, ], as the headmistress of Karen's children's school, is revealed to be going home to her terminally ill partner, Geraldine, played by ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2022 |title=Frances de la Tour reflects on 'odd' decision to cut gay Love Actually scene |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/frances-de-la-tour-love-actually-b2167653.html |access-date=6 November 2023 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> In the second scene, while speaking at the Christmas concert, Karen acknowledges Geraldine's recent death. Curtis said he regretted losing this storyline.<ref>{{Citation |title=Love Actually Deleted Scene - How is Today? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmhXjCQPa24 |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref>


==Soundtrack== ==Soundtrack==
{{Anchor|Music|Score}}
The film's original music was composed, orchestrated, and conducted by ].
{{Infobox album
| name = Love Actually
| type = soundtrack
| artist = Various artists
| cover =
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = 17 November 2003
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre =
| length =
| label =
* ]
* ]
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}


{{Track listing
The soundtrack album reached the Top 40 of the US ] in 2004 and ranked #2 on the soundtrack album chart. It also achieved gold record status in Australia and Mexico.
| headline = UK soundtrack
| extra_column = Artist


| title1 = ]
Songs heard on the soundtrack include:
| note1 =
# "]" by ]
| writer1 =
# "]" by ]
| extra1 = ]
# "Sweetest Goodbye/Sunday Morning" by ]
| length1 =
# "]" by ]
# "Take Me As I Am" by ] and ]
# "Songbird" by ]
# "]" by ]
# "]" by ] in US / ] in UK
# "]" by ]
# "]" by ]
# "]" by ]
# "]" by ]
# "]" by ]
# "]" by ]


| title2 = ]
Songs in ]s:
| note2 = ''Love Actually'' version
* "]" by ]
| writer2 =
| extra2 = ]
| length2 =


| title3 = ]
The UK release of the soundtrack features additional tracks by Craig Armstrong: "Prime Minister's Love Theme"; "Glasgow Love Theme"; and "Portuguese Love Theme". It also features "Sometimes" performed by ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Love Actually Soundtrack on Amazon|url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Actually-Various/dp/B0000V6SOG/|accessdate=13 March 2011}}</ref>
| note3 =
The US disc replaced the ] version of "]" with the ]' original recording.
| writer3 =
| extra3 = ]
| length3 =


| title4 = ]
"]" was written by ]. It was performed by actress ] in the movie.
| note4 =
| writer4 =
| extra4 = ]
| length4 =


| title5 = ]
"]" by ] was played in the movie.
| note5 =
| writer5 =
| extra5 = ] as Billy Mack
| length5 =


| title6 = ]
When Colin enters his first bar in Wisconsin, "]" by ] (featuring ]) is playing.
| note6 =
| writer6 =
| extra6 = ]
| length6 =


| title7 = ]
Although they were not included on the soundtrack album, the ] song "Puppy Love" performed by ], and ] by the ], are heard in the film.
| note7 =
| writer7 =
| extra7 = ]
| length7 =


| title8 = Sweetest Goodbye
===Comparison of songs in UK and US===
| note8 =
The UK and US theatrical cut of the film contain two instances of alternate music.
| writer8 =
| extra8 = ]
| length8 =


| title9 = ]
* In the UK cut, the montage leading up to and continuing through the first part of the office party is set to the song "]", by the UK group ]. In the US version of the film, this song is replaced with "]", performed by American singer ].
| note9 =
| writer9 =
| extra9 = ]
| length9 =


| title10 = ]
* In the UK cut's end credit roll, the second song is a cover of "]", performed by ]. In the US version, this song is replaced with "]", by ].
| note10 =
| writer10 =
| extra10 = ]
| length10 =


| title11 = ]
The US DVD released in 2004 (] #23293) contained the US cut of the film. However the 2009 US ] release (] #61107958) actually contained the UK cut of the film. The 2013 US 10th Anniversary ] (] #61129328) contains the US cut.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}}
| note11 = 2000 version
| writer11 =
| extra11 = ]
| length11 =


| title12 = ]
==Reception==
| note12 =
Upon its release, the film received generally positive reviews in Britain.
| writer12 =
| extra12 = ]
| length12 =


| title13 = Take Me as I Am
Reviews in the United States were mixed, with the film receiving an average rating of 55 out of 100 on ] and 63% positive reviews on ]. In his review in the '']'', ] called it "a romantic comedy swollen to the length of an ]-trawling ] – nearly two and a quarter hours of cheekiness, diffidence and high-tone smirking" and added, "it is more like a record label's greatest-hits compilation or a '']'' sitcom clip-reel show than an actual movie... The film's governing idea of love is both shallow and dishonest, and its sweet, chipper demeanour masks a sour cynicism about human emotions that is all the more sleazy for remaining unacknowledged. It has the calloused, leering soul of an early-60s ] comedy, but without the suave, seductive bravado."<ref>{{cite news|author=A. O. Scott|url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9804E3D7153BF934A35752C1A9659C8B63|title='&#39;New York Times'&#39; review|publisher=Movies.nytimes.com|date=7 November 2003|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
| note13 =
| writer13 =
| extra13 = ] and ]
| length13 =


| title14 = ]
] of the '']'' gave the film 3½ out of 4 stars, describing it as "a belly-flop into the sea of romantic comedy... The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: It's jammed with characters, stories, warmth and laughs, until at times Curtis seems to be working from a checklist of obligatory movie love situations and doesn't want to leave anything out... It feels a little like a gourmet meal that turns into a hot-dog eating contest."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031107/REVIEWS/311070304/1023|title='&#39;Chicago Sun-Times'&#39; review|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
| note14 =
| writer14 =
| extra14 = ]
| length14 =


| title15 = ]
Susan Wloszczyna of '']'' wrote "Curtis' multi-tiered cake of comedy, slathered in eye-candy icing and set mostly in London at Christmas, serves sundry slices of love—sad, sweet and silly—in all of their messy, often surprising, glory."<ref>{{cite news|last=Wloszczyna|first=Susan|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-11-04-curtis-profile_x.htm|title='&#39;USA Today'&#39; review|work=USA Today|date=5 November 2003|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
| note15 =
| writer15 =
| extra15 = ]
| length15 =


| title16 = ]
Carla Meyer of the '']'' opined " abandons any pretext of sophistication for gloppy sentimentality, sugary pop songs and bawdy humour – an approach that works about half the time... Most of the story lines maintain interest because of the fine cast and general goodwill of the picture."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/11/07/DD178520.DTL|title='&#39;San Francisco Chronicle'&#39; review|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=7 November 2003|accessdate=16 August 2011|first=Carla|last=Meyer}}</ref>
| note16 =
| writer16 =
| extra16 = ]
| length16 =


