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  • A new Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley want to tell you a story

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    LONDON (AP) — If you listen carefully, you can hear the noise of chocolate frogs flying through the air on the Hogwarts Express.

    Hermione Granger gasps with delight as Ron Weasley catches the sweet treat thrown his way by Harry Potter, as all three travel home after an eventful first year at the wizarding school.

    This isn’t the now-vintage, Daniel Radcliffe-era movies, it’s not the “Cursed Child” play and neither is it the forthcoming HBO TV series. What you’re hearing is a brand-new cast in a new Audible recording of J.K. Rowling’s seven books.

    The legacy of Harry Potter might have been clouded by headlines surrounding Rowling’s comments on gender and opposition to trans rights, but it hasn’t stopped production on new projects set in the wizarding universe. The Associated Press visited the London recording studio for a “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” session in the summer, as young actors Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester and Arabella Stanton lay down walla — background noise that’s used to bring the stories to life. The young trio voice Harry, Ron and Hermione in the first three audiobook adaptations, before an older cast takes over.

    Instead of listening to someone like Jim Dale or Stephen Fry telling the whole story alone, this new audio production — the first book releases Nov. 4 — has a full, high-wattage cast. While Cush Jumbo narrates, Hugh Laurie is Albus Dumbledore, Riz Ahmed portrays Professor Snape and Michelle Gomez brings Professor McGonagall’s Scottish lilt to life. Matthew Macfadyen voices Voldemort, and Keira Knightley appears later in the series as Dolores Umbridge.

    But it’s Stanton who is pulling double duty in the Potterverse: The 11-year-old is also starring as the studious and brave Hermione Granger in the HBO show.

    “I can’t say much, because they’ve cast a Mimblewimble tongue-tying spell on me,” Stanton apologizes. “But I’ve just started filming, and it’s great at the moment.”

    AP sat down with Treadaway, 14, Lester, 13, and Stanton to find out the snacks required to keep them going, their introductions to the wizarding world and how they feel about acting. The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

    AP: What were the auditions like?

    TREADAWAY (Harry): You really got like, a taste of what it was going to be like, also in the studio and even the scenes.

    AP: Had you done anything like this before?

    LESTER (Ron): I did some audio before, yeah, but I mean nothing as professional as this is.

    AP: How does this compare to your stage work?

    STANTON (Hermione): It’s just very, very different, but I suppose the similar thing is that, because you want to make your voice come alive, I think you … sort of act as you’re saying the lines to give the words some color.

    AP: How’s the recording going so far?

    LESTER: Lovely people, great food and great experience.

    AP: What’s your favorite food when you’re working?

    TREADAWAY: The snack cupboard and the chocolate fridge.

    LESTER: The chocolate fridge is dedicated to chocolate.

    STANTON: It’s filled with snacks.

    TREADAWAY: They have to restock every time I go.

    AP: Can you remember the first time you ever heard about Harry Potter?

    TREADAWAY: I think it might have been when my sister was watching the movies chronologically and then for some reason I only decided to tag along for the last one.

    AP: Did you go back to the beginning?

    TREADAWAY: I don’t think I did, because I was like, “Oh, I can’t watch this, this is a 12 (rating),” so I had to wait till I was 12 to watch them.

    STANTON:  My friends had started all reading all the books and everything and they were like, “Oh have you heard Harry Potter this, Harry Potter that?” And so I was like, right I’m going to start reading the books. So I think when I was 8 I started reading the first one. Sort of just worked my way through them and yeah it was great, I’ve loved Harry Potter. I love it.

    LESTER: I saw this book in Waterstones and everyone said that it was quite popular. It was like one of the bestsellers. So my mum bought it for me and I read the book and it was just great.

    AP: So what do your friends and family think about you voicing these characters? Have you been able to tell them?

    LESTER: I haven’t really told many of them, not really.

    TREADAWAY: I think those who know will never truly know actually what it’s about until they listen to it.

    STANTON: I think I’ve told quite close family, sort of keeping it in a bubble. But they’ll never really understand because so much effort — I mean, the teams, all the amazing people behind it, they put in so much effort to make the audio series incredible.

