Actor Hugh Grant had a savage verdict of his hit Christmas movie Love Actually when he watched it for the first time with co-star Emma Thompson back in 2003
Love Actually has become one of the most beloved and successful Christmas films of all time, yet actor Hugh Grant had a very un-festive reaction the first time he saw it.
The 2003 rom-com is an absolute classic and features a star-studded cast of British legends such as Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, and Alan Rickman. Hugh plays the Prime Minister and goes on to have a relationship with Natalie, one of the household servants at 10 Downing Street, played by Martine McCutcheon.
The movie consists of various intertwined storylines – some happy and feel good and others sadder – which take place during the run-up to Christmas. To mark Love Actually’s 20th anniversary many of the cast reunited as they looked back at the film two decades later. Emma Thompson revealed she watched the film for the first time with Hugh and his reaction wasn’t quite as expected.
“Hugh came up behind me as we were walking out and said, ‘Is that the most psychotic thing we’ve ever been in?’” Emma recalled in the special. Hugh responded: “Did I say that?” Love Actually clearly isn’t held too close to Hugh’s heart as he previously admitted he can’t remember what happens to his character.
Asked about the possibility of a second Love Actually, Hugh told Digital Spy : “I don’t know. I’ve never thought about that… I can’t even remember what happens in the film. It’s so long since I’ve seen it. You’d have to remind me. How do I end up?” In the film, Hugh pranced around Number 10 to Pointer Sisters’ Jump (For My Love), which the actor even branded as “absolute hell”.
Love Actually fans have recently been debating online about which political party Hugh’s character represented. TikTok user Harry said he has this debate with his mum every year. He believes the Prime Minister – who isn’t given a name in the film – must be a Tory, while his mum is a firm believer that he’s a Labour PM.
Harry asked: “Is the Prime Minister in Love Actually, played here by Hugh Grant, a Tory prime minister or a Labour prime minister? Me and my mother were watching this film the other day, and we disagreed on this. I think that he’s a Tory prime minister, and she thinks that he’s a Labour prime minister.”
The film leaves the character’s affiliations up to interpretation as it never tells us what party is in power – although the film was released in 2003 when the UK was under a Labour government led by Tony Blair. But Harry believes some lines could be designed as digs at the then-PM, suggesting a world in which Hugh Grant’s character won an election to take over from Blair.
Commenters on the post were quick to come up with their own theories, with some saying the portrait of Margaret Thatcher in his office must cement him as a Conservative PM. However, others believed he was meant to be a “third party” PM so that the character could be used to poke fun at both Labour and the Tories.
One person said, “Tory. He’s giving David Cameron vibes.” Another added: “I don’t think his love interest’s working-class family would be best pleased if he were a Tory!” While a third shared: “I think he’s Tory but based on Blair.”
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