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Joanna “Jo” Bacon, the British actress best known for her roles in Love Actually, Breeders and TV soap Eastenders, has died. She was 72.

Bacon’s death was confirmed by the Harlow Theatre Company this week, who said she passed away on June 14 following a battle with cancer.

“It is with much sadness that we inform our Htc members past and present the passing of Jo Bacon on June 14th following a short and brave battle against cancer,” the company said in a statement.

“Many of our members will remember Jo and her force of nature, her wit, her fun, her passion and her natural ability as an actor. She became a member of Harlow Theatre Company at its inception in 1978. She appeared in many plays in iconic roles such as Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Maddie in Dirty Linen and Beverly in Abigail’s Party along with reviews, musicals...

Joanna Bacon, an English stage and screen actress best known for her roles in films like “Love Actually” and TV shows including “Breeders,” died June 14 after a battle with cancer. She was 72, and her funeral was held July 15.

On the screen, Bacon worked for decades, with her first credit dating back to 1991. In “Love Actually,” she portrayed the mother of Martine McCutcheon’s Natalie. More recently, Bacon appeared in 30 episodes of the FX series “Breeders,” playing the mother of Martin Freeman’s leading man, Paul. The series ran for four seasons from 2020 to 2023.

Bacon also had an extensive history on the stage. She performed at such venues as Lancaster’s The Dukes Theatre, London’s Hampstead Theatre and the National Theatre.

Bacon was a longtime member of the Essex-based Harlow Theatre Company, joining up with the group when it formed in 1978. At the theater, Bacon performed in numerous productions, including “Dirty Linen,...

The latest season of Beyond Paradise has featured an unexpected but heartwarming reunion between Kris Marshalland his former Love Actually co-star Abdul Salis (The Wheel of Time). The duo portrayed best friends Colin and Tony, respectively, in the 2003 rom-com, which was a box office success. Now, over two decades later, Salis joins Marshall (Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman) in the British detective show as a therapist who falls ill after consuming poison.

Speaking on Sunday's episode of The Project, Marshall opened up about Salis’ Beyond Paradise Season 3 guest appearance. He revealed that they had only seen each other once in the twenty-two years since Love Actually, but things weren’t awkward as he said:

"It's a beautiful thing about being an actor. You just pick up where you left off. It's, kind of, a really symbiotic thing and I love it."

Salis debuted in Beyond Paradise Season 3, Episode 3, as Dr Lionel Jennings,...

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Valentine’s Day is finally here, and Netflix has the perfect films to watch on this romantic day with your significant other. In this list, we have included some new films and some classics, but they all have that comforting feeling of love that people crave especially today. So, here are the 10 best romantic movies on Netflix to watch this Valentine’s Day with your partner.

Hit Man Credit – Netflix

Hit Man is a romantic crime comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Glen Powell. The 2023 film follows Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered psychology and philosophy professor who moonlights as a pretend hitman for the police to catch the people trying to hire him. When he meets a beautiful woman who wants to hire him to kill her abusive husband, his life completely changes.

Hugh Grant seems to always have something snippy and yet charming to say about his movies, but when it comes to Love Actually, he may have a tiny soft spot for the film. A classic of both Christmas movies and romantic comedies, Love Actually is the anthology that keeps on giving. Every year, the interweaving stories about the six weeks before Christmas just get more charming. It serves as a time capsule now that the incredible cast of Love Actually has grown, moving into new parts of their lives and, sadly sometimes, passing away.

British heartthrob Hugh Grant appears in the film as David, the Prime Minister of England. David shares his tale with Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), a new junior member of the household staff at 10 Downing Street. Natalie and David are smitten, but David refuses to act on his feelings, until Christmas Eve. After a long search knocking on doors,...

The Christmas season might've just ended, but the arrival of a beloved holiday movie on Netflix means we have the chance to extend the joy. Released just over 21 years ago in 2003, Richard Curtis' Love Actually has stood the test of time to become one of the go-to Christmas movies of today. This is an especially impressive feat when considering how controversial some elements have become, thus threatening to dim the glow of this heartwarming feature.

The 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually follows various couples as they explore their relationships throughout the Christmas season. With a star-studded cast composed of Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Rowan Atkinson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Freeman, and Martine McCutcheon, Love Actually has since become a Christmas staple for rom-com lovers.

Release Date November 14, 2003Rating RRuntime 135 minutesGenres Holiday, Drama, Romance, ComedyCast Bill Nighy, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor,...