    AP: Have you got a favorite part of the stories?

    TREADAWAY: I can’t wait to hear how the battle scenes work because of all the SFX and all the sounds and all of the grunts and oohs and ahs and all that because I think that will sound really cinematic. … It was very weird because I would stand there for a minute just grunting and I would feel so stupid.

    STANTON: I can’t wait to hear all the spells because I think Hermione generally just says so many spells and I can’t wait to hear the sounds of people casting them, I just love spells.

    LESTER: My favorite part that I’m looking forward to is just literally just to hear it all come together and for everyone to talk to each other because I feel like that’s going to be amazing.

    AP: Are you like your characters in any way?

    TREADAWAY: That’s how I found it quite easy to just step into the character because I think I relate to them and I’m sure you guys do as well. … I’m not like the biggest ego ever. … Sometimes you’re the smaller person in the room and you just sometimes just mingle. I feel like I relate to Harry in that way.

    AP: How about you and Hermione?

    STANTON: I love books. I love writing, I love reading, I love doing all that kind of stuff. I mean, I like school, but I don’t love school. And I think … books is the main connection between Hermione and I.

    AP: How are you like Ron?

    LESTER: I think we both relate to each other because we’re quite cheeky and we love food. We love food! … In moments, we’re both serious and we’re also not afraid to stand up for the people that we love or stand up for our friends because we always do the thing that’s right, and that’s kind of what I relate to, because I go into the deeper side of Ron, and not just the eating food and being cheeky.

    AP: What’s your favorite kind of magical element?

    LESTER: My favorite kind of magical element is the spells. I think they’re just really cool. Like “stupefy” (the stunning spell) — I think that’s very, very cool.

    STANTON: One of the main props that Hermione uses is the Time Turner. I love all the magical objects like the Invisibility Cloak, the Time Turner, all those things because … (they’re) things you wouldn’t be able to use in real life, but in the magic world, it transports you into a completely different world.

    TREADAWAY: The Polyjuice Potion, because when you record that, it’s like, you have to really hone in on the actual sound of turning into someone else, and that was one of my favorite magic parts of it.

    AP: Are you aware of how much love there is for Harry Potter?

    TREADAWAY: I guess that’s sort of why you have a bit of pride in yourself knowing that such a big name and characters, you get to associate yourself with them. If you know what I mean, it gives you a little feeling inside your heart.

    AP: What does it mean for you to be representing Ron?

    LESTER: It makes me proud, honestly, to be representing such a great and funny character, but then also, I don’t know, it just makes me … feel a part of this community.

    AP: And how about you, representing Hermione?

    STANTON: I’ve dreamt of that since a really young age, and I’ve always looked up to all of the people who played Hermione, like Emma Watson and all those people.

    AP: Are you aware how huge it is around the world?

    TREADAWAY: I don’t think we’ll really feel that until it comes out, I guess, because that just makes it more unreal.

    LESTER: It’s so popular around the world, which makes it more unreal that so many people are going to be interested in this and we don’t even realize it, yeah, we can’t even process this.

    AP: So is acting the way forward for you now? Would you like to continue doing this?

    TREADAWAY: Yeah, definitely — I mean on this, it never really felt like pushing yourself to do something, it wasn’t work, it felt like an enjoyable experience and you’ve got something to see at the end of it.

    STANTON: I’d love to act, yeah, definitely. And I think, like Frankie said, I mean, just being part of the audio series is incredible. And yeah, can’t wait to do more.

    LESTER: I think it is for me because I always say it’s not work if you do something that you love and, honestly, I love acting so much. It makes me feel happy and it makes me feel like my true self and … I think it is the way forward just to keep going and do a lot of jobs, hopefully.

    AP: And you’re all bonded now aren’t you?

    ALL: Yeah.

    LESTER: The proper trio.

