‘Love Actually’ Stars to Reunite for Extraordinary 20th Anniversary Television Special

Editor’s Note:
“Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen” celebrates the most beloved holiday films and television specials. The special will be aired on CNN on Sunday, November 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

CNN

One of the most beloved modern Christmas classics will reach its 20th anniversary next year. To commemorate this milestone, the cast members of the iconic 2003 romantic comedy film “Love Actually” will come together for a TV special scheduled to air on ABC next week, as announced by the network on Tuesday.

Participating in the special will be Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and the film’s writer-director Richard Curtis.

In a promotional clip shared by ABC’s “20/20” on Twitter, Diane Sawyer asks the cast to complete the sentence, “Love actually is…,” to which Hugh Grant wittily responds, “Dead!”

According to ABC, the special will explore how the film successfully brought together a diverse ensemble to create a charming and heartwarming story about different forms of love during the busy month leading up to Christmas in London, England. It has since become a cherished holiday tradition worldwide.

Although the film was released on November 6, 2003, the program airs a little earlier. It will also examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way people interact, love, and connect, emphasizing the crucial importance of kindness within families and communities.

This reunion is not the first time the actors from “Love Actually,” including Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, and Colin Firth, have come together.

In 2017, a short sequel to the film was created for NBC as part of a special program called Red Nose Day, which supports a charity for children in need established by Richard Curtis.

“The Laughter & Secrets of ‘Love Actually’: 20 Years Later – A Diane Sawyer Special” will be broadcasted on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.