Elf has rightfully earned its spot as one of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time, blending earnest holiday spirit with a subversive sense of humor. Directed by Jon Favreau and starring Will Ferrell in a career-defining role, Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human raised by elves in the North Pole, who travels to New York City to find his biological father and connect with his human roots. The film is a perfect mix of quirky comedy, highlighted by Ferrell’s witty one-liners, and themes of belonging, redemption, and the power of believing in something greater than yourself.

For fans of Elf who are looking for a similarly heartwarming feel, holiday classics like Love Actually and Home Alone also offer a comparable type of humor intertwined with genuinely moving moments. Like Elf, these movies show how Christmas brings people together, whether through chaotic or meaningful experiences, making...

Did you know there’s a 17-minute long sequel to Love Actually, and it’s available to stream on the Internet for free!?

The short film was recorded for the fundraising event Red Nose Day back in 2017…and we have the stream for you here! It’s titled Red Nose Day Actually.

Head inside for more…

The reunion features a lot of the same cast, including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keira Knightley, Martine McCutcheon, Bill Nighy, Thomas Brodie Sangster, and Rowan Atkinson, among others.

The short film is set 13 years after the events in Love Actually, and gives an update on quite a few of the characters throughout the film.

Find out why Emma Thompson decided to never rewatch the original film. Hugh Grant also once revealed which Love Actually scene he found excruciating to film.

Hit play on the embed below to watch...

Keira Knightley has starred in a huge variety of different films, from traditional romances to fantasy adventures, but she’s always provided interesting performances wherever she goes. The actress made her acting debut at the age of nine in A Village Affair, before landing her first mainstream role in Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace. This was the character that finally allowed her to break into the mainstream, and ever since then, Keira Knightley has made several great movies that cemented her as a generational talent.

Although Kiera Knightley is best known for her period pieces, the actress has made a real effort in recent years to break free of this stereotype and try some new styles that have resulted in some very surprising projects. She’s drifted away from the studio blockbuster style of filmmaking that made her famous, turning her attention instead to more independent, creative...

It’s safe to say Richard Curtis wasn’t a huge fan of Love Actually postproduction.

The writer-director of the beloved 2003 holiday rom-com recently told IndieWire that it was a “catastrophe” editing the film starring Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Martine McCutcheon, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Rowan Atkinson.

“The strange thing about Love Actually is, when we finished the movie, it was a catastrophe,” Curtis said of putting together multiple storylines and character arcs. “It took six months to re-edit it and learn all these lessons about how to do a multi-thread story.”

The film follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely interrelated tales all set during December, leading up to Christmas in London.

“When I wrote Love Actually, and we had the read-through, and it sounded great, I thought you would probably do A,...

The Christmas holiday season is the perfect time to unwind with family, share gifts, eat your body weight in Turkey, and feast your eyes on as many movies as possible. There's always something on at the cinema that's perfect escapism during the holidays, and the streaming services will also be churning out their latest Christmas offering, like Dwayne Johnson's Red One. However, audiences also get movies with star actors who are not usually associated with festive films.

The holiday season would definitely feel like it's lacking something if there weren't numerous festive offerings to consume. Whether it's a family ritual, like sitting down to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, or catching a festive horror like Terrifier 3. However, what's so wonderful about Christmas movies is how they often subvert audience expectations by casting actors not usually associated with the genre.

Love Actually (2003) Starring Liam Neeson

Love Actually is one of the most sickeningly sweet,...

Love Actually actress Martine McCutcheon revealed that she and Jack McManus, her husband of nearly 12 years, are separating.

The 48-year-old actress, who played Natalie in the beloved Christmas movie, shared the news on social media, explaining that they had been together for 18 years and got married in 2012.

Keep reading to find out more…

Martine shared the news via a lengthy statement that she posted on her Instagram story on Thursday (August 22).

“After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it’s best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision,” she wrote.

She continued, writing, “We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful, 9 year old son Rafferty, who’s happiness and welfare, has always been, and will continue to be, our number 1 priority. We both of course, still cherish and look forward to being parents together to our wonderful boy for the rest of our lives…...

Fans of the smash-hit 2003 Christmas movie Love Actually might be surprised to learn there’s a second title in the franchise!

Well, it’s actually a “short film” that was recorded for the fundraising event Red Nose Day back in 2017…and we have the stream for you here! It’s titled Red Nose Day Actually.

Keep reading to find out more…

The reunion features a lot of the same cast, including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keira Knightley, Martine McCutcheon, Bill Nighy, Thomas Brodie Sangster, and Rowan Atkinson, among others.

