Emma Thompson says 'too soon' for 'Love Actually' role since Rickman death

Record ID: 472369

  • Title: Emma Thompson says 'too soon' for 'Love Actually' role since Rickman death
  • Date: 24th February 2017
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - JULY 11, 2011) (REUTERS) RICKMAN TALKING TO REPORTERS AT HARRY POTTER PREMIERE
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2017 12:17
  • Keywords: Love Actually Emma Thompson Alan Rickman film movie
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA / VENICE, ITALY
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA / VENICE, ITALY
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Film
  • Reuters ID: LVA00564VQSZX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Actress Emma Thompson has said she is not taking part in a short "Love Actually" sequel for Britain's Comic Relief charity appeal because it was "too soon" to reprise her role in the romantic comedy following the death last year of co-star Alan Rickman.
    Thompson and Rickman played husband and wife Karen and Harry in the hit 2003 movie, which also starred Hugh Grant as the British prime minister and Bill Nighy as an ageing rock star, as well as Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth.
    A short film revisiting the characters is in the works for the annual charity appeal, which holds its fundraising Red Nose Day and televised evening of celebrity comedy sketches on March 24.
    Speaking to Britain's BBC last week, director Richard Curtis confirmed some of the big names would take part in the short film but added there was a question mark over Thompson's return. Rickman, also known for the "Harry Potter" films, died in January 2016 after a battle with cancer. He was 69.
    "Richard (Curtis) wrote to me and said 'Darling I can't write anything for you because of Alan' and I said 'No, of course you can't, it would be sad, too sad, it's too soon'," Thompson told Reuters at UK launch of Disney's new "Beauty and the Beast" film on Thursday night.
    "It's absolutely right, it's supposed to be for Comic Relief and there isn't much comic relief in the loss of our dear friend, really only just over a year ago. We thought and thought but it just seemed wrong."
    The 2003 movie is set in the run-up to Christmas, with different stories of romance and love woes, like Rickman's character getting close to a female colleague. In one scene, Thompson's character tears up alone in the bedroom when she discovers a necklace Harry bought is not for her.
    "To revisit the wonderful fun characters of Bill Nighy and Hugh Grant and all of that, that's fantastic," Thompson said.
    "But you know obviously what would he have done? I mean both my children would have been in therapy by now, I would imagine, and I'd be working on some kind of ward somewhere. So I don't know, it was, I think, absolutely the right decision."
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