The Love Actually sequel is now in production, and the first images have surfaced online. We only just learned of the follow-up’s existence last month, as writer/director Richard Curtis was assembling most of the 2003 film’s cast for a sequel short film in connection with the charity event Red Nose Day. Titled Red Nose Day Actually, the follow-up checks back in on the characters played by Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Andrew Lincoln, Bill Nighy, Rowan Atkinson, Martine McCutcheon, Lucia Moniz, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Olivia Olson, and Marcus Brigstocke to see what they’ve all been up to in the last 14 years (has it been 14 years already?!).
With filming now taking place in the U.K., Red Nose Day director and script editor/producer Emma Freud has been sharing some behind-the-scenes images that give us a look at some of the actors back in character. Chief among them is Hugh Grant as the U.K.’s Prime Minister, and it appears that his relationship with McCutcheon’s character has indeed lasted all these years. We also get a look at Liam Neeson and Thomas Brodie-Sangster reunited, with the young actor now nearly taller than Neeson himself.
Take a look at some of the images below followed by Curtis’ statement about the new short film. Red Nose Day Actually will air as part of the Red Nose Day Special on May 25th on NBC, and also as part of Red Nose Day in the U.K. on March 24th on BBC1
So this happened today. #rednosedayactually shooting day one. Liam Neeson and little tiny Tom Sangster. All to be Broadcast on march 24 which is #rednoseday actually. A post shared by Emmafreud (@emmafreud) on
Liam Neeson and Thomas Sangster - Still at it. #rednosedayactually first day filming went SO well. Rowan Atkinson next.... A post shared by Emmafreud (@emmafreud) on
Day 2 of the #rednosedayactually shoot was a joy. Shot it in a huge branch of @sainsburys and managed to pick up some salmon and a sports bra between takes. A post shared by Emmafreud (@emmafreud) on
“Over the years I’ve enjoyed doing Red Nose Day specials of TV things I’ve worked on – Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley and Mr Bean. It seemed like a fun idea this year to do a special sketch based one of my films, since Red Nose Day is now in both the UK and America. I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to Love Actually, but I thought it might be fun to do 10 minutes to see what everyone is now up to. Who has aged best? – I guess that’s the big question… or is it so obviously Liam? We’ve been delighted and grateful that so many of the cast are around and able to take part – and it’ll certainly be a nostalgic moment getting back together and recreating their characters 14 years later. We hope to make something that’ll be fun – very much in the spirit of the original film and of Red Nose Day – and which we hope will help bring lots of viewers and cash to the Red Nose Day shows.”