'Love Actually' 20th anniversary: Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth then and now

'Love Actually' also starred Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Liam Neeson, among others

"Love Actually" is 20! 

The classic romantic comedy follows nine love stories, including tales about a woman whose husband is cheating on her, a man who's in love with his best friend's wife, and a little boy trying to profess his love to his crush. 

In its initial run, the movie made nearly $250 million at the global box office, and has since become a must-watch movie during the holiday season.

Here is what the film's cast has been up to since its November 2003 release date.

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

"Love Actually" is celebrating its 20th anniversary. (Universal Pictures)

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Hugh Grant

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Grant was the director's first choice to play the prime minister in "Love Actually." (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

Hugh Grant was the director's first choice to play the prime minister in "Love Actually." Prior to accepting the role, Grant had been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for "Four Weddings and a Funeral," which he won for, "Notting Hill" and "About a Boy," going on to earn three more nominations. He was also well-known for his roles in "Sense and Sensibility," "Nine Months" and "Bridget Jones's Diary."

He continued starring in successful films, including "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," "Music and Lyrics," "Did You Hear About the Morgans," "Cloud Atlas," "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and "Florence Foster Jenkins." 

Later, he starred in "Paddington 2," "A Very English Scandal," "The Undoing," the latter two earning him both Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations, "Glass Onion" and "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves." He will star as an Oompa-Loompa in the upcoming Willy Wonka origin film, "Wonka," set to premiere in December 2023.

Grant married Anna Eberstein in 2018. They have four children, John, Felix and their two daughters. Grant also has a daughter, Tabitha, with his ex-girlfriend Tinglan Hong.

Emma Thompson

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Thompson already had two Academy Awards and three BAFTAs when she starred in "Love Actually." (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

Emma Thompson already had two Academy Awards, three BAFTAs, an Emmy and two Golden Globes, and many other nominations before taking on the role of Karen in "Love Actually." She was best known for her roles in "Howards End," "Sense and Sensibility," "Wit," "The Remains of the Day" and "In the Name of the Father."

She continued starring in popular movies, including "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and two of its sequels, "Nanny McPhee," and its sequel, "Stranger than Fiction," "An Education," "Men In Black 3," "Brave," "The Love Punch" and "Saving Mr. Banks," which earned her BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. Later, she starred in "A Walk in the Woods," "Burnt," "Bridget Jones's Baby" and "Beauty and the Beast."

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The actress then starred in "Johnny English Strikes Again," "Late Night," "Men In Black: International," "Last Christmas," "Dolittle" and "Cruella." Most recently, Thompson starred in "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande," "What's Love Got to Do with It" and "Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical," in which she played Ms. Trunchbull.

Thompson was married to Kenneth Branagh from 1989 to 1995. She then married Greg Wise in 2003, and they have two children Gaia and Tindyebwa, who they adopted in 2003 from Rwanda.  

Colin Firth

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Firth went on to win an Academy Award for "The King's Speech." (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

Colin Firth was known for his roles in "Tumbledown," "Pride and Prejudice," "Bridget Jones's Diary," "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love" before taking the role of Jamie in "Love Actually." Throughout his career, he's received two Academy Award nominations, winning one, five BAFTA nominations, winning two, two Emmy nominations, three Golden Globe nominations, winning one, and five SAG Awards, winning three.

He went on to star in the two "Bridget Jones" sequels, "Nanny McPhee," "The Last Legion," "Mamma Mia," returning for the 2018 sequel, "A Summer in Genoa," "A Single Man," "A Christmas Carol" and "The King's Speech." He then starred in "Magic in the Moonlight," "Kingsman: The Secret Service," and its sequel, "Mary Poppins Returns," "1917" and "The Secret Garden."

Most recently, he has starred in "Operation Mincemeat," "The Staircase" and "Empire of Light."

Firth was in a relationship with Meg Tilly from 1989 to 1994, and they had one son, William. He then was married to Livia Giuggioli from 1997 to 2019, and together they have two sons, Luca and Matteo.

Liam Neeson

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Neeson went on to star in "Taken" and its two sequels. (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

Prior to starring as Daniel in "Love Actually," Liam Neeson was known for his roles in "Schindler's List," "Michael Collins," "Under Suspicion" and "Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace." He continued his streak of starring in successful movies, appearing in "Kinsey," "Batman Begins," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," and its sequels," and "Taken," and its sequels.

Later, the actor starred in "Ponyo," "Five Minutes of Heaven," "Clash of the Titans," "The Next Three Days," "Unknown" and "The Grey." Neeson starred in many action movies, such as "Wrath of the Titans," "Battleship," "The Dark Knight Rises," as well as comedies and science fiction movies like "The Lego Movie," "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "A Million Ways to Die in the West."

