Top 10 Actors from Love Actually: Where Are They Now?

One of the most amazing performances in “Love Actually” is by one of the cast’s youngest members who doesn’t even have all that much screen time. Olivia Olson plays Sam’s crush, Joanna, and gives us a memorable rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Her singing voice was actually so impressive that they had to make it sound worse so it was believable. She has gone on to use that voice to work on several animated series like “Adventure Time” and “Phineas and Ferb.”

You’ll remember her as the character Natalie, a 10 Downing Street employee who ends up having a romantic relationship with the Prime Minister, played by Hugh Grant. Before the film came out, Martine McCutcheon was more known for her music career than she was for her acting. Since shooting “Love Actually,” she spent several years writing, and working in commercials, most memorably as the face of the Activia yogurt brand in the UK. She has published a novel called “The Mistress” in 2009. As of 2017, she’s back to her musical roots, releasing an album called “Lost and Found.”

One of the most hilarious and over-the-top storylines in “Love Actually” followed Colin Frissell as he made the trip to America from London in an attempt to find less uptight girls. He eventually meets some girls at a regular old American bar and things go even better than he ever could have imagined. After his work on the movie, he has appeared in several films and TV shows, including the British movie “Sparks & Embers.” He also appeared in the first series of “Citizen Khan.”

This British actor had an illustrious career even before nabbing the role of aging rocker Billy Mack in “Love Actually,” but after this role his filmography got even bigger. He had notable roles in the “Underworld” franchise, as well as appearing in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.” Any bookworms out there will instantly recognize him as Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” He also starred in the time travel romantic comedy, “About Time,” which was released in 2013.

Rodrigo Santoro’s role in “Love Actually” is a relatively small one compared to some of the other cast members, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t memorable. Santoro plays Karl, the love interest of Laura Linney’s character, Sarah. After shooting “Love Actually,” Santoro had a prominent role as Xerxes in the epic action movie, “300.” More recently, the actor snagged an important part in the popular HBO series, “Westworld,” where he plays the enigmatic Hector Escaton. It looks like his career is only going up from here!

This actress had an almost blink if you miss it role in “Love Actually” where she played one of the attractive American girls that Colin meets when he arrives in Wisconsin. She got her big break in 2007, however, when a little show called “Mad Men” hit the air. She played Betty Draper, long suffering wife of the show’s main character. The role earned her both an Emmy nod, as well as two Golden Globe nominations. She has also appeared in several major films, including “X Men: First Class.”

Of all the actors to appear in “Love Actually,” perhaps none have had bigger success stories after the fact than Martin Freeman. When the movie was released, he was already known in the UK for playing Tim on the British version of “The Office,” but he skyrocketed to international fame in the years that followed. With starring roles in films like “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” and “The Hobbit” trilogy, he has become one of the more prominent actors in the business. On top of that, his role as Watson on “Sherlock” seems like one he was born to play.

Chiwetel Ejiofor has a role in “Love Actually” that you may not even remember if you don’t happen to watch the movie every Christmas. He plays Keira Knightley's husband, a part that is overshadowed by his friend Mark’s actions. You definitely know Ejiofor from his role as Solomon Northup in “12 Years a Slave,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar. He’d go on to score his most high-profile role to date, providing the voice of Scar in the live-action remake of “The Lion King.”

This actor takes part in what has become the most iconic (and most parodied) scene from “Love Actually,” where his character Mark confessed his undying love for his best friend’s wife using poster paper while pretending he’s a group of carol singers. Actor Andrew Lincoln has come a long way since then, and has spent the last few years fighting zombies on “The Walking Dead” as main protagonist Rick Grimes. He’s been through a lot on the show, so let’s forgive him for making Juliet second guess her marriage.

If you watched “Love Actually” when it first came out, you were undoubtedly charmed by the character of Sam, a boy who becomes preoccupied with a girl in his class after his mother dies. You probably wondered what actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster would look like when he was all grown up, and if you watch the HBO series, “Game of Thrones,” you already know the answer. He played the character of Jojen Reed on the show until he met his untimely demise. He also voiced Ferb from “Phineas and Ferb,” who coincidentally gets together with Vanessa, who’s voiced by Joanna herself, Olivia Olson! Don’t you just love it when things come full circle?