The short film is set 13 years after the events in Love Actually, and gives an update on quite a few of the characters throughout the film.

Find out why Emma Thompson decided to never rewatch the original film. Hugh Grant also once revealed which Love Actually scene he found excruciating to film.

Hit play on...

Filmmaker Richard Curtis has been looking back on his 2003 rom-com ‘Love Actually’. He discussed more ways he wished he could improve his film and said that he wished he had included more religions in the film.

The film had a divided fanbase due to lack of diversity, cruel jokes, and stereotyped characters. Curtis himself has noted that the star studded movie failed on a cultural level. He touched upon a storyline that was cut from the film that featured acclaimed actresses Anne Reid and Frances de La Tour.

He said: “We were meant to have an LGBTQ story [in Love Actually] but it got cut and I feel as though I let myself down there. And the diversity issue is very different now. It would’ve been lovely to make the film more culturally rich. To have had Hanukkah, to have had Diwali in there.”

“So I do think if I...

“To me, you are perfect.” Words like that could make many a woman swoon. And it worked for Keira Knightley in 2003’s Love Actually. But it may not fly today, presumably because you’d be shot if you tried to pull what Andrew Lincoln did. Now, 20 years after its release, director Richard Curtis acknowledges just how creepy the whole scene is.

While it took quite some time for Curtis to learn of the current reception of Love Actually’s most famous scene, he knows now that Lincoln’s Mark comes off as a stalker. “He actually turns up, to his best friend’s house, to say to his best friend’s wife, on the off chance that she answers the door, ‘I love you.’…I think it’s a bit weird. I mean, I remember being taken by surprise about seven years ago, I was going to be interviewed by somebody and they said,...

In the years before Twitter was euthanized, I’d patiently wait for the onset of the holiday season, and the renewal in my feed of the great “Love Actually” Debate. Every year, the best and brightest of the world — middle management apparatchiks, underemployed magazine writers and hall of fame doomscrollers — would chime in, mostly on the nein side, and make their arguments with eloquence. My favorite was ‘You’re a fucking idiot.’

That one I heard a lot.

“Love Actually” turns 20 this month, and I thought it was time for a thorough revaluation. Was it still a glorious double-steak overstuffed Chipotle burrito of humanity, or would I now see it as they did — a foot-long Subway sandwich with way too many olives bought at a South Dakota gas station?

So I watched the movie again this week. I was struck with an unearned epiphany, the kind that you find in a middlebrow holiday romantic comedy.

Love Actually's short sequel, Red Nose Day Actually, provides updates on the fates of beloved characters like Juliet, Peter, and Mark. Prime Minister David and Natalie are still together, with David continuing his iconic dance moves. Karen and Harry's relationship is strained but they're still together, while characters like Billy Mack and Rufus are still pursuing their passions.

Love Actually is one of the most beloved rom-coms that has become a holiday tradition for many to rewatch annually, and despite the fact that a full sequel was never released, many of its characters' fates received updates after the movie ended. Because of its popularity, Love Actually's ensemble cast returned for a short sequel 14 years after the 2003 movie's conclusion, in 2017's 17-minute Red Nose Day Actually short film. The Notting Hill filmmaker Richard Curtis decided to bring back many of the actors and answer some questions about what happened to...

Love Actually is a holiday staple, but that doesn't mean its infallible. The film struggles to adequately address the power dynamics at play in several of its relationships. From the male gaze to body-shaming "jokes," Love Actually has aged poorly in a few key ways that even the director admits aren't okay.

It's no surprise that rewatching Love Actually, 2003's hit holiday rom-com, comes with some harsh realities 20 years after the film's initial release. Written and directed by Notting Hill filmmaker Richard Curtis, the London-set film examines the nature of love through 10 vignettes, all of which interconnect as the movie plays out. Love Actually's all-star ensemble cast, which features Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, and Colin Firth (among many others), is certainly one of its most memorable assets. After Love Actually made $246 million worldwide on a budget of roughly $40 million, its formula was replicated by other holiday-centric films.

Far from unimpeachable, with problems ranging from a lack of diversity to an overdose of saccharine, the festive ensemble comedy is an annual staple nonetheless

Of the many gestures of love, small and, more frequently, supersized, in Love Actually, the one that always stood out to me is of the former kind. Hugh Grant’s prime minister sits in a grand yet cosy drawing room at No 10, alone on Christmas Eve, rifling through holiday cards in his red despatch box. He comes across one from Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), the tea lady he’s been pining for since their first, expletive-filled meeting. “If you can’t say it at Christmas, when can you, eh?” she writes. “I’m actually yours.”

