Love Actually is one of the most iconic Christmas films ever, but the casting director behind the festive favourite has admitted she'd make some huge changes.
The popular film was released back in 2003 and stars Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Emma Thompson and Keira Knightley.
Fiona Weir was the casting director for Love Actually, while Richard Curtis worked as the director.
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Fiona has opened up about the changes she'd make to the cast if Love Actually was created today, despite the film featuring some huge names.
She admitted that Hugh Grant's role as the Prime Minister could be axed if she was making the film in 2024, as she now feels a woman would be better suited to the character.
“The first thing is I would cast a female prime minister," casting director Fiona told Metro.
“I think if we were doing it today, Richard would write it very differently. Twenty years on, it’s a different country, it’s a different world, a lot has changed.
“So, I think it will be a very different script, you can’t really sort of transpose actors on it. But the one thing I can declare is that we would definitely, definitely cast a female prime minister.”
When quizzed about which actress she'd put forward for the role of Prime Minister, Fiona revealed that Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh is top of her casting list.
Elsewhere, Fiona shared her thoughts on Richard's previous comments about certain aspects of Love Actually being outdated and lacking diversity.
Richard previously stated: “I think I was unobservant and not as clever as I should have been.
"There are things that you would change [about the film], but thank God society is changing.
“My film is bound in some moments to feel out of date. The lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid.”
Fiona agreed with Richard's comments and highlighted certain comments made about Martine's character in the 2003 Christmas film, admitting she feels it is no longer 'appropriate'.
“Of course, there’s a couple of things in it, which I would rather weren’t,” she told Metro. “There’s a certain comment about Martine McCutcheon’s physicality which Richard himself would say, he’d wished that wasn’t in there.
“It was something that he felt was humorous at the time, but now realises it’s not appropriate. I think that is obviously the case.”
Fiona continued: “But where it does hold up is that the emotion in it is completely authentic. As it says, love is all around, it’s not always seen. All the characters, they’re wonderful actors.
“Nothing is sent up, it’s not cynical in any way. It’s joyous and celebratory.
"I think that’s why it holds up, because it was done with a complete lack of cynicism, which is Richard. Richard is completely without cynicism.”
Topics: Film, TV and Film, Christmas
Danni King