The bizarre secret reason Rowan Atkinson wraps gift so slowly in iconic Love Actually scene

Of all the films the British public are particular to over Christmas, Love Actually surely must be top of the list.

The cast list alone includes some of the biggest names in the UK and Ireland’s film history, with Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alan Rickman—even Ant and Dec—making up the absurd Rolodex of talent on this movie.

Whether stars at the time or stars in the making, it is top to bottom full of talent.

One cameo which steals the screen is that of Rowan Atkinson, who stars alongside Rickman in an iconic scene.

The film, as I’m sure you know, follows the complicated love lives of numerous couples across London during Christmas, one of whom is played by Rickman and Thompson.

Rickman’s Harry is cheating on his wife Karen, played by Thompson, and goes on a shopping trip to buy a gift for his mistress.

Harry tries to buy the gift and has it gift wrapped by a store attendant, (played by Atkinson), who takes his sweet time with it.

With Karen coming into the same shop, Harry ends up panicking and not buying it in a fairly iconic scene.

Well, if you thought the slow packing was just a funny coincidence, you’d be wrong.

It was the script editor of the Richard Curtis film, Emma Freud, who'd 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.

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 (Olivia Olson), Rufus holds up the queue.

Atkinson's character was supposed to be an angel (Universal Pictures)

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