This statement of devotion, lovely in its smallness, precipitates Grant’s more memorable response, knocking on every door on her street in “the dodgy end” of Wandsworth until he finds her.

Love Actually features an ensemble cast with multiple storylines, but Hugh Grant stands out as the Prime Minister and romantic lead. Many of the actors, even those in smaller roles, went on to have successful careers in Hollywood. The film includes cameo appearances from big-name performers, such as Claudia Schiffer and Billy Bob Thornton, adding to its star-studded cast.

The stars of Love Actually have gone on to some impressive careers after the hit romantic film's 2003 premiere. Love Actually follows numerous characters as they pursue love and happiness during the Christmas season in London. Filmmaker Richard Curtis wrote and directed the box office hit that earned almost $245 million (via Box Office Mojo) after previously writing rom-com classics such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones's Diary. Love Actually is bookended by sequences at London's Heathrow Airport, and steadily reinforces the concept that, "Love actually is all around.

Love Actually's humor, particularly its fat-shaming jokes about Natalie's weight, is no longer funny and has been criticized over the years. Director Richard Curtis is now aware of this, admitting he didn't mean any harm but feels he was unobservant. It's important to evaluate the intent and tastefulness of the storytelling, and recognize that some outdated comedies may not have redeeming qualities and are best left in the past.

Love Actually may be considered a Christmas classic, but writer and director Richard Curtis has revealed he regrets some of the humor used in the movie. The romantic comedy followed numerous couples as they navigated their relationships throughout the holiday season. Love Actually was packed with a star-studded cast that included the likes of Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, and Keira Knightly. As it reaches its 20th anniversary, this has led to many of the cast commenting on their experiences while filming.

Looking back at Love Actually and Bridget Jones’s Diary, Richard Curtis regrets including negative commentary about women’s bodies in the films amid criticism in recent years.

While recently speaking at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, via Today, the director-writer recalled “how shocked I was like five years ago when [my daughter] Scarlett said to me, ‘You can never use the word fat again.'”

In the 2003 Christmas movie, Martine McCutcheon’s character Natalie is teased a handful of times for her weight, including being called “plumpy” and someone saying she has “massive … tree trunk thighs.” At one point, Natalie’s love interest, the British Prime minister played by Hugh Grant, also says, “God, you weigh a lot,” when she jumps into his arms.

After noting that his daughter was “right” about not using the word “fat” anymore in his projects, he added, “I think I was behind,...

“Love Actually” writer-director Richard Curtis admitted at the Times and Sunday Times’ Cheltenham Literature Festival (via Today) that he regrets the many weight-centric jokes he wrote into his 2003 Christmas classic.

The character Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) is often mocked for her weight throughout the film, with her dad calling her “plumpy,” a colleague noting she has “huge thighs” and her love interest (Hugh Grant) saying “God, you weigh a lot” after she jumps into his arms.

“I remember how shocked I was like five years ago when [my daughter] Scarlett said to me, ‘You can never use the word ‘fat’ again,'” Curtis said. “And wow, [she was] right. I think I was behind the curve, and those jokes aren’t any longer funny, so I don’t feel I was malicious at the time, but I think I was unobservant and not as clever as I should have been.”

Many of Curtis’ films have...

Love Actually's fat-shaming jokes towards Natalie have not aged well, overshadowing Martine McCutcheon's charming performance. Martine McCutcheon gained critical acclaim for her role as Tiffany Mitchell in the soap opera EastEnders, but her character was killed off. McCutcheon found success as a popstar with a number one single, but also continued acting, including a memorable but silly death in Midsomer Murders.

One of the most prominent storylines in the 2003 Christmas classic, Natalie's (Martine McCutcheon) romance with Prime Minister David (Hugh Grant) in Love Actually is still talked about today. Written and directed by Richard Curtis, Love Actually tells 10 separate love stories during the London holiday season, and as the plot progresses many of these stories become intertwined. The film boasts a cast of predominantly British A-list stars such as Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy, and Keira Knightley.

But while Love Actually may have sweet moments,...

The Masked Singer is back, with fans tuning in every Saturday night to try to guess which celebrity is behind each costume.

Comedian Joel Dommett has returned to host proceedings, with 13 mystery stars singing familiar songs on stage, while dressed up in an outfit obscuring their identity.

Guessing along with the in-studio audience and the viewers at home are the judges: Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Rita Ora and Jonathan Ross.

