Martine McCutcheon ‘fell in love’ with Hugh Grant and was ‘shaking’ during first Love Actually scene

2022-12-18

Martine McCutcheon has revealed how she “fell in love” with Hugh Grant before she had even started filming Love Actually alongside him 20 years ago.

The actress – who plays Hugh’s love interest Natalie in the film – said it had been her dream to star opposite the Brit actor ever since she first set eyes on him in another of director Richard Curtis’ iconic movies.

Speaking exclusively to OK!, she said: “When I first saw Four Weddings And A Funeral it was my absolute dream to work with Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis – I fell in love with the writing and I fell in love with Hugh.”

Martine, 46 – who has since married singer songwriter Jack MacManus – has maintained a close friendship with Hugh, 62, and was invited to his birthday and on his table at an awards dinner, too.

Their friendship has come a long way with Martine admitting she was shaking with nerves on their first day of filming.

She revealed: “The first scene we shot was the last scene at the airport. It’s when I run and jump on Hugh at the airport – I was shaking, I was so nervous. I was just petrified! He was like, ‘Just go for it, it’s fine!’”

Earlier this month, Martine dished on the big kissing scene at the end of the film between her character Natalie and Hugh's character, Prime Minister David.

Natalie and David met at the beginning of the film when he was elected as Prime Minister and she was introduced as a member of his household staff at No.10.

During a steamy moment backstage at Natalie’s nephew’s Christmas nativity play, David and Natalie finally kiss – only for the curtain to fall and their clinch to be revealed.

Martine told American host Diane Sawyer during the film's 20th anniversary reunion special that many in the audience were “ordinary people who had no idea they'd see Hugh Grant kissing someone.”

She said: “The shock when they opened the curtains for the first time, and they saw us kissing. Their reactions was just amazing. It just felt magical.”

Martine, rose to fame as Tiffany in EastEnders in the 1990s, was about to quit showbiz for good when she got the call from Richard Curtis.

She explained to OK!: “At that time, I’d decided to give up the business. I’d worked from the age of 17 playing Tiffany – it was a relentless schedule of 22 scenes a day, six days a week, alongside my pop career. There was a lot of pressure, a lot of touring and I battled with exhaustion and felt unwell.

"Then there was the press scrutiny. I had paparazzi running after me. I was only 23 and lived on my own – it was scary. I just thought, ‘I love what I do but I don’t love what comes with it’, so I called my agent and gave up the industry. I remember thinking, ‘If I’m meant to stay in it I’ll get a big sign.’”

The actress, who made her children’s TV debut aged 13, was taking time out at a friend’s house in Spain where she “slept for three days straight” and got the unexpected call.

“He said, ‘Richard Curtis has called and he wants you to star opposite Hugh Grant in a film called Love Actually and it starts next week – can you fly back?’” she says. “I literally dropped the phone. That film completely changed my life because I wouldn’t have been in the industry any more.”

Martine has partnered with One4all Gift Cards for its Christmas campaign. For more details, see one4all.com

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