The ‘Love Actually’ Red Nose Day special has a teaser: annoying or amazing?

Liam Neeson Filming Love Actually

I saw these photos when they came out last month. I’ve actually been keeping my eye on all of the photos from this “film shoot,” even though I haven’t written about it before now. I think I’ve avoided covering it because I find it slightly depressing. I know the “cool” thing nowadays is to have a hipster hate-on for anything slightly twee or sincere. It’s “cool” to hate on Love Actually. Personally, I think of all Richard Curtis’s scripts and films, Love Actually actually holds up. Have you watched Notting Hill recently? It doesn’t hold up. Four Weddings and a Funeral seems incredibly dated now. But Love Actually still packs some gut-punches, like Emma Thompson crying to Joni Mitchell, or Colin Firth declaring his love in broken Portuguese, or basically everything at the Christmas concert. I sincerely love the film.

So imagine my feelings when I learned that they were making a one-off mini-sequel for the Red Nose Day, for charity. While I think it’s cool that so many of the old cast members came back to shoot for a few days at a time, I also feel like… NO, if you’re going to show us these characters, it should be an actual, honest-to-God SEQUEL. It’s not. But they’re promoting it like it is. Here’s the trailer for Love Actually 2: Red Nose Day.

I actually squealed a little when Chiwetel Ejiofor came on-screen. GAH! Is he still married to Keira Knightley? Why did they use the music from that compilation of Keira Knightley’s beauty shots? And then I squealed again when I saw Bill Nighy!! Honestly, THAT IS THE SEQUEL. Just give Bill Nighy’s rock star character a spinoff sequel and call it a day.

Ugh. Why did they never make a proper sequel to this and now they’ll just give us a brief taste and then it’s f–king over?

The Stars Of 'Love Actually' Film A Sequel In London

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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48 Responses to “The ‘Love Actually’ Red Nose Day special has a teaser: annoying or amazing?”

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  1. Indira says:

    I’m really looking forward to this but I’ll probably think of Alan Rickman the whole time while watching it 🙁

  2. justine says:

    It can’t be a sequel without Alan Rickman. 🙁

  3. S says:

    As someone who watches Love, Actually annually and, even after seeing it 20+ times still cries EVERY SINGLE TIME, I admit I am totally in the tank of this … And may have actually teared up a bit at this promo.

    • Lucky says:

      I did too 😢

    • Imqrious2 says:

      Same here. It’s in my annual rotation of holiday films. You just know the minute Rowan Atkinson shows up all thoughts will go to Alan Rickman. What a great actor! Still, I am looking forward to seeing this 🤗🎅🏻🎟🎄

    • mander says:

      Our family watches it every Christmas Eve. I remember when it came out I saw it twice in a week. First time with hub, then brought our kids. It was obviously somewhat soon after 9/11, and the wounds were fresh…those airport scenes at beginning and end wrecked me. It IS schmaltzy, but it is a perfect holiday, life affirming movie. We need to hear, “Love is actually, all around”, now more than ever. 🙁

      And I miss you, Alan Rickman. (guess Emma isn’t in this, in honor of him)

      • Migdalia says:

        The airport scene starting from when Sam is running after Joanna gets me EVERY SINGLE TIME and then the airport scene with the Beach Boys. OMG! I’m not a big romantic comedy person but I have my all time go tos.

  4. V4Real says:

    Andrew, Liam and Chiwtel looks so good. Kira is a beautiful young lady.

  5. Daisy says:

    Both 4 Weddings and Nothing Hill are better and hold up better than Love Actually. 4 Weddings especially.
    Apart from Emma and Alan all the other stories were too sappy.

    • Kata says:

      Love Actually is very overrated. Most of the pairings are corny and sappy, especially Colin and the Portuguese lady.
      4 Weddings And A Funeral is a much better film ( although it would be even better if the lead actress could actually act).

  6. Lightpurple says:

    I need a full sequel. I just do.

    And yes, it’s Liam.

  7. Jess says:

    I’m beyond excited for this, I still watch this at least once a year and cry my eyes out, fantastic movie. I agree and wish they’d make a real sequel, but sometimes sequels ruin the story so maybe it’s best to stay as is.

  8. BearcatLawyer says:

    Bill Nighy still rocks.

  9. Jenns says:

    I hate watch Love Actually. So I’ll hate watch this.

  10. Sixer says:

    As I’m sure everyone who knows me here could guess: I CAN’T STAND Richard Curtis films. I’m so predictable. No sequel, thankyouverymuch.

    That said, Comic Relief has good form with skits and shorts. My favourite is David Beckham watching Scott and Charlene get married. I think this one will be great.

    • shelley* says:

      Me too I never watched the original Love Actually or anything else by Curtis, except Four weddings which I switched off half way through.

  11. minx says:

    I saw the teaser and loved it.

  12. Singtress says:

    What the hell is Red Nose Day and where did it suddenly come from???

  13. TeamAwesome says:

    I read an article somewhere that said Richard Curtis told Emma Thompson that she couldn’t be in the sequel “because of Alan” and she said no, of course it would be too sad.