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  • Keira Knightley misses the point about JK Rowling and the problems she’s caused for ‘Harry Potter’ | The Mary Sue

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    By

    Oct 12th, 2025, 7:24 pm

    keira knightly smiling

    Actors love to justify working on anything Harry Potter related right now. While some are calling out the paychecks, others are pretending like they didn’t know JK Rowling is using all her wealth to hurt the trans community.

    One such party is Keira Knightley, who was cast as Professor Umbridge in Audible’s “Harry Potter: The Full Cast Audio Editions,” faced pushback from fans for joining the series. Mainly because many have boycotted anything Potter related due to Rowling’s views. In recent years, she’s taken her wealth and used it to help fund pushes within the government to take away the rights from trans people in the U.K., effectively helping fund the war on trans rights.

    To help stop fun Rowling and her vendetta against the trans community, many have decided against supporting her franchise. Harry Potter does get our money so then Rowling doesn’t get the money. Apparently, Knightley had no idea that the boycott was a thing.

    “I was not aware of that, no,” Knightley said in a new interview with Decider. She went on to talk about how she thought we all need to “live to together” and figure out how to respect differing opinions. “I’m very sorry. I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we? And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.”

    Someone funding the anti-trans movement is not simply a “differing” opinion. What Rowling is doing is causing incredibly harm to trans people and those who want to justify their role in a show by saying that it is to help everyone live in a world where we can “all find respect” is incredibly dismissive of what Rowling is choosing to do with her money.

    (featured image: Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images)

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Rachel Leishman

    Assistant Editor

    Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She’s been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff’s biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she’s your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell’s dog, Brisket.

    Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.

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    Rachel Leishman

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  • Keira Knightley “Was Not Aware” Of ‘Harry Potter’ Boycott Before Joining Audiobook Cast

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    While many of her peers boycott the Harry Potter universe, Keira Knightley appears to have avoided the fiery discourse around the franchise.

    After Deadline reported last month that Knightley will voice Professor Umbridge in Pottermore Publishing and Audible‘s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions, the 2x Oscar nominee pleaded ignorance around the backlash sparked by author J.K. Rowling‘s anti-trans views.

    “I was not aware of that, no. I’m very sorry,” Knightley told Decider of the boycott. “You know, I think we’re all living in a period of time right now where we’re all going to have to figure out how to live together, aren’t we? And we’ve all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.”

    Related Stories

    After Rowling previously celebrated UK’s Supreme Court ruling that prohibits trans women from being legally recognized as women, more than 400 people signed a letter urging the country’s film and television industry to take action against her on trans rights. One such signatory was Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast in HBO Max’s Harry Potter series as Professor Snape.

    Rowling has said she “worked closely” with the show’s writers’ room, and Deadline previously reported she was part of the pitch process for the Warner Bros. Television series, which she will produce through her Brontë Film and TV banner.

    HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys confirmed at the time that Rowling “will be involved. She’s an executive producer on the show. Her insights are going to be helpful on that.”

    Explaining that the controversy around Rowling’s anti-trans statements is “very nuanced and complicated,” Bloys added: “Our priority is what’s on the screen. Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen.”

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    Glenn Garner

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  • ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ Review: Keira Knightley and Guy Pearce Give Billionaires on Yachts a Bad Name in Serviceable Whodunit Adaptation

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    In the interest of full disclosure, I like my shipboard murder mysteries with an all-star cast and at least a soupçon of camp. That makes it hard to top the high-water mark of the 1978 Death on the Nile, with the delicious feast of Bette Davis and Maggie Smith swapping acid-tongued barbs and Angela Lansbury in full dotty-eccentric glory; or 1973’s The Last of Sheila, written by Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim, no less, and featuring the incomparable Dyan Cannon as a stand-in for brash ‘70s Hollywood superagent Sue Mengers. By contrast, Netflix’s The Woman in Cabin 10 takes itself very seriously.

    That might not necessarily be a bad thing for readers who loved Ruth Ware’s 2016 mystery novel. But Australian theater and film director Simon Stone’s blandly glossy, capably acted adaptation, co-written with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, is mostly a pedestrian affair that waits until the denouement to crank up the suspense and show some teeth.

    The Woman in Cabin 10

    The Bottom Line

    Watchable, if a bit waterlogged.

