Real reason Rowan Atkinson took so long to wrap gift in iconic Love Actually scene

Ah, Love Actually, easily one of the most popular British Christmas films of all time.

And if you’re normal and wait until December to kick off the festive season (November is way too early), it’s nearly time to start rewatching it again.

The 2003 film of course follows the tangled and complicated and love lives of various couples during Christmas time in London.

One of those couples of course being Harry and Karen, played by Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson.

Every year there’s the heartbreak of the wife’s realisation he is having an affair. Let’s not even get into the Joni Mitchell CD – tears every time.

But of course an important part of this is Harry’s shopping trip, with a cameo from Mr Bean himself, Rowan Atkinson.

Shop assistant Rufus gives a massively irritating yet hilarious moment as he elaborately wraps up the man’s purchase.

Universal

So, Harry has decided to buy a fancy necklace for his mistress but his wife is in the shop at the same time.

And much to his inconvenience, Rufus takes f**king forever to wrap it up, bringing out various boxes and decorations – such a long time that Harry actually tells him to ‘leave it’.

In a little slice of Love Actually trivia, it turns out this scene wasn’t just for comedic purposes.

Script Editor of the Richard Curtis film, Emma Freud revealed the real reason.

“Originally Rowan’s character over-wrapped the gift on purpose to stop Alan Rickman being able to buy the necklace,” she wrote on X.

“Because he was an angel.”

Yep, turns out Rufus was meant to be an ‘angel’ in an earlier draft of the script and was potentially supposed to have completely stopped Harry’s affair from happening.

Universal

The character also pops up later in the film with another infuriating yet heart-warming act at the airport.

When little Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) rushes to say goodbye to his crush Joanna, Rufus holds up the queue.

He makes an airport ticket agent hold all of his coats in a pile, allowing for the sweet little moment between the kids.

Love Actually fans reacted to this on X as they said he just ‘had to be an Angel’.

Another wrote: “OMG I KNEW IT!!!!! My husband and my family never believe me when I say he was a Christmas angel!!!!!!! Rowan Atkinson FTW!”

And one said: “Watched Love Actually AGAIN and seen Rowan Atkinson in a new light. Everything makes sense now. He’s a total angel.”

Topics: TV and Film, Rowan Atkinson, Christmas

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_