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Love Actually director only realised he made ‘dreadful mistake’ in the film after it was released

Home> Entertainment> Film

Updated 23:48 7 Dec 2023 GMTPublished 16:43 6 Dec 2023 GMT

Love Actually director only realised he made ‘dreadful mistake’ in the film after it was released

Turns out a big band could have been in the film

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Despite now being twenty years old, there’s one British Christmas film you’re guaranteed to be watching at least once at this time of year.

Love Actually, obviously. But the iconic rom-com isn’t just filled with legendary moments and stars, there’s some absolute bops too.

There’s Billy Mack and his 'Christmas Is All Around', of course 'God Only Knows' at the emotional ending and who could forget Hugh Grant dancing to The Pointer Sisters' 'Jump'.

I mean, music is core to Love Actually.

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But despite the banger of a soundtrack, the film’s creator, Richard Curtis, says he made a ‘dreadful mistake’ choosing the songs.

Turns out back when they were making the Christmas movie, pop-rock band Keane had written a track especially for it.

The 'Somewhere Only We Know' hitmakers were unsigned at the time and keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley told The Independent: “While they were making the film, Adam suggested we should quickly write a song and he’d see if he could get it into Richard Curtis’s hands…

The film still had plenty of music in it though.
Fred Duval/FilmMagic/Getty Images

"And maybe we could sneak onto the soundtrack and get our big break!”

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The song was actually titled ‘Love Actually’ and has since been released as a standalone track, in celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary.

Of course, the once unsigned band went on to release plenty of hits - with a number one album only a year later.

READ MORE:

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Curtis said: “When I first listened to ‘Love Actually’ by this totally unknown combo called Keane, I thought it was beautiful.

“I tried really hard to put it in the film, but in the end it was a little melancholy and, dare I say, a bit DEEP for the film I’d made.”

Keane's debut album went number one not long after the film's release.
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

But he continued: “Of course, I realised what a dreadful mistake that had been when six months later Hopes and Fears was No 1 in the charts. It is SO wonderful that the song is now being released for everyone to hear.

“I’ve listened to it a lot over the years and love it even more now than I did then. And this time, myself and my son Spike have made a little edit of the whole film to go with the song.

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“I think I actually prefer that 3 minute version of ‘Love Actually’ to the long, chaotic film that’s been doing the rounds now for 20 years.”

Curtis recently spoke to LADbible about the classic Christmas film, including that controversial age gap with Keira Knightley and how his casting decisions have changed since.

Featured Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Topics: Christmas, TV and Film

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, 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.

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@jessbattison_

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