The
festive season is here, and that can only mean one thing: it's time to watch Love Actually. The hit romantic comedy, which follows several "love stories" (some between friends and family, others between couples), was released way back in 2003, but still continues to delight fans 14 years later.
Some of the most memorable moments of the film include Andrew Lincoln (who is now better known for his role on the Walking Dead) confessing his undying love for Keira Knightly via some cardboard signs, Hugh Grant dancing around 10 Downing Street to Van Halen's 'Jump', and Emma Thompson having a little bit of a cry after finding out that Alan Rickman is having an affair with someone from his office.
Even after a decade of its release, though, the film is still spreading joy and positivity - and, as one of its stars revealed, some of the messages are more subtle than others.
Martine McCutcheon, who played the Natalie, the Prime Minister's new assistant, revealed in an interview with Cosmopolitan that her role in the film actually had a great deal of hidden significance.
Throughout the movie, Natalie makes
references to her weight, and at one point the Prime Minister challenges someone who describes her as "chubby". Even her own family calls her "plump", which seems ridiculous when you see her in comparison to the size of her parents.
However, this was an intentional part of the plot, and was included to make people (especially women) realize that we are perceived in so many different ways, but that those who truly care about us will see us for how beautiful we really are.
Recalling her role in the film, McCutcheon said:
"Every woman thinks there’s something wrong with them when in actual fact, as Hugh has said in other films, they are perfect and lovely as they are. She was meant to be the embodiment of that and I think sometimes people have missed that point."
She continued:
"All the things she worried about and all the things that her boyfriend said she was because he wasn’t with her anymore... that was the whole point, you’re meant to go: ‘No she’s not, I think she’s lovely!' because that’s how men think about a lot of women who constantly criticise each other and themselves. That was meant to be the message and I think somewhere along the way, people didn’t get that. But that’s why I was happy to do it and play that part."
Personally, I thought that the Prime Minister and Natalie were probably the best couple of the film. Their
relationship showed that two people from completely different backgrounds could fall in love and stay together even after other things drove them apart.
In a recent charity special this year, Richard Curtis wrote an extra mini-installment of the film to show where all the characters are now - and McCutcheon thought it was perfect. Speaking about her character's relationship with the Prime Minister, she said: "Life, politically, would have had a lot of ups and downs, but she would have been making him laugh every step of the way."
Well, after reading that, I know which film I'm going to be watching later this evening. Bring on Liam Neeson's tear-jerking role and Bill Nighy's cringe-worthy naked performance!
