It's been almost 20 years since Love Actually hit theaters for the first time, and since then, it's become a holiday classic. Who doesn't love to grab a cup of hot chocolate and settle in on the couch to watch a rom-com set at Christmastime — let alone one with an epic cast like this? It's easy to see why it's one of the most beloved Christmas movies.
One of the best parts of Love Actually is the fact that it has such a big ensemble cast — including so many major stars, such as Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, and Liam Neeson. But in the years since the movie first came out in 2003, a lot has changed. What are the stars doing now? Not only have their appearances changed quite a bit since then, but so have their careers and their personal lives.
Read on to see the cast of Love Actually then and now. And then clear your schedule, because there's a good chance that you're going to be in the mood to snuggle up and watch this classic again.
Liam Neeson
In Love Actually, Liam Neeson plays Daniel, a grieving stepfather. Today, the 70-year-old actor has definitely retained his star power. Most notably, he's the star of the Taken movies, but Liam's other (more recent) movie claims to fame include The Marksman and The Ice Road.
Lúcia Moniz
Lúcia Moniz plays Colin Firth's Portuguese love interest, Aurelia, in the movie. Though she now lives a more private life than many of the other stars, Lúcia continues to act — mostly in Spanish language films and shows including Amadeo, O Atentado and Fatima. Now, you can find her starring in the series Silent Cargo.
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson plays the prime minister's sister, Karen, in the movie, who discovers her husband (the late Alan Rickman) is cheating on her. Since then, the highly accomplished actress has gone on to appear in other holiday-themed movies including Last Christmas, and most recently, she starred as Miss Trunchbull in the movie adaptation of Matilda the Musical.
Andrew Lincoln
Sure, Andrew Lincoln's character might come off as a bit of a creep with his messages to Keira Knightley's character, but this cue card moment did end up being one of the most iconic from the movie. Though Andrew is probably best known for his role in The Walking Dead, he also appears in the 2020 movie Penguin Bloom.
Gregor Fisher
You probably remember Gregor Fisher as rock star Billy Mack's grumpy manager in the movie. Since then, the 68-year-old Gregor has continued to act in miniseries including Oliver Twist and The ABC Murders, and today he is currently playing Ray in a TV show called The Cockfields.
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Peter in Love Actually — the man Keira Knightley's character is marrying. Since then, we've seen the now 45-year-old actor everywhere. Not only did he voice Scar in the live-action Lion King movie, but he also snagged roles in 12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange, and many other projects. Most recently, he appeared in The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays the adorable Sam, who has a giant crush on his American school friend Joanna. He's grown up a lot since then — can you believe he's now 32 years old?! You may have spotted him in The Maze Runner series or in The Queen's Gambit on Netflix.
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant has starred in quite a few rom-coms, but playing David, the prime minister of England, in Love Actually might be one of his most iconic roles. Today, the 62-year-old is married to Anna Eberstein and has three children. Recently, he starred in the hit HBO Max miniseries The Undoing alongside Nicole Kidman.
Laura Linney
Laura Linney plays Sarah in the movie, a character who was conflicted by her romantic feelings and her responsibility for her mentally ill brother. Today, she's best known for playing Wendy Byrde on Ozark, but her other recent roles include Falling and Tales of the City. She and husband Marc Schauer share a son, Bennett.
Joanna Page
Joanna Page plays an actress named Judy in Love Actually. In real life, she is (obviously) also an actress — and a mom: She and husband James Thornton have a daughter, Eva. She played Stacey in the UK series Gavin & Stacey and recently starred in Dolittle and Dream Horse.
Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy portrays aging rock star Billy Mack in Love Actually. Though in reality, Bill isn't really a musician, he is known for playing Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, along with his role in the 2020 version of Jane Austen's Emma.
Colin Firth
Another of the biggest names in the cast, Colin Firth plays Jamie, who falls in love with his housekeeper, Aurelia. In real life, he's a father of three, and his later roles include playing Harry in Mamma Mia! along with starring in Mothering Sunday and Supernova. Earlier in 2022, you may have spotted him in the HBO Max series The Staircase.
Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon is the one who plays Hugh Grant's love interest in the movie. Today, she and husband Jack McManus share one child, Rafferty, and since Love Actually, Martine has starred in The Home Office, the longrunning British drama Midsomer Murders, and most recently, The Bromley Boys.
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley plays Juliet, who marries Peter and later finds out that Andrew Lincoln's character is actually in love with her. Her career has continued to explode since she appeared in Love Actually. Notably, she went on to star in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as well as Pride and Prejudice and Silent Night. She and her musician husband, James Righton, have two children, Edie and Delilah.
Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman plays John, who ends up meeting Judy on the set of the movie they're both working on. Today, he has two children, Grace and Joe, and though he's best known for playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit franchise, he's also appeared in Black Panther and the TV series Sherlock.
Kris Marshall
Who can forget Kris Marshall's utterly hilarious turn as the unlucky-in-love Colin Frissell, who travels all the way to the US to meet girls and winds up getting much more than he bargained for. Since Love Actually, Kris has kept up a steady stream of acting gigs, including a dip into the Jane Austen world with a starring role in the 2019 miniseries Sanditon.