| title17 = Sometimes
] of '']'' rated it B and called it "a toasty, star-packed ensemble comedy... going to make a lot of holiday romantics feel very, very good; watching it; I felt cosy and charmed myself."<ref>{{cite news|author=Reviewed by Owen Gleiberman|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,490210,00.html|title='&#39;Entertainment Weekly'&#39; review|publisher=Ew.com|date=26 July 2007|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
| note17 =
| writer17 =
| extra17 = ]
| length17 =


| title18 = Glasgow Love Theme
In '']'', ] rated it two stars out of a possible four, saying "there are laughs laced with feeling here, but the deft screenwriter Richard Curtis dilutes the impact by tossing in more and more stories. As a director... Curtis can't seem to rein in his writer... He ladles sugar over the eager-to-please ''Love Actually'' to make it go down easy, forgetting that sometimes it just makes you gag."<ref>{{dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref>
| note18 =
| writer18 =
| extra18 = ]
| length18 =


| title19 = PM's Love Theme
Nev Pierce of the ] awarded it four of a possible five stars and called it a "vibrant romantic comedy... Warm, bittersweet and hilarious, this is lovely, actually. Prepare to be smitten."<ref>{{cite web|author=Reviewed by Nev Pierce Updated 20 November 2003|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/06/love_actually_2003_review.shtml|title=BBC review|publisher=BBC|date=20 November 2003|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
| note19 =
| writer19 =
| extra19 = Craig Armstrong
| length19 =


| title20 = Portuguese Love Theme
Todd McCarthy of '']'' called it "a roundly entertaining romantic comedy," a "doggedly cheery confection," and "a package that feels as luxuriously appointed and expertly tooled as a ]" and predicted "its cheeky wit, impossibly attractive cast, and sure-handed professionalism... along with its all-encompassing romanticism should make this a highly popular early holiday attraction for adults on both sides of the pond".<ref>{{cite news|author=By|url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=review&reviewid=VE1117922227&categoryid=31&cs=1|title='&#39;Variety'&#39; review|work=Variety|accessdate=16 August 2011|date=24 October 2003}}</ref>
| note20 =
| writer20 =
| extra20 = Craig Armstrong
| length20 =
}}


===US version===
Michael Atkinson of '']'' called it "love British style, handicapped slightly by corny circumstance and populated by colourful neurotics".<ref>{{cite web|author=Michael Atkinson|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0345,atkinson2,48388,20.html|title='&#39;Village Voice'&#39; review|publisher=Villagevoice.com|date=4 November 2003|accessdate=16 August 2011}}</ref>
The US edition of the soundtrack removed two pieces of the score and "Sometimes" by ] and reordered the tracklist. It also replaced the ] cover of "]" with the original by ], and replaced ]'s "Sweetest Goodbye" with a medley of "Sweetest Goodbye" with "]".


{{Track listing
===Awards and nominations===
| headline = US soundtrack
* ] (nominee)
| extra_column = Artist
* ] (Bill Nighy, '''winner''')

* ] (Emma Thompson, nominee)
| title1 = The Trouble with Love Is
* ] (nominee)
| note1 =
* ] (nominee)
| writer1 =
* ] for Best British Film ('''winner''')
| extra1 = Kelly Clarkson
* Empire Award for Best British Actress (Emma Thompson, '''winner''')
| length1 =
* Empire Award for Best Newcomer (Martine McCutcheon, '''winner''')

* Empire Award for Best Newcomer (Andrew Lincoln, nominee)
| title2 = Here with Me
* ] for Best Actress (Emma Thompson, '''winner''')
| note2 =
* Evening Standard ] Award for Comedy (Bill Nighy, '''winner''')
| writer2 =
* ] for Best Actor (Hugh Grant, nominee)
| extra2 = Dido
* European Film Award for Best Director (Richard Curtis, nominee)
| length2 =
* ] for Best British Supporting Actor (Bill Nighy, '''winner''')

* London Film Critics Circle Award for Best British Supporting Actress (Emma Thompson, '''winner''')
| title3 = Medley: Sweetest Goodbye/]
* ] (Bill Nighy, '''winner''')
| note3 =
* ] for Best Supporting Actor, Musical or Comedy (Bill Nighy and Thomas Sangster, nominees)
| writer3 =
* Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress, Musical or Comedy (Emma Thompson, nominee)
| extra3 = Maroon 5
| length3 =

| title4 = Turn Me On
| note4 =
| writer4 =
| extra4 = Norah Jones
| length4 =

| title5 = Take Me as I Am
| note5 =
| writer5 =
| extra5 = Wyclef Jean and Sharissa
| length5 =

| title6 = Songbird
| note6 =
| writer6 =
| extra6 = Eva Cassidy
| length6 =

| title7 = Wherever You Will Go
| note7 =
| writer7 =
| extra7 = The Calling
| length7 =

| title8 = Jump (For My Love)
| note8 =
| writer8 =
| extra8 = ]
| length8 =

| title9 = Both Sides Now
| note9 = 2000 version
| writer9 =
| extra9 = Joni Mitchell
| length9 =

| title10 = All You Need Is Love
| note10 =
| writer10 =
| extra10 = Lynden David Hall
| length10 =

| title11 = God Only Knows
| note11 =
| writer11 =
| extra11 = The Beach Boys
| length11 =

| title12 = I'll See It Through
| note12 =
| writer12 =
| extra12 = Texas
| length12 =

| title13 = Too Lost in You
| note13 = ''Love Actually'' version
| writer13 =
| extra13 = Sugababes
| length13 =

| title14 = Glasgow Love Theme
| note14 =
| writer14 =
| extra14 = Craig Armstrong
| length14 =

| title15 = White Christmas
| note15 =
| writer15 =
| extra15 = Otis Redding
| length15 =

| title16 = Christmas Is All Around
| note16 = soundtrack version
| writer16 =
| extra16 = Bill Nighy as Billy Mack
| length16 =

| title17 = All I Want for Christmas Is You
| note17 =
| writer17 =
| extra17 = Olivia Olson
| length17 =
}}