    Release date: Friday, Oct. 10
    Cast: Keira Knightley, Guy Pearce, David Ajala, Art Malik, Guga Mbatha-Raw, Kaya Scodelario, David Morrissey, Daniel Ings, Hannah Waddingham, Gitte Witt, Christopher Rygh, Pippa Bennett-Warner, John Macmillan, Paul Kaye, Amanda Collin, Lisa Loven Kongsli
    Director: Simon Stone
    Screenwriters: Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse, Simon Stone, based on the novel by Ruth Ware

    Rated R,
    1 hour 32 minutes

    Keira Knightley plays Laura “Lo” Blackwood, a respected London investigative journalist traumatized by the killing of a woman who agreed to speak with her for an exposé of NGO embezzlement. While her editor, Rowan (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, wasted in a nothing role), doubts there’s much of a story in it, she agrees to send Lo on the maiden voyage of the Aurora Borealis, a “fuck-off big yacht” owned by Richard Bullmer (Guy Pearce).

    The husband of Anne Lyngstad (Lisa Loven Kongsli), a shipping heiress with stage four leukemia, Richard is taking the company’s well-heeled board members on a three-day cruise that will wind up in Norway with a fund-raising gala for the cancer foundation being established in Anne’s name. He wants Lo to come along and cover it to help raise awareness; she hopes the cushy assignment might restore her shaky faith in humanity.

    But tension intrudes as soon as she boards the mega-yacht and starts sipping champagne amid the standard — though generally thin — character introductions. Lo and behold (sorry), her photo-reporter colleague Ben Morgan (David Ajala), with whom she had a romantic entanglement that unraveled badly, will be staying in the cabin directly opposite hers. Awkward.

    Also on board is the doctor and longtime family associate treating Anne, Robert Mehta (Art Malik); cocky party boy Adam Sutherland (Daniel Ings); high-end art gallerist Dame Heidi Heatherley (Hannah Waddingham) and her pompous toff husband Thomas (David Morrissey); tech titan Lars Jensen (Christopher Rygh) and Grace (Kaya Scodelario), the influencer posing as his girlfriend for optics; plus assorted others. Most are either composites of or departures from the characters in Ware’s novel.

    In lieu of “the movie star, the professor and Mary Ann” (if only), there’s recovering addict and guitar-strumming former music star Danny Tyler, played by Paul Kaye as the gone-to-seed love child of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean and Gary Oldman in Slow Horses. Coarse and unfiltered, he’s allegedly a dear old chum of suave Richard’s, though the connection doesn’t compute.

    There’s the threat of some bitchy, class-divide fun early on as Heidi looks down her nose at Lo, asking her husband, “Why is she in jeans? I feel like there was a dress code.” Lo then makes herself a target of snarky digs by overcompensating for her differences — she’s a Nicholas Kristof type, more comfortable embedding with oppressed Kurdish women — by throwing on a silver sequined number for a casual light supper. So gauche.

    But the script has little interest in exploring any potential for incidental humor. Instead, intrigue is planted when Lo is summoned to meet Anne in her cabin the first night. Professing her admiration for Lo’s work “giving a voice to the voiceless,” the heiress reveals that she was the one to request the journo’s presence.

    Admitting that her mind isn’t what it was since treatment, Anne asks Lo to look over her speech for the gala, outlining her decision to leave her entire fortune to charity and put the foundation in the hands of “smarter, kinder people.” “Charity without the ego,” coos Lo admiringly.

    If you can’t guess the kind of dirty deeds that portends, you need to brush up on your Hercule Poirot. A key piece of casting alone is a tipoff, though the mystery is teased out as to exactly what happened and whether there was a crime at all. The script foregoes the usual pleasures of making almost everyone a suspect — even if more than one person might be in on it.

    After an unintended encounter with a furtive woman (Gitte Witt) in cabin 10, the one next to Lo’s, the reporter hears a violent scuffle through the walls, followed by a splash. She rushes onto her balcony in time to glimpse what appears to be a body in the water and a bloody handprint on the wall. But the ship’s mayday alert is called off the next day when a head count reveals that nobody is missing and Lo is informed that cabin 10 was never occupied.

