The Holiday has been a festive favourite for many fans for almost two decades, but where are the cast now, including Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Miffy Englefield?
The Holiday, arguably one of the standout festive chick flicks crammed with A-listers, has secured its place as a Christmas film staple for many. The movie stars Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jude Law and tells the tale of LA-based movie producer Amanda and Surrey’s own Iris who decide to switch homes after their romances implode.
Amanda falls head over heels for Iris’ brother Graham (portrayed by Jude Law), while Iris strikes up a close bond with Miles (played by Jack Black), with hints of romance shimmering beneath the surface, reports OK!. Eighteen years since we saw them first, the film concludes with a feel-good Christmas scene featuring Graham and his two daughters in England. Now, let’s catch up with the actors 17 years after the movie premiered.
Miffy Englefield
Miffy Englefield, who was just too cute as Jude Law’s on-screen daughter, stepped back from acting to become a barista. In 2020, Miffy embraced motherhood with the birth of her baby girl Frankie and disclosed to The Sun that she endured a daunting labour lasting 21 hours. Even though she’s taken a break from acting, she holds warm memories of working on the cherished Christmas film. Reminiscing to The New York Times last year, she said: “Jude had so much time for us. He was always giving me tips about acting.”
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz, one of Hollywood’s biggest names, known for her roles in Bad Teacher and the 2014 remake of Annie, is now reportedly retired from acting. The star, who is married to Good Charlotte singer Benji Madden and became a first-time mum at 47, has decided to focus more on her family life. Her friend, Selma Blair, revealed Cameron’s retirement at the Vanity Fair post-Oscars party in 2018. Selma shared: “I had lunch with Cameron the other day. We were reminiscing about the film. I would have liked to do a sequel but Cameron’s retired from acting. She’s like ‘I’m done’.”
Jack Black
Jack Black, who played soundtrack composer Miles in The Holiday, a role written specifically for him after director Nancy Meyers saw his performance in School of Rock, has since become a household name. He’s starred in films such as Kung Fu Panda, Tropic Thunder and the Jumanji remakes. However, last year, TV presenter Vernon Kay revealed an unexpected feud between them. Recalling an interview he conducted with Jack early in his career, Vernon described the actor as “horrible”.
He said: “I don’t know whether he’d had a hangover or whether it was because I was either the first or last interview of the day, but he was horrible. He was an absolute d**k, an a******e.” “When you’re so rude, arrogant and pig-faced to a young TV presenter, who’s so nervous and trying to hone his skills, and you’re so arrogant to dismiss that, it’s just not on. I hope he reads it, and let this be a lesson to Jack Black.”
Jude Law
English heartthrob Jude Law is best known for his role in The Holiday, where he played Iris’s brother Graham, charming both Cameron Diaz’s character and the audience. He has since starred as Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts films, Sherlock Holmes, and in the Sky Atlantic series The Young Pope. The actor is a father of six children; three with ex-wife Sadie Frost, one with former partner Samantha Burke, another with Catherine Harding, and most recently welcomed his sixth child in 2020 with Dr Phillipa Coen, whom he married in 2019.
Eli Wallach
Eli Wallach, who played Arthur in The Holiday and formed a sweet bond with Kate Winslet, sadly passed away in 2014 at the age of 98 due to natural causes. He was known for his roles in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, alongside Clint Eastwood, and for playing Calvera in The Magnificent Seven. His last acting role was in 2010 when he starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in Ghost Writer.
Edward Burns
Edward Burns turned heads as Cameron Diaz’s exasperated boyfriend in The Holiday. Before that stint, he had etched his mark with performances in Saving Private Ryan and the TV series Will and Grace. His personal life blossomed alongside his career, as he wed the stunning supermodel Christy Turlington back in 2003.
Shannyn Sossamon
Shannyn Sossamon captured hearts as Miles’s girlfriend Maggie in the film, whose acting ambitions were as strong as her troubling penchant for deceit. After being a regular face on TV with shows like Sleepy Hollow, Shannyn decided to dim the spotlight to embrace motherhood.
John Krasinski
John Krasinski, who briefly appeared as Amanda’s employee Ben in The Holiday, has since left that minor part in the rearview. Aged now 43 and in marital bliss with Emily Blunt, John’s career trajectory soared post-Holiday; even back then, he’d wrapped up a season on The Office US. Following its widespread acclaim, he went on to star and direct in A Quiet Place films opposite Blunt and headline the action-packed series Jack Ryan.
