Few movies manage to age gracefully, but luckily Love Actually is still definitely worthy of a rewatch two decades later. The holiday classic first premiered in 2003, and since then, fans haven’t stopped holding faithful rewatches of the rom-com every Christmas season.
Full of heartwarming twists and turns, Love Actually has slowly become the perfect movie to watch when looking to get into the holiday spirit. The beloved rom-com is also just brimming with talent as it stars accomplished actors like Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant, which means longtime and newer fans will always be in good hands.
In order to properly celebrate Love Actually‘s 20th anniversary, here are a few movie details for any fans who just need a little more Christmas magic in their lives.
1. From Step-Father To Dad
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/gham89:
In Love Actually (2003) Sam starts the film by calling his step-father “Daniel” but by the end is calling him “Dad”. One of the few love stories in the movie that is easily missed.
2. Read The Sign
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/Ilizur:
In Love, Actually (2003), you can read “Burden” between Sarah and her mentally ill brother, foreshadowing that this task is a burden to her love life.
From Redditor u/sweetwoods21:
In Love Actually, Laura Linney’s character is shown sitting in front of a poster that says “Shoulder Their Burden” with a picture of her brother who has mental health issues. Throughout the movie she drops what she’s doing to take calls from him to help him cope with his crises.
3. Secretly An Angel
Photo: Universal Pictures / Twitter
4. Making A Deal With The Devil
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/mariochristo:
In Love, Actually, Harry (Alan Rickman) tells his wife Karen (Emma Thompson) she’s being “a saint” at the work Christmas party. Karen walks off and Harry is approached by Mia (Heike Makatsch) dressed as a devil.
5. No Actors Were Used
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/Numerous-Lemon:
In Love, Actually (2003), the opening montage was real footage of passengers meeting their loved ones at the airport, shot with hidden cameras. Richard Curtis said that that when something special was caught on camera, they would rush up to people and ask for their permission to use it in the movie.
6. Drawing Inspiration From Real Life
Photo: Universal Pictures
Emma Thompson said that for her crying scene she drew upon memories of discovering that her partner Kenneth Branagh was having an affair with Helena Bonham Carter.
7. The Idea Came From A Funeral
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/sleepyVonnie:
The wedding scene in Love, Actually when musicians pop up to perform “All You Need is Love” was inspired by Jim Henson’s Memorial Service.
8. For Anyone Wondering
Photo: @emmafreud / Twitter
9. Singing A Little Too Well
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/DavidRandom:
Olivia Olson’s voice sounded so good when she sang “All I Want for Christmas Is You” that the director made her train her voice to sound more “believable” so people didn’t think she was just lip syncing over Mariah Carey’s original track.
10. A Connection To The Real World
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/klsi832:
Two of the kids in the play at the end of Love Actually (2003) are the children of writer/director Richard Curtis and his partner Emma Freud. Their daughter is one of the lobsters and their son is the boy in the Spider-Man make up.
From script superviser Emma Freud:
When the children song at the school concert… My daughter is the second lobster! The. Second. Lobster. My. Daughter.
11. Spotting A Hidden Reference
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/jaysaugus:
In Love Actually (2003), the only movie we see that Mark owns is Rear Window. A movie who’s main character looks at everyone through a camera lens, mirroring Marks character trait.
From Redditor u/OptimusPolo:
In the movie Love Actually, during the scene where Juliet is looking to view her wedding video that Mark recorded, a Rear Window video case is seen in the corner. This being similar to the wedding video of focusing on Juliet from afar
12. The Affair Is Actually Confirmed
Freud also went on to reveal the future of the couple:
They stay together but home isn’t as happy as it once was.
13. Just A Little Sibling Love
Photo: Universal Pictures
From Redditor u/C_Saunders:
In Love Actually, Sarah (Laura Linney)’s brother constantly calls her and interrupts her life. At the very end, she’s the one to call him as she is lonely and has no one else to talk to because of his calls.
14. This Small Costuming Detail
Photo: Universal Pictures
To appear a little less glamorous, Dame Emma Thompson wore a padded suit to make her appear heavier.
15. A Final Update On All The Characters
Photo: Red Nose Day, Actually
In video titled Red Nose Day Actually, the cast of Love, Actually reunited to reveal what happened to all the characters once the movie ended:
– Billy Mack hooked up with a Kardashian, but is unsure which one.
– Jamie and his wife Aurélia have three children and are busy people, but still in love despite complicated lives. At the end of the video, she tells him she is pregnant with child #4.
– Sam and Joanna are engaged, much to Daniel’s delight.
– Mark still communicates via cue cards, married Kate Moss, and grew a beard.
– Juliet is still with Peter and hates Marks beard.
– Peter knew what Mark was up to all along, also hates the beard.
– David is Prime Minister again, and married to Natalie.
– Rufus hasn’t lost his touch when it comes to gift wrapping.