Just a deep dive into the real love lives of the Love Actually cast

I couldn’t be more excited to announce that it’s almost Love Actually season, and with the cast reuniting after 20 years last night (29th November), what better way to celebrate than take an in-depth look at who they’re dating in real life.

I’m sorry to say Hugh Grant isn’t actually with Martine McCutcheon – and Colin Firth learned Italian for his ex-wife, not Portuguese (although he’s still setting the bar far too high here).

So, from Keira Knightley to Martin Freeman, here are all the actual love lives of the Love Actually cast, 20 years on:

Keira Knightley

Honestly, I’m feeling all kinds of jealousy looking at Keira’s list of exes. In the noughties she dated actors Rupert Friend and Del Synnott, known for Obi Wan Kenobi and New Tricks (respectively). She was also in a relationship with Jamie Dornan, and it’s understandable frankly that the world simply couldn’t deal with that level of hotness.

In 2013, she got married to James Righton, who was the keyboardist for band the Klaxons. They have two daughters together, born in 2015 and 2019.

Andrew Lincoln

Unfortunately, Andrew didn’t actually woo Keira irl with a set of placards. But he did get married to a woman called Gael in 2006. They have two children together – Matilda, born in 2007, and Arthur, born in 2010.

Emma Thompson

Not a single person deserves better than Emma Thompson. Guttingly, her dating life started out very much like Harry and Karen’s. She met actor Kenneth Branagh in the 1980s, and the pair ended up getting married. Despite the pair keeping things private, they publicly announced their separation in 1995. While their statement cited busy work schedules as the reason for their split, it actually came out that Kenneth had been having an affair with Helena Bonham-Carter.

Emma fell into a depression. But, that same year, she met actor Greg Wise while filming Sense & Sensibility together. The two fell in love and, in 2003, got married. They’re still together today, and have two children together.

Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant’s Hot Boy Summer essentially ended up lasting about three decades. He sensationally dated Elizabeth Hurley from 1987 until 2000, but cheated on her multiple times throughout the relationship. He was known as serially single all the way up until the late 2010s, having five kids by two girlfriends – restaurant staff member Tinglan Hong and TV producer Anna Eberstein. He married Anna in 2018.

Martine McCutcheon

Martine McCutcheon married Jack McManus, a singer known for his collabs with Afrojack (remember when they produced like, every song in 2014?) in 2012. Three years later, they had a son called Rafferty.

Colin Firth

In 1997, Colin met Italian film producer Livia Giuggioli. Thanks to her, he can now speak the language fluently – which somehow makes him even more attractive. They had two sons, Luca and Matteo, but separated in 2019. He’s now rumoured to be dating TV writer Maggie Cohn, who produced Firth’s true crime drama The Staircase.

Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson married The Parent Trap star (and all-round icon) Natasha Richardson in 1994. They had two sons together, Micheál (who’s also an actor) and Daniel. Tragically, in 2009, Natasha died in a skiing accident, and Liam has never publicly been seen with anyone since.

Thomas Sangster

Right, I kid you not. Thomas Sangster was in a relationship with THE Wendy Richardson from My Parents Are Aliens for four years. Nerdy little Wendy with the pigtails, glasses and the weird devotion to University Challenge. I’m, simply, obsessed.

Sadly, the pair split in 2016 for reasons unknown. But Thomas is now reportedly seeing Talulah Riley – star of Doctor Who and St Trinians, as well as Elon Musk’s ex-wife.

Laura Linney

Laura married drugs and alcohol counsellor Marc Schauer in 2009 – and Liam Neeson actually walked her down the aisle in a mini reunion! She has one son with Marc, who was born in 2014.

Rodrigo Santoro

Rodrigo Santoro – who played Karl in Love Actually – has been in a relationship with Brazilian actor Mel Fronckowiak since 2013, and the pair had a daughter named Nina together in 2017. 

Heike Makatsch

The EVIL Mia was played by German actor Heike Makatsch. She was with Daniel Craig for seven years, between 1997 and 2004. She has three daughters; two of whom are with indie singer Max Martin Schröder. 

Joanna Page

Joanna is married to James Thornton, who she’d known since 2000, when Maxine Peake introduced them to each other. James is best known for his role as John Barton in Emmerdale. 

Martin Freeman

Martin was with actress Amanda Abbington (best known from TV shows Safe and Sherlock) from 2000 to 2016, and they have two children together. He’s now reportedly with French actress Rachel Mariam, who’s 21 years younger than him.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Here’s what the cast of Love Actually have been up to since the movie first premiered
• Here’s where you recognise the cast of Netflix’s latest Christmas film The Noel Diary from
• These are the luxurious real-life filming locations from Netflix’s Falling for Christmas

Featured image via Universal/DFree on Shutterstock.