One way to help narrow things down is checking out who’s been on the series before – as it seems unlikely they’d return to the show (although not impossible).

So here’s a full list of who appeared on seasons one, two, three and four…

Season one

Winner: Nicola Roberts – Queen Bee

Jason Manford – Hedgehog

Katherine Jenkins – Octopus

CeeLo Green – Monster

Denise van Outen – Fox

Jake Shears – Unicorn

Skin – Duck

Kelis – Daisy

Teddy Sheringham – Tree

Justin Hawkins – Chameleon

Alan Johnson...

The festive season has rolled around again, bringing with it endless repeats of Love Actually on TV and streaming services.

But while Richard Curtis’s star-studded romcom may be a Christmas viewing staple, few fans know about one highly emotional LGBT+ relationship that ended up on the cutting room floor.

The plotline centred around an older lesbian couple who were connected to Karen (Emma Thompson) and her family.

It saw Anne Reid play the headmistress at the school attended by Karen’s son, while Frances de la Tour appeared as her terminally ill partner Geraldine.

The film was meant to feature a moving scene in which the pair bicker over their differing tastes in fancy sausages and display their wicked senses of humour, before cuddling up at night. It is later revealed during a school assembly that Geraldine died shortly before Christmas.

However, the story didn’t make the final cut,...

The festive season has rolled around again, bringing with it endless repeats of Love Actually on TV and streaming services.

But while Richard Curtis’s star-studded romcom may be a Christmas viewing staple, few fans know about one highly emotional LGBT+ relationship that ended up on the cutting room floor.

The plotline centred around an older lesbian couple who were connected to Karen (Emma Thompson) and her family.

It saw Anne Reid play the headmistress at the school attended by Karen’s son, while Frances de la Tour appeared as her terminally ill partner Geraldine.

The film was meant to feature a moving scene in which the pair bicker over their differing tastes in fancy sausages and display their wicked senses of humour, before cuddling up at night. It is later revealed during a school assembly that Geraldine died shortly before Christmas.

However, the story didn’t make the final cut,...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – not least because it’s the time of year where people the world over get to enjoy Martine McCutcheon’s star turn in the ultimate Christmas movie Love Actually. Her portrayal of Natalie – the sweary, lovable assistant to Prime Minister David (aka Hugh Grant) – is one of the film’s highlights, and she’s rightly beloved for the role. She’s recently been reminiscing about Love Actually at the ‘20 Years Later’ reunion on ABC:

Martine McCutcheon, who played Natalie in the #LoveActually film, said in a message to @ABC that the film resonates today because "it's so human" and portrays "different, complicated types of love."

Stream the full @ABC special again tomorrow on hulu. https://t.co/pjStAgZskM pic.twitter.com/60i63lPbkx

— 20/20 (@ABC2020) November 30, 2022

Outrageously, this is one of the few times her work has become well-known internationally, but here...

Joanna Page has recalled an embarrassing moment from the first ever Love Actually read-through.

The Gavin & Stacey star appears in Richard Curtis’s 2003 Christmas romcom as Judy, a body double working in film.

Her character is required to perform sex scenes alongside fellow actor John (Martin Freeman), but the pair end up striking up a tentative romantic relationship off-camera.

Appearing on Loose Women on Tuesday (13 December), Page admitted that she’d only ever seen the film once.

She then shared a story from the set of the film, when she was sat at the read-through alongside the likes of Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Liam Neeson.

“I just remember getting there, I was 23, brand new,” she said. ‘Like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe everyone is here.”

She then recalled how everyone was present apart from the women Colin Frissell (Kris Marshall) meets in America, played by January Jones,...

Rapper Stepz has been named the most viewed UK artist on TikTok in 2022.

The London-born musician took the top spot in the video-sharing app’s Year On TikTok report, which reviews the trends and creators of the past year, beating out competition from established acts such as Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.

Stepz has 2.8 million followers on TikTok went viral this summer with his song “Cramp Dat”, which samples Soulja Boy’s 2007 hit “Crank That”.

The musician – who also posts comedy videos on the platform – said of being named TikTok’s most viewed UK artist: “Gaining an audience since I started TikTok allowed me to chase my dreams and allow my sound to be heard with music globally all thanks to God + TikTok my life has changed!”

Smith came in second place, followed by Sheeran, who topped the list last year.

Eurovision star Sam Ryder came in fourth and has...

Martine McCutcheon has argued that the “out of date”, non-“PC” moments in Love Actually add to the film’s charm.

The British actor starred in the 2003 Christmas romcom as Natalie, a member of the new prime minister’s (Hugh Grant) household staff.