===Score===
The film's original score was composed, orchestrated, and conducted by ]. It was commercially unreleased until 19 November 2021, when it was released digitally by ]' Back Lot Music, and on CD by La-La Land Records.<ref>{{MusicBrainz release group|mbid=fb250026-9cd6-44f4-962b-47a46cf80884|name=Love Actually}}</ref>
{{Track listing
| headline = Original score

| title1 = Opening Titles
| length1 = 1:31

| title2 = Christmas Is All Around (Montage)
| length2 = 5:23

| title3 = First Day
| length3 = 0:48

| title4 = Natalie with Tea Trolley
| length4 = 0:18

| title5 = In Love with Karl
| length5 = 0:54

| title6 = Sam's Bedroom
| length6 = 0:48

| title7 = On the Bench
| length7 = 0:58

| title8 = I'm in Love
| length8 = 0:42

| title9 = Total Agony
| length9 = 1:57

| title10 = Saucy Minx / Aurélia Arrives
| length10 = 1:52

| title11 = Bad Policies
| length11 = 0:57

| title12 = Discovery of Kiss / Press Conference
| length12 = 2:22

| title13 = Croissants in France
| length13 = 1:07

| title14 = The Lake Scene
| length14 = 1:35

| title15 = Saddest Part of Day
| length15 = 1:13

| title16 = Glasgow Love Theme
| length16 = 2:05

| title17 = PM Redistributes Natalie
| length17 = 0:34

| title18 = Jamie Leaves Aurélia
| length18 = 2:44

| title19 = Sarah & Karl Go Wrong
| length19 = 1:34

| title20 = Karen in Bed
| length20 = 0:37

| title21 = Harry & Mia
| length21 = 1:08

| title22 = Wrapping the Necklace
| length22 = 2:55

| title23 = Natalie on the Stairs
| length23 = 2:08

| title24 = Natalie at the School
| length24 = 1:27

| title25 = Natalie Revealed / Karen Confronts Harry
| length25 = 1:49

| title26 = Joanna Drives Off
| length26 = 6:02

| title27 = Sam & Joanna
| length27 = 1:14

| title28 = Portuguese Love Theme
| length28 = 3:10

| title29 = Christmas Is All Around
| note29 = film version) (performed by ] as Billy Mack
| length29 = 4:52

| title30 = Greenshoots
| length30 = 0:18

| title31 = Restaurant Band
| length31 = 0:32

| title32 = PM's Love Theme
| length32 = 2:12

| title33 = Christmas Is All Around
| note33 = soundtrack version) (performed by ] as Billy Mack
| length33 = 3:48
}}

===Certifications===
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|artist=Soundtrack|title=Love Actually|award=Platinum|certyear=2004|relyear=2003|access-date=3 May 2019}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Original Soundtrack|title=Love Actually|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|id=4000-1140-2|relyear=2003|access-date=3 May 2019}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Soundtrack|title=Love Actually|award=Gold|certyear=2003|relyear=2003|access-date=21 December 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}

The soundtrack album reached number one on the ], and by Christmas 2018 it had spent 348 weeks on the Chart.<ref>{{cite news |title=Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/soundtrack-albums-chart/20181228/140/ |access-date=12 August 2019 |work=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It reached the top forty on the US ] in 2004 and ranked second on the ] chart.

===Use in film===
The UK and US versions of the actual film contain two instances of alternative music. In the UK cut, the montage leading up to and continuing through the first part of the office party is set to the song "]", by the British group ]. In the US version of the film, this song is replaced with "]", performed by the American singer ]. Subsequently, in the UK version's end credit roll, the second song is a cover of "]" performed by ]; in the US version, this song is replaced with "Too Lost in You".

Several songs were heard in the film but did not appear on either soundtrack:
* "]" performed by ]
* "]" performed by ]
* "]" performed by ]
* "]" performed by ]
* "Rose" from the '']'' score, written by ]
* "]" performed by ]
* "]" performed by ]
* "]" by ] featuring ]
* "]" performed by Pre Teens
* "]" performed by ] (as David) and Andrew Tinkler (as Gavin)
* "]" performed by child cast

==Reception==
===Box office===
''Love Actually'' grossed $59.7{{nbsp}}million in the United States and Canada, $62.7{{nbsp}}million in the United Kingdom, and $122.6{{nbsp}}million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $244.9{{nbsp}}million, against a budget of $40{{nbsp}}million.<ref name=BOM>{{Cite Box Office Mojo |access-date=8 December 2023}}</ref> It spent its first five weeks in the Top 10 at the U.S. box office.<ref name=BOMWeek>{{cite web |title=''Love Actually'' {{!}} Domestic Weekly |website=] |publisher=] |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3798042113/weekly/?ref_=bo_rl_tab#tabs |access-date=8 December 2023}}</ref>

===Critical response===
{{RT prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}|A sugary tale overstuffed with too many stories. Still, the cast charms.|ref=yes|access-date=8 December 2023}} {{MC film|55|41|ref=yes|access-date=8 December 2023}}

] of '']'' called it "love British style, handicapped slightly by corny circumstance and populated by colorful neurotics".<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael |last=Atkinson|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2003/11/04/odd-couplings-brit-stars-flounder-in-singleton-dysfunction/|title=Odd Couplings: Brit Stars Flounder in Singleton Dysfunction|work=]|date=4 November 2003|access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref> ] of the '']'' gave the film three and a half out of four stars, describing it as "a belly-flop into the sea of romantic comedy ... The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: ... It feels a little like a gourmet meal that turns into a hot-dog eating contest."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/love-actually-2003|first=Roger |last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|title=Love Actually |work=]|access-date=16 August 2011|date=7 November 2003}}</ref>

Nev Pierce of the ] awarded it four of a possible five stars and called it a "vibrant romantic comedy ... Warm, bittersweet and hilarious, this is lovely, actually. Prepare to be smitten."<ref>{{cite news|first=Nev |last=Pierce |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/06/love_actually_2003_review.shtml|title=Love Actually (2003)|publisher=BBC|date=20 November 2003|access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref> In his review in '']'', journalist ] called it "a romantic comedy swollen to the length of an Oscar-trawling epic" and added, "It is more like a record label's greatest-hits compilation or a ''very special'' sitcom clip-reel show than an actual movie."<ref>{{cite news | first=A. O. | last=Scott | author-link=A. O. Scott | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/07/movies/film-review-tales-of-love-the-true-and-the-not-so-true.html | title=Tales of Love, the True and the Not-So-True | work=] | date=7 November 2003 | access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref>

