Okay, this is making us feel incredibly old – Love Actually, the ultimate Christmas film, is turning 20 years old – and we can’t quite believe it.
Whether you’re a fan of Hugh Grant’s Prime Minister’s dancing scene, Andrew Lincoln’s cringe ‘cards on the doorstep’ love admission to Keira Knightly, or you just love the audacity of Bill Nighy’s character, then you’ll probably be as surprised as us that the film is reaching its 20 year anniversary.
But, in a bid to relieve our shock, the cast has got together to record a one-off special celebrating the last 20 years and they’re giving us behind the scene secrets about filming the Christmas movie.
The special will see journalist Diane Sawyer interview the actors in a show called The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later, quizzing some of the film’s actors such as Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson on why they feel the film has had such longevity. What a great Christmas treat.
In the trailer for the show, which is due to air on ABC on November 29th, Emma Thompson recalls what Hugh Grant, who will play Prince Andrew in a new royal film, said to her after the UK premiere about the film.
She reveals Hugh said: “Is that the most psychotic thing we’ve ever been in?”
And although Hugh’s dance scene is now iconic, it nearly didn’t happen, with the actor saying: “When I saw it in the script I thought I’ll hate doing that.”
However, he went on to reveal: “I will give myself this credit – it was my idea to have the secretary catch me.”
While Emma Thompson goes on to talk about what the film meant to her: “Love and all its messiness and its’ unexpectedness and that you’ll find it in the weirdest places.”
Interviewing the writer Richard Curtis for the reunion show, he explains the premise behind his idea: “I do think the way to think about life is that every day has the potential to be gorgeous.”
The show will also interview actors Bill Nighy, Laura Linney and also Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who played Liam Neeson’s son Sam in the film.
Thomas admitted to People magazine a couple of years ago that he didn’t realise just how big the film would be: “I remember already having the part and going into the read-through and not knowing who else was in it.”
“And then all these faces started walking in through the door and I realised that this is probably quite big.”
Now, is anyone in the mood for a Christmas film – maybe, hmmm, Love Actually?
The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later will air on ABC on November 29th – but is yet to have a UK release date.