After starring in "A Walk Among the Tombstones," "Entourage" and "Ted 2," he lent his voice to a number of films, such as "The Huntsman: Winter's War," "A Monster Calls" and "A Christmas Star." He then starred in "The Commuter," "Widows," "Men In Black: International," "Ordinary Love," "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "The Marksman," "The Ice Road" and "Memory." Most recently, he starred in "Retribution," "Wildcat" and "In the Land of Saints and Sinners."

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Neeson was married to Natasha Richardson from 1994 until her death in 2009. They shared two sons together, Micheal and Daniel.   

Laura Linney

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Linney has been nominated for three Academy Awards throughout her career. (Getty Images)

Laura Linney had starred in "The Truman Show," "You Can Count on Me" and "Mystic River," before playing Sarah in "Love Actually." Throughout her career, she has been nominated for three Academy Awards, 11 SAG Awards, eight Golden Globes, winning two, nine Emmy Awards, winning four, and one BAFTA.

After "Love Actually," Linney starred in "Kinsey," "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," "The Nanny Diaries," "John Adams," "Morning" and "Arthur Christmas." From 2010 to 2013, Linney starred in "The Big C," playing a schoolteacher who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. She followed the successful TV show with roles in "The Fifth Estate," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows," "Sully," "Nocturnal Animals" and "The Dinner."

From 2017 to 2022, Linney played Wendy Byrde on "Ozark," opposite Jason Bateman. The role earned her four Emmy nominations and seven SAG Award nominations. In that time she also starred in "Tales of the City," "Falling" and "The Roads Not Taken," and most recently starred in "The Miracle Club" and "Wildcat."

Linney was married to David Adkins from 1995 to 2000. She then married Marc Schauer in 2009, and together they have one son, Bennett.

Keira Knightley

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Knightley played Bella Swan in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

Keira Knightley was known for starring in "Bend It Like Beckham" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," before starring as Juliet in "Love Actually." She would go on to earn Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for her roles in "Pride and Prejudice," "Atonement" and "The Imitation Game."

Later, Knightley starred in "King Arthur," "Domino," three "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequels, "Silk," "The Edge of Love," "The Duchess" and "Never Let Me Go." She continued acting steadily, starring in "Last Night," "A Dangerous Method," "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World," "Anna Karenina," "Begin Again," "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" and "Collateral Beauty."

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She continued acting in period pieces, starring in "Colette," later appearing in "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms," "Berlin, I Love You" and "The Aftermath." Most recently, she starred in "Misbehaviour," "Silent Night" and "Boston Strangler."

Knightley married James Righton in 2013, and they share two daughters, Edie and Delilah.

Martin Freeman

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Freeman went on to play Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" trilogy. (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

Before starring as John in "Love Actually," Martin Freeman had only had small roles in TV and film. He later appeared in 14 episodes of the British version of "The Office," "Shaun of the Dead," "Hardware" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

He went on to star in "Breaking and Entering," "Dedication," "The All Together," "Nightwatching" and "Animals." In 2012, he played Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," playing the character in the franchises two sequels. Later, he starred in the TV series, "Fargo," "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot," "Captain America: Civil War," "Sherlock" and "Start Up."

Next, he starred in "Black Panther," "The Operative," "A Confession," "A Christmas Carol," "Angelyne" and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Most recently, he starred in "Queen of Bones," "Breeders" and "The Responder."

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Freeman was married to Amanda Abbington from 2000 to 2016, and they share two kids, Joe and Grace. In 2020, he married Rachel Mariam. 

Alan Rickman

love actually 20th anniversary keira knightley hugh grant and colin firth then and now

Rickman went on to star in all eight Harry Potter films as potions professor Severus Snape. (Getty Images)

Alan Rickman was a respected stage actor with four BAFTA nominations, an Emmy and Golden Globe Award win, and many other nominations, before taking on the role of Harry in "Love Actually." By the time he starred in the iconic romantic comedy, he had already starred as Severus Snape in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," playing the character in all eight movies in the franchise.

Following his role in "Love Actually," Rickman starred in "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," "Snow Cake," "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," "The Wildest Dream," "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Butler."

Most recently, he starred in "A Promise," "CBGB," "A Little Chaos" and "Alice Through the Looking Glass."

Rickman married Rima Horton in 2012. The pair had been in a relationship since the 1970s. In 2005, Rickman was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and underwent treatment. Ten years later, he suffered a minor stroke, which led to the diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer. He passed away in January 2016 at the age of 69.

Lori Bashian is an entertainment production assistant for Fox News Digital. 

Authored by Lori Bashian via FoxNews October 25th 2023