In '']'', ] rated it two stars out of a possible four, saying "there are laughs laced with feeling here, but the deft screenwriter Richard Curtis dilutes the impact by tossing in more and more stories."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/love-actually-126713/ | first=Peter |last=Travers |author-link=Peter Travers |title=Love Actually |magazine=] |date=3 November 2003 |access-date=16 September 2018}}</ref> ] of '']'' was negative toward the work and described it as the least romantic movie of all time, considering its ultimate message to be "It's probably best if you give up on love altogether and get on with the rest of your life."<ref>{{cite news | last=Orr | first=Christopher | author-link=Christopher Orr (film critic) | title=Love Actually Is the Least Romantic Film of All Time | date=6 December 2013 | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/-em-love-actually-em-is-the-least-romantic-film-of-all-time/282091/ | work=The Atlantic | access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Orr | first=Christopher | author-link=Christopher Orr (film critic) | title=Love Actually: Still Awful | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/-em-love-actually-em-still-awful/282273/ | work=The Atlantic | date=11 December 2013 | access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref>

Since its initial release some publications have come to regard ''Love Actually'' as a ] as it is habitually watched by many people as a ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perier |first=Maries |date=13 December 2019 |title="Love Actually" in 20 cult scenes |url=https://www.vogue.fr/fashion-culture/galerie/love-actually-in-vintage-pictures-cult-scenes |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=Vogue France |language=fr-FR}}</ref> Despite this, the film continues to be highly divisive amongst critics and audiences. Publications such as ],<ref name="Christmas">{{cite web|url=http://thelead.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/20/is-love-actually-a-new-christmas-classic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903190918/http://thelead.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/20/is-love-actually-a-new-christmas-classic/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 September 2014 |title=Is 'Love Actually" a new Christmas classic? |last1=Tapper |first1=Jake |last2=Berryman |first2=Kim |publisher=CNN |date=20 December 2013 |access-date=12 December 2016}}</ref> '']''<ref>{{cite web | last=Green | first=Emma | title=I Will Not Be Ashamed of Loving ''Love Actually'' | date=10 December 2013 | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/i-will-not-be-ashamed-of-loving-i-love-actually-i/282160/ | work=] | access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> and '']''<ref>{{cite news |title=The best Christmas movies on Netflix UK |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/best-christmas-movies-netflix-uk/love-actually/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213102351/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/best-christmas-movies-netflix-uk/love-actually/ |archive-date=13 December 2017 |access-date=24 February 2019 |work=The Telegraph}}</ref> have written positively about ''Love Actually'' whilst others such as '']'',<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-27 |title=Why Love Actually is not the heartwarming romcom you're remembering |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/love-actually-age-gap-controversy-b2251858.html |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> '']''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-27 |title=Actually, Love Actually Is a Terrible Dumpster Fire of a Movie |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a8539064/love-actually-terrible-movie/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-US|last1=Odell|first1=Amy}}</ref> and '']''<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Freeman |first=Hadley |date=2017-03-21 |title=What killed the romcom? It was Love, Actually |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/21/love-actually-romcom-richard-curtis-tv |access-date=2024-09-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> have panned the film. Some publications in later years have labelled it as one of the ].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Mary Elizabeth |date=2012-12-19 |title="Love, Actually": The worst Christmas movie ever |url=https://www.salon.com/2012/12/19/love_actually_the_worst_christmas_movie_ever/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Salon |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-21 |title=So I Hate 'Love Actually' and I'm 100 Percent Not Sorry About It |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/a25104507/i-hate-love-actually/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-US|last1=Baty|first1=Emma}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrington |first=Katy |title=I Rewatched 'Love Actually' & It's Still The Worst |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/love-actually-is-the-worst |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Accolades ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Ceremony
!Award
!Nominee(s)
!Result
|-
| rowspan="3" |] (BAFTA)
|]
|''Love Actually''
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Bill Nighy
|{{won}}
|-
|]
|Emma Thompson
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]
|]
| rowspan="4" |''Love Actually''
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |]
|Best British Film
|{{won}}
|-
|Best British Actress
|Emma Thompson
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Newcomer
|Martine McCutcheon
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Newcomer
|Andrew Lincoln
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]
|Best Actress
|Emma Thompson
|{{won}}
|-
|] Award for Comedy
|Bill Nighy
|{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]
|Best Actor
|Hugh Grant
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Director
|Richard Curtis
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]
|Best British Supporting Actor
|Bill Nighy
|{{won}}
|-
|Best British Supporting Actress
|Emma Thompson
|{{won}}
|-
|]
|]
|Bill Nighy
|{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]
|Best Supporting Actor, Musical or Comedy
|Bill Nighy and Thomas Sangster
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Supporting Actress, Musical or Comedy
|Emma Thompson
|{{nom}}
|}

==Other adaptations==
The screenplay by Richard Curtis was published by Michael Joseph Ltd. in the United Kingdom and by St. Martin's Griffin in the US.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Curtis|first1=Richard|title=Love Actually|date=5 December 2003|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|isbn=0-312-31849-9}}</ref>

==''Red Nose Day Actually''==
{{Main|Red Nose Day Actually}}
In 2017, Richard Curtis wrote a script for ] that reunited a dozen characters and picked up their storylines fourteen years later. Filming began in February 2017, and the ] was broadcast on ] on 24 March 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://screenrant.com/love-actually-red-nose-day-sequel-poster/|title=Love Actually Red Nose Day Sequel Gets A Poster|date=10 May 2017|publisher=Screen Rant|access-date=7 December 2017}}</ref>