Last week, filmmaker Richard Curtis said that there were moments in the film that felt “out of date” and he would now “change”, adding that “the lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid”.

However, in a new interview, McCutcheon has claimed that the film’s imperfections are what have kept people coming back to Love Actually “all these years later”.

“I think, honestly, it was 20 years ago, and the world has changed a lot, but I also think that part of the charm of the film was the fact that some of the love stories and the characters weren’t perfect,” she told MailOnline.

The "Love Actually" cast - or at least some of them - took some time to relive memories of the classic holiday movie in a new primetime special. On Nov. 29, nearly 20 years after the film first aired, Diane Sawyer hosted a special called "The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later" in celebration of the occasion.

In it, director Richard Curtis and stars Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Martine McCutcheon, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster all sat down to discuss their memories of the movie. One of their main topics of discussion was Grant's curmudgeonly nature. "He's often cranky and unhappy, but he is also the only person in the world who's never sent me a text that hasn't made me laugh," said Curtis of the actor's personality. "Hugh finds everyone annoying," joked Thompson, before Grant said, "I'm not just miserable myself, I like to make everyone around me miserable if I can.

Love may actually be all around, but it was mostly a white Christmas when it came to 2003 rom-com “Love Actually.”

Writer-director Richard Curtis reflected on the beloved classic film, saying the lack of diversity makes him “feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid” two decades later.

“There are things you’d change but, thank God, society is changing, so my film is bound, in some moments, to feel out of date,” Curtis said in a interview with Diane Sawyer for ABC’s 20th-anniversary special “The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later” (via Entertainment Weekly).

Curtis continued, “The lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid. You know, I think there are sort of three plots that have sort of bosses and people who work for them.”

The film focused on 10 separate love stories, with Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Alan Rickman,...

Hugh Grant has said that Richard Curtis’s script for Love Actually is “a bit psychotic”.

The Notting Hill star appears in the 2003 Christmas ensemble romcom as the British prime minister who falls in love with an employee (Martine McCutcheon).

On Tuesday (29 November), Grant was interviewed as part of Diane Sawyer’s ABC special The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later.

The 62-year-old spoke about writer Curtis’s script for the film, calling it “a bit psychotic” and adding that it is “Richard on steroids”.

“But the thing is with him, what you have to remember is when he writes about love, he means it,” Grant added. “And that is quite rare.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Grant admitted that he and wife Anna Eberstein had recently “drunkenly” watched bits of the film with fresh eyes.

“It comes from the heart – it’s true,” Grant said.

“I did drunkenly watch...

Love Actually star Hugh Grant says he didn't want to do his now-famous dance scene. The classic Christmas film Love Actually debuted in 2003, with an all-star cast including Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, and Grant. Directed by Richard Curtis, the romantic comedy movie follows nine interconnected love stories of various natures - some romantic, some familial, and some platonic. Grant's storyline in the film sees the actor as David, a newly elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who develops an attraction to a member of his staff, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon).

As David adjusts to his new role, he achieves a major victory both personally and professionally by standing up to the President of the United States (Billy Bob Thornton) during a rousing address to his people and the President's men. Later that night, a radio station plays "Jump" by The Pointer Sisters in his honor, and David dances...

Hugh Grant has opened up about the difficulties he faced filming one of Love Actually’s best-known scenes.

In the 2003 Christmas film, Grant played David, the Prime Minister of the UK who falls in love with a junior member of his household staff, played by Martine McCutcheon.

One memorable scene saw the character dancing around 10 Downing Street to “Jump” by The Pointer Sisters, before he is spotted by a member of staff.

Speaking to Diane Sawyer for ABC’s The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later, Grant claimed that his dancing was “out of time” in the film’s final cut.

“I saw it in the script and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll hate doing that’,” he recalled. “I didn’t fancy doing the dance at all, let alone rehearsing it.”

Director Richard Curtis then interjected, claiming that Grant “kept saying ‘no’” to the scene.

“I think he was...

Emma Thompson has revealed Hugh Grant’s unconventional first reaction to watching Love Actually.

The two actors starred in the 2003 Christmas romcom directed by Richard Curtis.

In a forthcoming 20th anniversary special for the film, Diane Sawyer interviews the cast, including Thompson, Grant, Laura Linney, and Bill Nighy.

In a preview for the special, Thompson recalls the first time that she and Grant watched the finished film.

While the viewer response to Love Actually was positive, the Notting Hill star’s reaction was less predictable.

