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The holidays are here and it’s time to watch Love Actually once more! Since its release in 2003, the critically acclaimed rom-com from writer/director Richard Curtis has become a holiday favorite. It may have a lot to do with the film’s star-studded cast, which includes Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, and the late Alan Rickman (plus a cameo from Claudia Schiffer).
Not to mention, the movie features several memorable moments, such as that romantic scene with Knightley and the one where Grant dances around. At the same time, it’s also hard to forget the love story involving Grant’s character. In the film, he plays the British prime minister who falls for Natalie, one of the members of his staff in 10 Downing Street.
Who Played Natalie In Love Actually?
The character was portrayed by London-born actress Martine McCutcheon. Prior to nabbing her Love Actually role, she was best known for her role as Tiffany in the BBC series EastEnders.
Aside from this, McCutcheon also starred alongside Stellan Skarsgård and Paul Bettany in the 2001 comedy thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (not the one starring Robert Downey, Jr.). She also starred in the West End production of My Fair Lady back in 2001.
And while she was a relative newcomer when she joined the cast, it turns out that McCutcheon didn’t have to audition for her role.
“Apparently the part was written for me because Richard had seen me in My Fair Lady and Eastenders, he’d followed my career over the years,” the actress said.
“Himself and Emma [Freud], his other half, luckily loved what I’d been doing. They had run it by Hugh and he thought I was perfect. I didn’t know any of this until later on down the line, so it made me feel a lot more confident about doing it all, knowing the part was written for me.”
What Has Martine McCutcheon Been Up To Since Love Actually?
Since the hit holiday film, McCutcheon has gone on to star in a number of tv shows, including Midsomer Murders and The Home Office. She also reprised her role as Natalie in the tv short Red Nose Day Actually and later joined the cast of the 2018 comedy The Bromley Boys.
After that, however, the actress decided to take a break from acting so she could spend more time with her son.
“With filming, you have to be on call 24/7 and it’s normally 17-hour days. So that’s the reason why, for TV dramas and movies, I’ve taken a step back,” McCutcheon explained.
“We’ve only got one child and I don’t want to miss anything. I’m not going to get another one to get those moments with. When jobs come in for myself and Jack [McManus], we say, ‘Family first for us.’”
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The actress has also had to deal with various health issues, having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome ME, and Lyme disease. Fortunately, she’s doing much better now.
“My health is the most stable it’s ever been,” McCutcheon confirmed. “I seem to have found the right combination of medication, supplements, and exercise that works for me. It’s taken many years, and I think for Lyme disease, ME, and fibromyalgia everyone is slightly different, so it can take a long time to find what really works for you, personally.”
She Also Joined The Masked Singer UK
That said, it does seem like McCutcheon is accepting projects once again, although she’s careful about committing to anything that would consume too much of her time.
“I‘ve had to be quite disciplined with the amount of hours I work,” she explained. “I’ve realized that health really does come before everything else… I generally only take on projects where I can pace myself and only do the things that I’m really passionate about.”
More recently, the actress surprised fans by appearing in the second season of The Masked Singer UK as the Swan. And while McCutcheon has already been acting for years, doing the show had been a unique experience.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had in the industry!” the actress said of her time on the show. “It’s great that so many people get to show their talent without any preconceptions or labels.”
And while McCutcheon hasn’t reunited with Grant onscreen again since Red Nose Day Actually, the actress knows that the prime minister and Natalie remain very much in love to this day.
“As far as I can see – and who am I to tread on the genius toes of Richard Curtis – they would stay together, had a couple of children,” McCutcheon said.
“Life, politically, would have had a lot of ups and downs, but she would have been making him laugh every step of the way.”