    Despite increasingly menacing warnings to back off and stop prying into the lives of rich power players thorny about their privacy, Lo remains determined to get to the truth. This prompts hostility from fellow passengers dismissing her as a nut who imagined everything — even after she has a brush with death in the swimming pool.

    Knightley plays all this with intensity, integrity and lots of lip-biting anxiety, making the movie absorbing enough as Lo gets puts through the gaslighting wringer in the glamorously claustrophobic setting. But only in the fraught final stretch, as they get closer to docking and then go ashore for the gala at a scenic coastal location, do other characters have anything vital to do.

    Most notably, that includes Witt’s mystery woman and Richard’s head of security Sigrid (Danish actress Amanda Collin, who I spent a scene or two convinced was Sandra Hüller). Ajala and Malik’s characters also come into play in more strategic ways, though most of the assembled party is too colorless to make them all that compelling.

    Like much original streaming fodder, The Woman in Cabin 10 will be perfectly adequate entertainment for multitasking viewers, though it’s a bit plodding, even at 90 minutes. Stone (who directed The Dig for Netflix) does a competent job connecting the dots, but where’s the sense of style of these rich folks? Or the décor flourishes of a squillion-dollar yacht that’s tasteful to a fault? We’ve seen better f**k-off boats and chic wardrobes on Succession.

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    David Rooney

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  • Keira Knightley and Her Daughter: A Shared Journey with Dyslexia – 247 News Around The World

    Keira Knightley and Her Daughter: A Shared Journey with Dyslexia – 247 News Around The World

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    • Keira Knightley and her daughter share a diagnosis of dyslexia, highlighting the condition’s familial impact.
    • Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for children with dyslexia to thrive academically and emotionally.
    • Dyslexia can foster unique strengths, such as exceptional memory and creativity.
    • Open discussions about learning differences can normalize the experience and support family dynamics.

    Keira Knightley recently opened up about a deeply personal aspect of her family life: her daughter has been diagnosed with dyslexia, a condition that the actress herself has battled since childhood. This revelation not only highlights the challenges of dyslexia but also showcases the resilience that can emerge from such experiences. Knightley’s candidness about her daughter’s condition serves as a reminder that dyslexia is not just a learning disability; it can also shape unique talents and perspectives.

    Wiki and Bio Details

    Detail Information
    Name Keira Knightley
    Date of Birth March 26, 1985
    Nationality British
    Occupation Actress
    Notable Works Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice, Boston Strangler
    Personal Life Married to James Righton, two daughters: Edie and Delilah

    Keira Knightley’s Personal Journey with Dyslexia

    Diagnosed with dyslexia at the tender age of six, Keira Knightley faced significant hurdles in her early education. The condition, characterized by difficulties in reading and processing language, could have deterred her ambitions. However, Knightley transformed this challenge into motivation. Her school recognized her struggles and sought to inspire her through her passion for acting. They suggested that if she improved her grades, she could pursue her dream of becoming an actress. This strategy proved effective; Knightley not only excelled academically but also secured an agent, propelling her into the acting world.

    Despite her success, Knightley admits that reading remains a challenge. She has developed coping strategies, such as recording texts to listen to them, which allow her to engage with material in a way that suits her learning style. Her experience emphasizes that dyslexia does not define one’s capabilities; rather, it can foster creativity and determination.

    Dyslexia in Children: Understanding the Condition

    Dyslexia is a common learning disorder that affects reading, writing, and spelling. It arises from differences in how the brain processes language, making it difficult for individuals to recognize and manipulate the sounds in words. Early diagnosis is crucial, as timely intervention can significantly improve a child’s academic performance and self-esteem.

    Children with dyslexia often exhibit remarkable memory skills, compensating for their reading difficulties by memorizing information. Understanding these characteristics can help parents and educators provide the necessary support to foster a child’s learning and growth.

