When Hugh Grant met Martine McCutcheon
With the festive season approaching, many of us are thinking about watching our favourite Christmas classics. One of the most well-known and well-loved Christmas films in history “Love Actually” is sure to be played across the UK.
Filled with romance and magic, the fondly remembered storyline is played by Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon.
When Natalie met David
While “Love Actually” revolves around many different couples and plots, one of the most upbeat and enchanting threads is the budding romance between newly elected Prime Minister David (played by Hugh Grant) and Natalie (played by Martine McCutcheon), a junior staff member at 10 Downing Street. As David settles into his role, sparks fly between the two and after a couple of false starts, the two of course find their happy ending – or beginning!
A history of romance
As a charming leading man in such a romantic film, Hugh Grant was an obvious choice. While he began his career playing foppish men in costume dramas, he soon transitioned into becoming a romantic comedy staple. Such films as “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill” remain firm favourites – he even played a dastardly turn in “Bridget Jones’ Diary”. Meanwhile, Martine McCutcheon was best known for her work on soap opera “Eastenders”, and for her music career in the early 2000s.
Staying in touch
With two such talented actors playing across from each other, it is perhaps unsurprising that the affection between them became quite real. While Martine and Hugh didn’t actually fall in love, Martine has said that she still sends Hugh messages even almost twenty years after starring together in the 2003 Christmas movie. Just like in the film, it has been an ‘opposites attract’ friendship all the way – as Natalie helped David feel inspired to open up and come out of his shell, loud and cheeky Martine refers to herself and Hugh as “chalk and cheese”, in the best possible way!
A sustaining inspiration
The friendship isn’t at all one-sided, however. As Hugh has gone on to star in more diverse projects, such as action movie “The Man From U.N.C.L.E”, playing the comedic villain of “Paddington 2” and a very real villain in HBO’s “The Undoing”, Martine has found herself inspired by his acting chops. She herself has made a return to both music and acting, most recently the 2018 movie “Bromley Boys”. She and Hugh even reunited in the “sequel” to “Love, Actually” in 2017 – a short film made for Red Nose Day.
The way that Hugh and Martine met might have been unconventional, but there is definitely a touch of magic to their story.
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