== Home media ==
] released the film on ] in November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Love Actually Blu-ray Review {{!}} High Def Digest |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2624/loveactually.html |access-date=7 December 2023 |website=bluray.highdefdigest.com}}</ref> The film was released on ] on 21 November 2023 for the film's 20th anniversary, featuring a 4K restoration.<ref>{{cite web|last=Meza|first=Ed|title='Love Actually' Set for 20th Anniversary 4K Re-Release via Studiocanal, Universal Pictures (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/love-actually-4k-restoration-studiocanal-universal-1235776741/|website=]|date=2 November 2023|access-date=4 November 2023}}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
* ]
* '']'', a 2013 Japanese film inspired by ''Love Actually''
* ]
* '']'', a Hindi movie detectably based on ''Love Actually'' <ref>{{cite web|title=Salaam-e-Ishq. Could I be more excited? Honestly?|url=http://dangermousie.dreamwidth.org/464701.html|work=Musings of the Obsessive Kind|publisher=dangermousie|accessdate=16 December 2013}}</ref>
* '']'' (Dutch: ''Alles is Liefde''), 2007 Dutch romantic comedy film inspired by ''Love Actually''
* '']'' (Hindi: ''Salaam-e-Ishq''), 2007 Indian film based on ''Love Actually''<ref>{{cite web|title=Salaam-e-Ishq. Could I be more excited? Honestly?|url=http://dangermousie.dreamwidth.org/464701.html|work=Musings of the Obsessive Kind |publisher=dangermousie |access-date=16 December 2013}}</ref>
* '']'', 2009 American romantic comedy film with multiple protagonists and stories similar to ''Love Actually''
* '']'' (Russian: ''Yolki''), also known as ''Six Degrees of Celebration'', a 2010 comedy film that launched a successful movie franchise spanning six sequels
* '']'' (Polish: ''Listy do M.''), 2011 Polish film inspired by ''Love Actually''
* "]", a 2012 holiday episode from the fourth season of the American musical television series ''Glee''
* '']'', 2013 Japanese film inspired by ''Love Actually''


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|30em}} {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Spoken Misplaced Pages|Love_Actually.ogg|2009-04-05}} {{Spoken Misplaced Pages|Love_Actually.ogg|date=5 April 2009}}
{{wikiquote}} * {{wikiquote-inline||''Love Actually''}}
{{Commons category}} * {{IMDb title}}
* {{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3275283.stm |title= Love film premiere seduces fans |publisher= BBC |date= 16 November 2003 }}
* {{official website|http://www.loveactually.com/}}
* {{IMDb title|0314331|Love Actually}}
* {{mojo title|loveactually|Love Actually}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|love_actually}}
*


{{Richard Curtis}} {{Richard Curtis}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''Love Actually''
|list =
{{Empire Award for Best British Film}} {{Empire Award for Best British Film}}
{{Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble}}
}}

{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 04:05, 6 January 2025

2003 film by Richard Curtis

Love Actually
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRichard Curtis
Written byRichard Curtis
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMichael Coulter
Edited byNick Moore
Music byCraig Armstrong
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 14 November 2003 (2003-11-14) (United States)
  • 21 November 2003 (2003-11-21) (United Kingdom)
  • 3 December 2003 (2003-12-03) (France)
Running time135 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • France
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40 million
Box office$250.2 million

Love Actually is a 2003 British Christmas romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The film features an ensemble cast, composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous projects. An international co-production of the United Kingdom, United States, and France, it was mostly filmed on-location in London, England, United Kingdom. The film delves into different aspects of love as shown through 10 separate stories involving a variety of individuals, many of whom are interlinked as the plot progresses. The story begins six weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place in the New Year.

The film was released in the US on 14 November 2003 and a week later in the UK during its theatrical run. Love Actually was a box-office success, grossing $250.2 million worldwide on a budget of $40 million. The film received mixed reviews and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. A made-for-television short film sequel, Red Nose Day Actually, aired in two different versions on BBC One and NBC in 2017, as part of the fundraising event Red Nose Day 2017. In retrospective years, it has developed a cult following, and is often a staple film shown during the Christmas period in both the United Kingdom and United States.

Plot

A voice-over opens the film, commenting that whenever the narrator gets gloomy about the state of the world, he thinks of the arrivals gate at London Heathrow Airport, and the pure and uncomplicated love of lovers, friends and families welcoming their loved ones. He also points out that the messages from the 9/11 victims were messages of love and not hate. The story then switches among the interconnecting "love stories" of many people:

Billy Mack and Joe

With his long-time manager Joe (Gregor Fisher), rock and roll legend Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) records a Christmas version of the Troggs' 1967 song "Love Is All Around", titling it "Christmas Is All Around". Although believing the record is terrible, Mack promotes the release in the hope it will become the Christmas number one single, which it does. He forgoes a victory party hosted by Elton John to celebrate Christmas with Joe, since he realised that Christmas was the time to be with the people one loved. Billy then confesses to Joe that he turned out to be the love of his life. After hugging each other, Billy suggests that they get drunk and watch porn.

Juliet, Peter, and Mark

The wedding of Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is videotaped by the best man, Mark (Andrew Lincoln), where a surprise band plays the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" as they walk out of the church. Although Juliet believes Mark dislikes her, he is actually in love with her.

When he evades her requests to see the video he shot at the wedding, she shows up at his flat. Juliet insists she wants them to be friends, but when she views the wedding video Mark recorded, she sees many extreme close-ups of herself and few of Peter's face. She realises Mark's true feelings towards her. After an uncomfortable silence, Mark blurts out that he acts coldly toward her out of "self-preservation".

On Christmas Eve, Juliet answers the doorbell to find Mark carrying a boombox playing a Christmas carol and large cue cards. While Peter is inside watching television, Mark shows a message of his love to Juliet through a series of cue cards. As he walks away down the street, Juliet runs after him, gives him a quick kiss, and returns inside. Mark walks away, uttering "Enough", to imply he can move on and be content as friends.

Jamie and Aurélia

Writer Jamie (Colin Firth) is pushed by his girlfriend to attend Juliet and Peter's wedding alone because she is ill. He returns before the reception to check on her, discovering she is having sex with his brother. Crushed, Jamie withdraws to his French cottage, where he meets Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz), who does not speak English. Despite not sharing a common language, a mutual attraction grows.

Jamie returns to the United Kingdom, realises he is in love with Aurélia and begins learning Portuguese. He returns to Marseille, France to find her and ends up walking through town with her father and sister, gathering additional people as they walk to her waitressing job. In basic, and often grammatically incorrect, Portuguese, he declares his love for her and proposes. She says yes in broken English, showing she too had been studying English "just in cases", as the crowd erupts in applause.

Harry, Karen, and Mia

Harry (Alan Rickman) is the managing director of a design agency. Mia (Heike Makatsch) is his secretary. Harry is married to Karen (Emma Thompson), a stay-at-home mother. They have two children, Bernard and Daisy (Lulu Popplewell). Mia behaves in an overtly sexual way with him at the office and asks him for a Christmas present. At the company Christmas party held at Mark's gallery, they dance closely.

Before Christmas shopping at a department store, Harry calls Mia and asks what she wants for Christmas. He is almost caught by his wife purchasing an expensive necklace with a gold heart pendant from the jewelry department when the salesman, Rufus (Rowan Atkinson), takes an inordinate amount of time to wrap it. Later, Karen finds the necklace in Harry's coat pocket and assumes it is for her.