“Hugh came up behind me as we were walking out and said, ‘Is that the most psychotic thing we’ve ever been in?’” Thompson said.

Grant appeared not to remember their interaction, responding: “Did I say that?”

In the hit movie, Grant played the Prime Minister who falls for a Downing Street staff member Natalie, played by Martine McCutcheon.

The role involved a solo dance...

Love Actually (2003)

Love Actually has become a classic for Christmas that tells stories of love and kindness and all such things, which are so representational of, as were they following a Kantian principle, this marvelous time of year. It is written and directed by a very inspired Richard Curtis.

Considering the actors who accepted to participate in the project, almost all is said: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Collin Firth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley… and many others, who did not doubt is saying yes to collaborate in what has become the last modern Christmas classic to date.

And the thing is that movies, irrespective if their theme, can actually turn out well when they have a good screenplay as foundation, even Christmas movies.

Love Actually (2003) Premise

It follows the lives of eight very different couples dealing with their love lives, in various loosely and interrelated tales, all...

Some say that laughter is the best medicine. That's why when prolific screenwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry set out to heal the world of poverty and famine, they founded the British charity Comic Relief to help people around the globe by raising money with laughs. The highlight of the charity's efforts is Red Nose Day, an annual telethon featuring some of the biggest names in entertainment performing musical numbers or participating in skits.

For example, Curtis reunited the cast of his beloved Christmas rom com "Love Actually" for a mini-sequel that catches up with the characters played by Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon,...

The post Ted Lasso Stars Reunite For Sketch to Support British Charity Comic Relief appeared first on /Film.

There’s a sweet message at the heart of “The Bromley Boys” about finding the heroism in mediocrity, thought it’s one not best served by the film being entirely mediocre itself. Adapted from a sepia-tinted memoir by British author Dave Roberts — detailing the childhood origins of his obsession with the consistently second-rate Bromley soccer team — Steve Kelly’s lightweight film spins allegedly true events into the stuff of pure sitcom: affable enough, but so glibly inauthentic as to make “Bend It Like Beckham” look like cinéma vérité by comparison. It’s curious how the world’s most popular sport maintains such a thin roster of truly classic movies in its honor; that is unchanged here.

Perhaps ongoing “Game of Thrones” mania is to credit for a belated, somewhat surprising U.S. release for “The Bromley Boys,” a year after it failed to score on home turf: It’s led...

1968: Dark Shadows' Mrs. Johnson had a terrible dream.

1981: John Dixon took a tumble down the stairs on As the World Turns.

2002: All My Children's Bianca called her sister, Kendall, "evil".

2010: It was prom night for One Life to Live's Starr X'd Lovers."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, Cassandra (Lara Parker) encouraged Mrs. Johnson (Clarice Blackburn) to get some sleep but Mrs. Johnson told her she was afraid of having a terrible dream. Once Mrs. Johnson fell asleep she had the dream,...

Fans are still crazy about Love Actually 15 years after its initial release, but Hugh Grant doesn’t quite understand the secret to the film’s evergreen appeal.

“I don’t know why Love Actually is still so popular,” the 58-year-old actor revealed, according to Bang Showbiz, although he admitted it’s “nice” that “everyone watches it at Christmas.”

Grant went on to reflect on the fan-favorite scene where his character dances along to the Pointer Sisters’ “Jump (For My Love).”

“I suspect that was the most excruciating scene ever committed,” he remarked. “It wasn’t easy for an Englishman in...

It’s set in a dazzling dystopian metropolis, but this strained attempt at hardboiled noir is deeply dull

Judging by her dropped aitches, the Australian actor Margot Robbie, who is playing a cockerney hit-woman here, has been watching Martine McCutcheon in Love Actually on repeat. Robbie’s serviceable accent is one of the few things this deeply uninteresting take on hardboiled noir gets right. That and its dazzling dystopian metropolis, all flickering strip lighting and neon-drenched pavements. Though somewhat distractingly, while the city is straight out of Blade Runner, the crims all talk in Guy Ritchie “shut your fackin’ face, you ponce”-style banter.

Robbie plays Annie, a femme fatale with two aliases. As a purring hit-woman, she strikes a deal with mysterious mob boss Mr Franklin to take over the contract for his hired killings. Franklin agrees, but only if she first eliminates the competition – a duo of geezerish...

1968: Dark Shadows' Mrs. Johnson had a terrible dream.

1981: Atwt's John Dixon took a tumble.

2002: AMC's Bianca called her sister, Kendall, "evil".