    Keira’s Daughter’s Diagnosis: A Family Perspective

    During a recent podcast episode, Knightley shared insights into her daughter’s experience with dyslexia. While she did not specify which of her daughters—Edie, aged nine, or Delilah, aged four—has been diagnosed, she emphasized the remarkable memory her child possesses. Knightley and her husband, James Righton, expressed their admiration for their daughter’s ability to memorize books, showcasing the strengths that can accompany dyslexia.

    The family’s approach to this diagnosis is rooted in support and understanding. Knightley and Righton are committed to fostering an environment where their daughter can thrive despite her challenges. They recognize the importance of open communication about learning differences, which can help normalize the experience and reduce stigma.

    Keira Knightley and Her Daughter
    Keira Knightley and Her Daughter

    The Impact of Dyslexia on Family Dynamics

    Dyslexia can significantly influence family dynamics, shaping how family members interact and support one another. For Knightley and Righton, this diagnosis has opened up discussions about learning differences and the importance of resilience. Their experiences with dyslexia not only create a bond between them and their daughter but also empower them to advocate for understanding and acceptance in broader society.

    Encouraging open conversations about dyslexia can help families navigate the complexities of the condition, fostering a supportive environment where children feel valued and understood.

    FAQs

    Q. What is dyslexia?

    A. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects reading, writing, and spelling due to difficulties in recognizing speech sounds and their corresponding letters.

    Q. How can parents support a child with dyslexia?

    A. Parents can support their children by fostering open communication, seeking early diagnosis, and implementing tailored learning strategies.

    Q. Can dyslexia be outgrown?

    A. While dyslexia is a lifelong condition, individuals can learn to manage their challenges and develop coping strategies that enhance their learning.

    See Also | Connie Chiume, ‘Black Panther’ Star, Dies at 72

    Last Updated on August 7, 2024 by 247 News Around The World

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  • Matthew Macfadyen on Why He “Didn’t Really Enjoy” His Role as Mr. Darcy in ‘Pride & Prejudice’: “I’m Not Dishy Enough”

    Matthew Macfadyen on Why He “Didn’t Really Enjoy” His Role as Mr. Darcy in ‘Pride & Prejudice’: “I’m Not Dishy Enough”

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    Matthew Macfadyen is opening up about why he “didn’t really enjoy” his role as Mr. Darcy in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice.

    The Emmy-winning actor looked back at the film where he starred opposite Keira Knightley during an interview with CBS Mornings Tuesday morning.

    “I didn’t really [enjoy it],” he admitted. “I feel bad saying that. There were moments I had a good time, but I wish I enjoyed it more. I wish I was less worried about it.”

    Macfadyen added that he didn’t feel like he was the right choice for the role of Mr. Darcy. “I felt a bit miscast, like, ‘I’m not dishy enough,’” the Deadpool & Wolverine actor said. “But it worked out.”

    And it sure did, as the movie went on to score four Oscar nominations. The British actor also confessed that he still gets excited when he’s recognized as Mr. Darcy in public.

    “Probably the most flattering thing that happens to me now is people say, ‘Were you Mr. Darcy?’” he said. “It’s a good 20 years later. So I think, ‘I can’t be aging that badly.’”

    The Joe Wright-directed film, based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same name, centers on the developing relationship between Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley), the daughter of a country gentleman, and Mr. Darcy, a wealthy English aristocrat.

    Before Macfadyen took on the beloved role, he was already following in Colin Firth’s footsteps, as he had portrayed Mr. Darcy in the 1995 TV miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. The Succession star added that the two actors later compared notes on their separate experiences “exhaustively” and “extensively.”

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    Carly Thomas

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  • Love Actually Is All About the Desperation Invoked By Loneliness

    Love Actually Is All About the Desperation Invoked By Loneliness

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    In the years since Love Actually was released, it’s been analyzed in hundreds of different ways. Not least of which is the shudder-inducing, super creepy stalker elements of Mark (Andrew Lincoln), who obsesses over Juliet (Keira Knightley) by way of, among other things, filming only close-up shots of her face during her wedding to his best friend, Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor). But something few people seem to glean with hindsight is how desperate not to be alone everyone comes across in this film. And at the core of what springs from Mark’s obsession with Juliet is the same thing that’s at the center of everyone else’s lovelorn angst, ultimately begat by the crushing loneliness not just of existence in general, but existence in the proverbial big city (London being one of the OGs of that classification). 