Opening a similarly shaped box on Christmas Eve, she is heartbroken to find it is a Joni Mitchell CD, realises he bought the necklace for someone else, and cries in their bedroom alone. She keeps a happy face so as not to ruin her family's holiday. She later confronts Harry and asks what he would do if he were her. She feels he has made a mockery of their marriage and of her. Harry comes clean and admits that he has been foolish.

David and Natalie

David (Hugh Grant), Karen's brother and the recently elected Prime Minister, is single. Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) is a new junior member of the household staff at 10 Downing Street. During a meeting with the US president (Billy Bob Thornton), they pass Natalie, and the president makes inappropriate comments to David about her. Later, David walks in on Natalie who is serving tea and biscuits to the president, and finds him kissing her. Natalie seems embarrassed, and the president has a sly grin on his face. At the following joint press conference, David is uncharacteristically assertive while taking a stand against the president's intimidation techniques.

Feeling uncomfortable around Natalie, David has her moved to another position. He is spurred to action on Christmas Eve when he finds a Christmas card from her in his red box, declaring that she is his and only his. He finds her after a door-to-door search of her street. Her entire family is on their way to a multi-school Christmas play, and he offers to drive them so he can talk to her. As Natalie sneaks him into the school, he runs into his heartbroken sister, Karen, who believes he is there for his niece and nephew. As David and Natalie try to keep from being seen and watch from backstage, they finally kiss. Everyone sees them kissing as the back-cloth is raised.

Daniel, Sam, Joanna, and Carol

Daniel (Liam Neeson), Karen's close friend, mourns the recent death of his wife, Joanna, as he tries to care for his stepson Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). Sam has fallen for an American classmate, also named Joanna (Olivia Olson), and after talking with his stepfather, decides to learn the drums to accompany her in the big finale of their school's Christmas pageant at Karen and Harry's children's school.

Sam feels he has missed his chance to impress her, but Daniel convinces him to try to tell Joanna how he feels at the airport before she returns to the US. Sam slips through airport security and catches up with her. She acknowledges him by name, which surprises him. Sam returns to Daniel to tell him, and Joanna follows him, surprising him again, and kisses him on the cheek.

A subplot in this storyline involves Daniel stating a few times his wish to date Claudia Schiffer. Eventually, Daniel meets Carol (portrayed by Claudia Schiffer) who is the mother of Sam's schoolmate, and there is a mutual spark.

Sarah, Karl, and Michael

Sarah (Laura Linney) first appears at Juliet and Peter's wedding, sitting next to Mark. An American working at Harry's graphic design company, she is in love with the creative director, Karl (Rodrigo Santoro). Prompted by Harry, they finally connect at the Christmas party, and Karl drives her home. Sarah invites Karl in and they immediately pull off their clothes and begin to get intimate when Michael (Michael Fitzgerald), her mentally ill brother, telephones from a psychiatric hospital, aborting their tryst. On Christmas Eve, they are both working late. Karl tries to find words but just wishes her a merry Christmas and leaves. In tears, Sarah calls Michael and visits him to give him a Christmas gift.

Colin, Tony, and the American girls

After unsuccessfully attempting to woo various British women, including Mia and Nancy (Juliet and Peter's wedding caterer; Julia Davis), Colin Frissell from Basildon (Kris Marshall) informs his friend Tony (Abdul Salis) that he plans to go to the US, convinced that his Britishness will be an asset. Landing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, Colin hails a taxi and asks the driver to take him to the nearest bar. There, he immediately meets Stacey (Ivana Miličević), Jeannie (January Jones), and Carol-Anne (Elisha Cuthbert), three stunningly attractive women who instantly fall for his Estuary English accent, and invite him to stay at their home, where they are joined by their "sexiest" roommate Harriet (Shannon Elizabeth).

John and Judy

John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page) are professional stand-ins for films. They meet doing the sex scenes for a film for which Tony is a production assistant. John tells Judy, "It's lovely to find someone I can actually chat to." While they are perfectly comfortable being naked and simulating sex on-set, they are shy and tentative off-set. They carefully pursue a relationship, attending the Christmas pageant (involving David and Natalie, Harry and Karen's children, Daniel and Sam) at the local school with John's brother. They get engaged by the end of the film.

Rufus

Rufus (Rowan Atkinson) is the jewellery salesman at Department Store whose meticulous gift-wrapping nearly results in Karen seeing Harry buying a necklace for Mia. In another scene, his distraction of airport staff at Heathrow enables Sam to sneak past them to talk to Joanna. In the director and cast commentary, it is revealed that Rufus was originally supposed to be a Christmas angel, but this was dropped from the final script.

Epilogue

A month later, all the characters are seen at Heathrow Airport. Billy's Christmas single has spurred a comeback. Juliet, Peter, and Mark meet Jamie and his bride, Aurélia. Karen and the kids greet Harry, but Karen's stilted reaction suggests they are struggling to move past his affair.

Sam greets Joanna, who has returned from the US, and Daniel is joined by his new girlfriend, Carol, and her son. Newlyweds John and Judy, heading off to their honeymoon, run into Tony who is awaiting Colin's return from the US. Colin returns with Harriet and her sister Carla, who meets Tony for the first time and greets him with a hug and a kiss on the lips.

Interconnections between the Love Actually characters

Natalie welcomes David back from his flight in view of the press, showing that their relationship is now public. These scenes dissolve into footage of actual arrivals at Heathrow, as the screen is divided into an increasing number of smaller segments to form a photographic mosaic of a heart.

Story association

All the stories are linked in some way; while Mack and his manager do not connect with the other characters physically, Billy appears frequently on characters' radios and TVs, his music video twice providing an important plot device for Sam's pursuit of Joanna, and they also cross paths with the other characters in the closing Heathrow scene. John and Judy work with Tony, who is best friends with Colin, who works for a catering company that services the office where Sarah, Karl, Mia, and Harry work. Mia is friends with Mark, who runs the art gallery where the Christmas office party takes place. Mia also lives next door to Natalie. Mark is in love with Juliet and friends with Peter. The couple is friends with Jamie and Sarah. Harry is married to Karen, who is friends with Daniel, and her brother is David, who works with Natalie. Harry and Karen's children (and thus David's niece and nephew), Natalie's siblings (and thus Mia's neighbours), and Carol's son are all schoolmates of Sam and Joanna. Daniel proclaims that his late wife was the only one for him unless he met Claudia Schiffer. Carol is played by Schiffer.