2010: It was prom night for Oltl's Starr X'd Lovers."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, Cassandra (Lara Parker) encouraged Mrs. Johnson (Clarice Blackburn) to get some sleep but Mrs. Johnson told her she was afraid of having a terrible dream.

Adds quirky comedy Spy Intervention to Efm 2018 slate.

Hyde Park International will kick off worldwide sales at the Efm this week on feel-good, football-themed family comedy The Bromley Boys.

Inspired by the book of the same name by sports writer Dave Roberts, The Bromley Boys follows the fortunes of a fanatical young non-league football team devotee as he falls in love for the first time.

Brenock O’Connor, Alan Davies and Martine McCutcheon star alongside Jamie Foreman, Adam Deacon, and double World and triple French Football Freestyle World Champion, Sean Garnier.

Steve Kelly directs the feature by Itchy Fish Film and Scanner Rhodes Productions produced, and Tj Herbert and Dean Fisher produced.

The producers plan to release The Bromley Boys in select territories to coincide with the 2018 World Cup in Russia this summer.

Hyde Park International’s Efm slate includes quirky comedy Spy Intervention starring Drew Van Acker from Pretty Litte Liars, Poppy Delevingne, and Blake Anderson...

Love actually is all around!

In honor of the iconic holiday film, Love Actually, London’s Heathrow Airport is greeting travelers with a surprise worthy of the prime minister: a welcome from Martine McCutcheon, who plays Hugh Grant’s love interest, Natalie.

Because the scene where McCutcheon jumps into Grant’s arms at arrivals is so popular amongst fans, the actress is hoping to re-create the movie magic (sans lip-locking) for real-life customers.

“It was one of my all-time favorite scenes to film,” she said in a press release. “Even now I get so excited every time I’m at...

The modern holiday classic “Love Actually” has come in for a lot of criticism since its release, including its depiction of the character Natalie, the prime minister’s assistant who is constantly teased for being chubby. Related: Behind The Scenes At Red Nose Day’s ‘Love Actually’ Reunion Now, actress Martine McCutcheon, who played Natalie in the film, […]...

Today's Horror Highlights commences with impressions of Nicholas Woods' The Axiom (2017). Also: a trailer for The Untamed and release details for Prankz, which is now available on Amazon Prime.

The Axiom Impressions: The Axiom is a deeply intriguing vessel that explores familiar waters in the most creative ways possible.

Written and Directed by Nicholas Woods, The Axiom stars Hattie Smith, Zac Titus, Nicole Dambro, Taylor Flowers, and Michael Peter Harrison. It follows a group of friends who get tricked into going into the woods to rescue McKenzie's (Hattie Smith) sister, who mysteriously disappeared in those same woods. Once in the wilderness, the gang slowly discovers that not only are they not alone, but that they may have entered another dimension.

There is a lot to unpack when discussing this film, so let's start with the axiom itself. It is an opening to other worlds much more terrifying than our own,...

“Love Actually” fans outside the U.K. finally get to catch up with all of their favorite characters from the Christmas tearjerker, almost fifteen years after its 2003 release. The 15-minute special originally aired in the U.K. in March as part of Red Nose Day, an international day of giving organized by the charity Comic Relief.

Spoilers Ahead for the “Love Actually” reunion:

Read More: ‘Love Actually’ Reunion Trailer: Andrew Lincoln Picks Up His Cue Cards (Again) in New ‘Red Nose Day Actually’ Teaser

The special opens with Juliet and Peter (Keira Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor) finishing up a screening of “Love Actually,” which presumably they’ve been watching on repeat every two hours since the last time we saw them. When bearded Mark (Andrew Lincoln) shows up to disrupt their now fifteen-year marriage yet again with his poster board confessions, it turns out he’s only there to brag that he married Kate Moss.

The Love Actually Red Nose Day Special already aired on Thursday, May 25 on NBC, but in case you missed it, the short is now available to watch online! The script for the short was written by Richard Curtis and it wonderfully revisits the characters of the classic 2003 film Love Actually. It shows us what our favorite characters are up to in 2017. It's a pretty great reunion special that I think fans of the original film will enjoy and appreciate.

Love Actually is one of my favorite romantic comedies and I thought this was a real treat. The cast that returns includes Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, Colin Firth, Lucia Moniz, Liam Neeson, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Olivia Olson, Bill Nighy, Marcus Brigstocke and Rowan Atkinson. Patrick Dempsey also shows up. When talking about the special, Curtis had this to say:

“Over the years I’ve enjoyed doing Red Nose Day...