    The desperation is palpable within mere minutes of the film’s commencement, with the perennially randy Colin (Kris Marshall) trying to hit on every woman he comes into contact with (behavior, by the way, that continues to age quite poorly) at Harry’s (Alan Rickman) office as he passes out the sandwiches he’s delivering. In only a few short seconds, we see Colin oozing the desperation of someone who will settle for being with whoever might reciprocate his “feelings” a.k.a. his rapidfire flirtations. Alas, there are no takers, and won’t be until the end of the film, when, again, out of desperation, he goes to America in search of pussy before he becomes a totally scary incel (like Mark sort of already is). As a matter of fact, this is why his seemingly only friend, Tony (Abdul Salis), tells him, “Colin, you’re a lonely, ugly asshole. And you must accept it.” “Fortunately” for those in need of a progressing movie plot, Colin does not accept it at all, nor does any other character in the story. 

    This doesn’t mean, however, that others in the film are quite so desperate (though that doesn’t mean they don’t still fall under the category). Indeed, some are too grief-stricken to bother with fretting over the search for sex and/or romance. Namely, Daniel (Liam Neeson), whose own desperation emanates through the phone when he calls Karen (Emma Thompson)—a name that was still permitted use back in 2003—for the umpteenth time in search of comfort. So it is that he opens the conversation with, “Karen, it’s me again. I’m sorry. I literally don’t have anyone else to talk to.” The patheticness of that statement doesn’t move Karen enough to stay on the phone. Instead, she promises to call him back later when she’s not so busy talking to her daughter about how she got cast as the lobster in the nativity play. 

    Writer-director Richard Curtis then shows us another example of desperate love in the form of Sarah (Laura Linney), who works for Harry at his Fair Trade office. It’s Harry that feels obliged to take her aside and tell her to confess her love for Karl (Rodrigo Santoro), their “enigmatic chief designer.” Because it’s clear to everyone in the office that she’s loved him for the two and a half years (or “two years, seven months, three days and, I suppose, what? Two hours?”) she’s been working there. Their thinly-veiled romantic connection has that whiff of The Office (the real British one that begat the American one) in terms of the “sparks” that continuously fly between Tim and Dawn. Incidentally, Martin Freeman, who played Tim, appears as John in one of the less “meaty” plotlines about two body doubles a.k.a. nude stand-ins who fall in love while simulating sex on the set of a movie (long before the job of “intimacy coordinator” existed. Considering The Office ended in 2003, it’s telling that the office romance plotline of Love Actually would be so prominent, with everyone wanting things to pan out between Sarah and Karl the same way they wanted it to for Tim and Dawn (which it finally did after, what else, the Christmas special). Alas, the key difference between Dawn and Sarah is that the latter has a codependent, mentally ill brother that takes up all her time. Something that Karl very much realizes when he’s trying to, at last, consummate their simmering-turned-boiling attraction. 

    Some characters are, obviously, better at freely displaying their emotions (read: not repressing them like Sarah). Case in point, when Daniel starts openly sobbing, Karen says what everyone in the audience has been thinking about most of the characters: “Get a grip. People hate sissies.” She adds, “No one’s ever gonna shag you if you cry all the time.” Yet radiating sadness seems to be the key to “attracting a mate” in Love Actually, with one desperate person sensing the forlornness of another at every turn (in other words, “like attracts like”). This, of course, applies to the “love story” of Jamie (Colin Firth) and Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz), as the former arrives at his French cottage to retreat from the city that reminds him only of how his wife cheated on him with his brother. After opening up the windows in the house to “air it out,” Jamie sits at his typewriter (where he’ll inevitably try to write a cringe-y white man’s novel) and laments, “Alone again.” As though being alone is a fate worse than death, especially during the holiday season. Conveniently, though, Jamie is “bequeathed” with Aurélia as his house cleaner, helping Curtis’ evident aim to speak to the master-slave dynamic in male-female relationships.