Cast

Production

Development

The film's director, Richard Curtis

Initially, Curtis started writing with two distinct and separate films in mind, each featuring expanded versions of what would eventually become storylines in Love Actually: those featuring Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. He changed tack and became frustrated with the process. Partly inspired by the films of Robert Altman as well as films such as Pulp Fiction, and inspired by Curtis having become "more interested in writing a film about love and what love sort of means" he had the idea of creating an ensemble film. The film initially did not have any sort of Christmas theme, although Curtis's penchant for such films eventually caused him to write it as one.

Curtis's original concept for the film included fourteen different scenarios, but four of them were cut (two having been filmed). The scene in which Colin attempts to chat up the female caterer at the wedding appeared in drafts of the screenplay for Four Weddings and a Funeral, but was cut from the final version. The music video for Billy Mack's song, "Christmas Is All Around", is a tribute to Robert Palmer's 1986 video, "Addicted to Love". Curtis has spoken negatively about the editing process for the film, which he labelled in 2014 as a "catastrophe" and "the only nightmare scenario that I've been caught in". The film was rushed in order to be ready for the 2003 Christmas season which he likened to "three-dimensional chess". For the scene in which Rowan Atkinson's character Rufus annoys Harry, Alan Rickman's reaction was reportedly genuine, having been "driven insane" by the time constraints. Hugh Grant disliked filming the dance scene as he called it "excruciating" and "absolute hell". In a 2023 interview, Curtis would later call the card scene "a bit weird".

Casting

Ant & Dec played themselves in the film with Nighy's character referring to Dec as "Ant or Dec". This refers to the common mistaking of one for the other, owing to their constant joint professional presence as a comedy and presenting duo. The veteran actress Jeanne Moreau is seen briefly, entering a taxi at the Marseille Airport. The soul singer Ruby Turner appears as Anderson's mother, one of the backing singers at the school Christmas pageant. Helder Costa plays Mr Barros, Aurelia's father. He is a veteran actor in Portuguese cinema. Thompson used the experience of her own marriage breaking up for the role of Karen. Joe Alwyn auditioned for the role of Sam; Alwyn read scenes with Grant and Curtis.

Curtis cast his mother-in-law, actress Jill Freud, as the Prime Minister's cleaner. Curtis cast his daughter Scarlett in the film; she was given the choice of being an angel or a lobster, and played the part of Lobster number 2 in the nativity play, on the condition that she meets Keira Knightley. Curtis originally had two actors in mind for the part of Mack, but he could not decide and then told casting director Mary Selway to find someone who would do the part well but whom he would never think to cast; she suggested Nighy.

Locations

Most of the film was made on location in London, including Heathrow Airport, Trafalgar Square, the central court of Somerset House in the Strand, Grosvenor Chapel on South Audley Street near Hyde Park, St Paul's Church, Clapham, the Millennium Bridge, Selfridges department store on Oxford Street, Lambeth Bridge, the Tate Modern in the former Bankside Power Station, Canary Wharf, Marble Arch, St. Luke's Mews off All Saint's Road in Notting Hill, Chelsea Bridge, the OXO Tower, London City Hall, Poplar Road in Herne Hill, Elliott School in Pullman Gardens, Putney, and Marseille Airport. Scenes set in 10 Downing Street were filmed at Shepperton Studios.

Standing up to the US president

Following Tony Blair's resignation as Prime Minister, pundits and speculators commented on a potential anti-American shift in Gordon Brown's cabinet as a "Love Actually moment", referring to the scene in which Hugh Grant's character stands up to the US President.

In 2009, during President Barack Obama's first visit to the UK, Chris Matthews referred to the president in Love Actually as an example of George W. Bush and other former presidents' bullying of European allies. Commenting on this, Mediaite's Jon Bershad described the U.S. president character as a "sleazy Bill Clinton/George W. Bush hybrid".

In the scene in question, the swaggering president bullies the prime minister and then sexually harasses a member of the household staff. In September 2013, David Cameron made a speech in reply to Russia's comment that Britain was a small insignificant country, which drew comparisons with Hugh Grant's speech during the film.

Cut storyline

One storyline consisting of two scenes, featuring the only gay love story, was cut and not included. In the first scene, Anne Reid, as the headmistress of Karen's children's school, is revealed to be going home to her terminally ill partner, Geraldine, played by Frances de la Tour. In the second scene, while speaking at the Christmas concert, Karen acknowledges Geraldine's recent death. Curtis said he regretted losing this storyline.

Soundtrack

Love Actually
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released17 November 2003
Label
UK soundtrack
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Jump"Girls Aloud 
2."Too Lost in You" (Love Actually version)Sugababes 
3."The Trouble with Love Is"Kelly Clarkson 
4."Here with Me"Dido 
5."Christmas Is All Around"Bill Nighy as Billy Mack 
6."Turn Me On"Norah Jones 
7."Songbird"Eva Cassidy 
8."Sweetest Goodbye"Maroon 5 
9."Wherever You Will Go"The Calling 
10."I'll See It Through"Texas 
11."Both Sides Now" (2000 version)Joni Mitchell 
12."White Christmas"Otis Redding 
13."Take Me as I Am"Wyclef Jean and Sharissa 
14."All I Want for Christmas Is You"Olivia Olson 
15."God Only Knows"The Beach Boys 
16."All You Need Is Love"Lynden David Hall 
17."Sometimes"Gabrielle 
18."Glasgow Love Theme"Craig Armstrong 
19."PM's Love Theme"Craig Armstrong 
20."Portuguese Love Theme"Craig Armstrong 

US version

The US edition of the soundtrack removed two pieces of the score and "Sometimes" by Gabrielle and reordered the tracklist. It also replaced the Girls Aloud cover of "Jump (For My Love)" with the original by The Pointer Sisters, and replaced Maroon 5's "Sweetest Goodbye" with a medley of "Sweetest Goodbye" with "Sunday Morning".