    I love Love Actually. I watch it every year whilst in the middle of Christmas Pageant hell. The scene with the exchange with Emma’s character and her kids about a lobster being present at the birth of Jesus is life, especially since I’d have parents send kids in shark, butterfly, and ninja turtle costumes to be animals at the manger.

    • Pedro45 says:

      Emma’s line, “There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus?” is everything.

      • elle says:

        haha… it is!

        I credit this movie with making me like Hugh Grant. His story, Bill Nighy’s and Emma/Alan’s were the best. Could have done without Liam & kid and the horndog guy, and the rest were okay.

  14. Singtress says:

    As a big Walking Dead fan, I love seeing Andrew Lincoln do this again. I remember watching him do his “angst” scene (where he walks around London trying to shake off his obsession) and thinking “damn. He is good.”

    • Lis says:

      Yes! I was scrolling down looking for an Andrew Lincoln post. 🙂 I love him too and that scene is so heartbreaking, brave and beautiful.

  15. arbelia says:

    I’m not a fan of love actually , i like it , i don’t love it . But when i heard of this sequel i just got very sad and emotional because ALAN RICKMAN, and of course Emma Thompson. I am 31 years old and i never got that touched by a celebrity death .

  16. TyrantDestroyed says:

    I don’t like Christmas movies in general so this one always has been a big no-no for me (I’ve tried to watch it many times) Husband on the other hand, loves it….

    • OhDear says:

      Yeah, I don’t understand the appeal of it. To each their own, I guess. At least it’s being used for charity this year?

      (Does Red Nose Day support different charities each year or do they just go with the same one(s)?)

      • Lozface says:

        In Australia Red Nose Day is the charity for SIDS, so all proceeds relate directly to that. I’m not sure about in the UK though.

  17. Adrien says:

    4 weddings is still great. It is the Wet Wet Wet cover song that I find dated. I still laugh at Rowan Atkinson’s nervous priest. The best part of Love Actually was Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson. And now he is gone and you are making me cry.

  18. Jess says:

    This is my must see holiday movie every year while wrapping presents. And I’m excited/nervous about what this teaser will end up being. Esp without Alan and Emma.

  19. Jess says:

    This is my must see holiday movie every year while wrapping presents. And I’m excited/nervous about what this teaser will end up being. Esp without Alan and Emma.

  20. Lucy says:

    Honestly? I don’t even care. I need to see this, like, yesterday!!!!!

  21. T-Rasha says:

    I cried. I love this movie so much. I’ll take any reunion I can get. It was like seeing old friends.

  22. Tough Cookie says:

    It’s my favorite Christmas movie. My husband and I have a corny tradition of watching it together on Christmas Eve, sitting on the sofa and holding hands, reciting all the lines to each other. And crying. I just teared up watching the promo!!

  23. Susie says:

    I’m a total sap for Love, Actually. As soon as that airport comes into view, I’m already tugging the tissues out. I love this movie and I wish they were going for a full sequel, but I’m not sure where they would take it emotionally. It would (in reality) be all about divorce and loss, especially because there has been the actual, mind-numbing loss of Alan Rickman. I’m an unapologetic Love, Actually apologist!

  24. Snotface says:

    “I HATE Uncle Jamie!”

    This gets said in my house quite frequently, usually when someone’s disappointed or annoyed about something.

    I.e. ‘You can’t go to the movies until you do your homework’. Response- ‘aww, I hate Uncle Jamie!’. It’s a good thing we don’t have an actual Uncle Jamie 🙂

  25. Chinoiserie says:

    I could not watch this video for some reason. Is Keira in it?

  26. Sandra says:

    The storyline that I want to see is the one with the lady (Laura Linney?) who doesn’t take up with the man she loves so she can be there for her institutionalized brother. That story line gutted me. I sooooo hope they are in the movie (with a happy ending, of course!) 🙂

  27. Slowsnow says:

    Tardy to the party but here goes: I find this the most offensive film on earth – and aaarghh. It’s not cool to hate it, it’s just self-respect. The Brit dude who goes to America to get laid? The fat lady who isn’t fat? The kid who is crying when his mum just died and the dad has no clue why? The creepy dude who declares his love while his best friend is in the house? The lady who has a disabled brother who cannot have a relationship because a) she has a disabled brother b) cannot explain she has a disabled brother c) the dude she loves cannot be bothered to ask her what is going on when she is visibly distressed, the Portuguese lady who falls in love with the Brit dude but does not understand a word of what he says? (and, by the way, I’m Portuguese and I find the scene in Portugal or Portuguese community really really offensive.

    • CharlotteCharlotte says:

      I’m with you, SLOWSNOW.
      I love Christmas movies and binge-watch them from the moment Halloween is on pause (because Halloween is never really truly over in our house), but I can’t stand this movie; it’s depressing af. And it makes me sad that it’s so beloved, because so many of these characters are awful.

    • celes says:

      Thank you !!! I totally agree. Awful film !