    This is also the case with the new prime minister, David (Hugh Grant) and his “biscuit and tea fetcher,” if you will, Natalie (Martine McCutcheon). Their love, too, is a case of “affection via proximity.” With every single one of the characters (except for, incidentally, Colin) being too lazy to go much outside of their comfort zone to “find someone” to “love.” Or at least someone to nuzzle up against in time for Christmas. This appears to be slutty Mia’s (​​Heike Makatsch) goal as well, apparently unable to seek (unmarried) dick outside the office either. Her relentless and shameless pursuit of Harry is, indeed, the exemplar of the desperation that loneliness can invoke. For while some would like to believe she merely wants to prove to herself that her “hotness” can get her any man she wants (even a man as boo’d up as Harry), seeing her strip down alone in her sad little room—having hoped the red lingerie she wore would be seen by someone other than herself—is the greatest indication of her loneliness. And if ever there was a movie that spoke to the Henry David Thoreau aphorism, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” it’s surely this one. 

    Faded and aging rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy), the true thread that ties every narrative together by constantly appearing on the radio or TV to promote his atrocious Christmas single, “Christmas Is All Around,” is arguably the most openly desperate of all. With nothing to lose, he doesn’t care how he sounds when he tells a radio interviewer, “When I was young and successful, I was greedy and foolish. And now I’m left with no one, wrinkled and alone.” That descriptor “alone” being, once more, the worst thing a person can be according to Love Actually. Even if they still feel alone with the person they make a mad dash for like it’s a game of musical chairs. This negative connotation surrounding the “horror” of being without a “better half” is also very much a sign of the times. With 00s ideologies increasingly coming across as being almost as retro as 50s ones. 

    To that end, it used to be that Love Actually was viewed as the ultimate “feel-good” rom-com set during Christmas. But with further reflection, it’s apparent that the majority of the characters in the movie are grasping for someone, anyone to make them feel even slightly less alone and/or less aware of their mortality. That, in the end, is the true “Christmas message” it gives. For the desire not to feel alone in life is never more heightened than at this time of year, with few seeming to pay attention to the old adage, “We’re all alone in our own head” no matter what we do. Which is precisely why the people in Love Actually are going insane. They can’t live up to the Jean-Paul Sartre warning, “If you are lonely when you’re alone, you are in bad company.” 

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Actors Who Used Body Doubles For Nude Scenes

    Actors Who Used Body Doubles For Nude Scenes

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    It’s not uncommon for actors to employ a double for particularly intense stunts — not to mention, a good stand-in comes in handy while the lights and camera are being positioned. But there’s another reason why an actor or director might request a body double on set: Nude scenes. While some actors are ready to strip down in front of the camera, others have good reasons to be a bit more reserved — which is fine, since there are professionals who will gladly bare it all in their place.

    There are some cases, however, where the decision to fly in an anonymous actor’s body part is purely practical. For example, an star may have a tattoo that their character wouldn’t. Or, the actor is required to skinny dip in a freezing body of water. Whether it was for logistical or personal reasons, these actors skipped the disrobing for pivotal movie scenes — and the audience was none the wiser. To be honest, very few of us would notice the difference if these actors didn’t share their experiences using body doubles.

    READ MORE: The 25 Most Important Sex Scenes in History

    Some actors have even revealed that they were allowed to pick their own butt doubles. Keep in mind that there aren’t unlimited options, however. A couple of stars stressed the importance of finding someone with a similar build and height — in one certain actor’s case, it was a matter of trusting the performer to get the job done right. Below, discover ten famous actors who opted to use body doubles for nude scenes in movies, as well as their reasons for doing so.

    Movie Actors Who Used Body Doubles For Nude Scenes

    Seeing is not always believing when it comes to movie sex scenes…

    Sex Scenes People Thought Were Real

    These love scenes were so convincing, some audiences thought the sex wasn’t simulated.

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    Claire Epting

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