US soundtrack
No.TitleArtistLength
1."The Trouble with Love Is"Kelly Clarkson 
2."Here with Me"Dido 
3."Medley: Sweetest Goodbye/Sunday Morning"Maroon 5 
4."Turn Me On"Norah Jones 
5."Take Me as I Am"Wyclef Jean and Sharissa 
6."Songbird"Eva Cassidy 
7."Wherever You Will Go"The Calling 
8."Jump (For My Love)"The Pointer Sisters 
9."Both Sides Now" (2000 version)Joni Mitchell 
10."All You Need Is Love"Lynden David Hall 
11."God Only Knows"The Beach Boys 
12."I'll See It Through"Texas 
13."Too Lost in You" (Love Actually version)Sugababes 
14."Glasgow Love Theme"Craig Armstrong 
15."White Christmas"Otis Redding 
16."Christmas Is All Around" (soundtrack version)Bill Nighy as Billy Mack 
17."All I Want for Christmas Is You"Olivia Olson 

Score

The film's original score was composed, orchestrated, and conducted by Craig Armstrong. It was commercially unreleased until 19 November 2021, when it was released digitally by Universal Pictures' Back Lot Music, and on CD by La-La Land Records.

Original score
No.TitleLength
1."Opening Titles"1:31
2."Christmas Is All Around (Montage)"5:23
3."First Day"0:48
4."Natalie with Tea Trolley"0:18
5."In Love with Karl"0:54
6."Sam's Bedroom"0:48
7."On the Bench"0:58
8."I'm in Love"0:42
9."Total Agony"1:57
10."Saucy Minx / Aurélia Arrives"1:52
11."Bad Policies"0:57
12."Discovery of Kiss / Press Conference"2:22
13."Croissants in France"1:07
14."The Lake Scene"1:35
15."Saddest Part of Day"1:13
16."Glasgow Love Theme"2:05
17."PM Redistributes Natalie"0:34
18."Jamie Leaves Aurélia"2:44
19."Sarah & Karl Go Wrong"1:34
20."Karen in Bed"0:37
21."Harry & Mia"1:08
22."Wrapping the Necklace"2:55
23."Natalie on the Stairs"2:08
24."Natalie at the School"1:27
25."Natalie Revealed / Karen Confronts Harry"1:49
26."Joanna Drives Off"6:02
27."Sam & Joanna"1:14
28."Portuguese Love Theme"3:10
29."Christmas Is All Around" (film version) (performed by Bill Nighy as Billy Mack)4:52
30."Greenshoots"0:18
31."Restaurant Band"0:32
32."PM's Love Theme"2:12
33."Christmas Is All Around" (soundtrack version) (performed by Bill Nighy as Billy Mack)3:48

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Platinum 70,000
United Kingdom (BPI) 2× Platinum 600,000
United States (RIAA) Gold 500,000

Sales figures based on certification alone.
Shipments figures based on certification alone.

The soundtrack album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and by Christmas 2018 it had spent 348 weeks on the Chart. It reached the top forty on the US Billboard 200 in 2004 and ranked second on the Top Soundtracks chart.

Use in film

The UK and US versions of the actual film contain two instances of alternative music. In the UK cut, the montage leading up to and continuing through the first part of the office party is set to the song "Too Lost in You", by the British group Sugababes. In the US version of the film, this song is replaced with "The Trouble with Love Is", performed by the American singer Kelly Clarkson. Subsequently, in the UK version's end credit roll, the second song is a cover of "Jump (For My Love)" performed by Girls Aloud; in the US version, this song is replaced with "Too Lost in You".

Several songs were heard in the film but did not appear on either soundtrack:

Reception

Box office

Love Actually grossed $59.7 million in the United States and Canada, $62.7 million in the United Kingdom, and $122.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $244.9 million, against a budget of $40 million. It spent its first five weeks in the Top 10 at the U.S. box office.

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 64% of 227 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "A sugary tale overstuffed with too many stories. Still, the cast charms." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 41 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.

Michael Atkinson of The Village Voice called it "love British style, handicapped slightly by corny circumstance and populated by colorful neurotics". Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three and a half out of four stars, describing it as "a belly-flop into the sea of romantic comedy ... The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: ... It feels a little like a gourmet meal that turns into a hot-dog eating contest."

Nev Pierce of the BBC awarded it four of a possible five stars and called it a "vibrant romantic comedy ... Warm, bittersweet and hilarious, this is lovely, actually. Prepare to be smitten." In his review in The New York Times, journalist A. O. Scott called it "a romantic comedy swollen to the length of an Oscar-trawling epic" and added, "It is more like a record label's greatest-hits compilation or a very special sitcom clip-reel show than an actual movie."

In Rolling Stone, Peter Travers rated it two stars out of a possible four, saying "there are laughs laced with feeling here, but the deft screenwriter Richard Curtis dilutes the impact by tossing in more and more stories." Christopher Orr of The Atlantic was negative toward the work and described it as the least romantic movie of all time, considering its ultimate message to be "It's probably best if you give up on love altogether and get on with the rest of your life."

Since its initial release some publications have come to regard Love Actually as a cult film as it is habitually watched by many people as a holiday staple. Despite this, the film continues to be highly divisive amongst critics and audiences. Publications such as CNN, The Atlantic and The Telegraph have written positively about Love Actually whilst others such as The Independent, Cosmopolitan and The Guardian have panned the film. Some publications in later years have labelled it as one of the worst Christmas films ever made.

Accolades

Ceremony Award Nominee(s) Result
British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film Love Actually Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Bill Nighy Won
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Emma Thompson Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Love Actually Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
9th Critics' Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
Empire Awards Best British Film Won
Best British Actress Emma Thompson Won
Best Newcomer Martine McCutcheon Won
Best Newcomer Andrew Lincoln Nominated
Evening Standard British Film Awards Best Actress Emma Thompson Won
Peter Sellers Award for Comedy Bill Nighy Won
European Film Award Best Actor Hugh Grant Nominated
Best Director Richard Curtis Nominated
London Film Critics Circle Award Best British Supporting Actor Bill Nighy Won
Best British Supporting Actress Emma Thompson Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actor Bill Nighy Won
Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor, Musical or Comedy Bill Nighy and Thomas Sangster Nominated
Best Supporting Actress, Musical or Comedy Emma Thompson Nominated

Other adaptations

The screenplay by Richard Curtis was published by Michael Joseph Ltd. in the United Kingdom and by St. Martin's Griffin in the US.

Red Nose Day Actually

Main article: Red Nose Day Actually

In 2017, Richard Curtis wrote a script for Red Nose Day that reunited a dozen characters and picked up their storylines fourteen years later. Filming began in February 2017, and the short film was broadcast on BBC One on 24 March 2017.

Home media

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray in November 2009. The film was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on 21 November 2023 for the film's 20th anniversary, featuring a 4K restoration.

See also

References

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Richard Curtis
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Television
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Awards for Love Actually
Empire Award for Best British Film
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble
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