Joanna Page says she skips over her nude scenes when she watches ‘Love Actually,’ following an admission from the film’s writer, Richard Curtis, that he now wishes he hadn’t asked her to film them for the popular Christmas movie.
The 48-year-old actress recently started watching the movie again because her kids wanted to see it. She hadn’t seen it since a film festival in Wales soon after it came out in 2003.
Joanna works as a body double and films an intimate scene with Martin Freeman, who also appears nude as a stand-in. Their characters then begin a romantic relationship, starting with an awkward first date, as part of the movie’s complex plot.
The mother of four, who has been married to James Thornton for 26 years and shares children Eva (13), Kit (10), Noah (9), and Boe (4) with him, says she’s still proud to have been in such a famous film. However, she admits some scenes might be a little awkward to watch as her sons get older, especially when they start high school.
Joanna explained to her children what she does as a body double on film sets, specifically for nude scenes. She told them she stands in for actors and explained how strategically placed coverings ensure certain parts aren’t visible, jokingly referring to herself as ‘sort of naked’.
I explained to them that there are a few parts of the video I need to skip ahead through, but they’ll definitely see me in the nativity scene and at the airport. I told them they can watch those parts, but I’ll have to fast forward through the rest.
She explained that because she’s always been open and honest, and has breastfed her children on and off for twelve years, they’re very comfortable with her body. Her youngest, Boe, has been asking for “boob” for the past four years whenever he comes home.
Seeing a mother’s breasts is a normal part of everyday life at home, so the children are comfortable with it.
She shared on the White Wine Question Time podcast that she anticipates her sons will likely feel embarrassed when they’re older if the film is still around. She expects they might say something like, ‘Mom, this is so embarrassing!’ but she’s prepared to handle it when that time comes.
Richard Curtis, the 69-year-old writer of Love Actually, once said that if he could change one scene in the movie, it would be the love scene between Joanna and Martin. He shared this opinion in 2019.
He said: ‘I think the naked people should be wearing more clothes.’
Joanna may find certain scenes awkward to revisit, but her parents have no such qualms.
She shared that watching the movie Love Actually is now a yearly tradition for her family – it’s how they officially kick off the Christmas season.
She explained that her parents always say it doesn’t feel like Christmas until they’ve watched ‘Love Actually.’ She found it funny because, for them, Christmas doesn’t truly begin until they’ve seen her in a memorable, albeit revealing, scene with Martin Freeman – which they surprisingly consider a heartwarming and festive moment.
Joanna also thought about her experiences filming sex and nude scenes over the years, and she said many of them were ‘awful’.
The actress, now in her late 40s, says she’d prefer to move past roles that require her to be overtly sexual on screen, though she’s open to appearing nude again if the part felt right.
She expressed strong dislike for something she’d previously done, saying it was terrible. Now that she’s 48, she doesn’t expect to have to do it again, unless it involves nudity and a willingness to embrace a less conventionally ‘sexy’ image – something she feels she could handle.
I’m surprisingly okay with the idea of being nude on stage; it’s not the nudity itself that’s the problem. It’s more the awkwardness of being watched on set, and worrying about how uncomfortable it makes everyone else.
There’s a really unique feeling leading up to these events, a definite nervousness that everyone tries to hide. It makes me wonder if things were easier back when performers worked with people they already knew and trusted. It felt like you could just talk things through, agree on what you’d do – ‘Okay, let’s start with a kiss, then maybe move on to this and that’ – and just get on with it.
‘If you’re working with somebody who you’re really comfortable with and know them really well.’
She explained that filming intimate scenes with her Gavin & Stacey co-star, Mathew Horne, eventually felt comfortable because they had worked together for so long developing their well-known characters.
Joanna and Mat Horne have worked together for two decades and have such a strong connection that they don’t need to rehearse at all – they instinctively know each other’s timing and completely trust one another, whether they’re delivering lines or sharing a kiss.
Joanna recently revealed to the Daily Mail that, despite being married to actor James Thornton, their relationship isn’t always perfect, describing many parts of it as ‘rubbish.’ This came after she shared details about her marriage in an exclusive interview.
She described the couple as having frequent and intense fights, and didn’t try to downplay the difficulties in their relationship. She believes their conflicting personalities – his calm and reserved Northern demeanor versus her energetic, spontaneous, and passionate nature – mean they rarely display public affection.
She even hinted that things could have gone badly if they hadn’t been as understanding, suggesting some younger couples don’t always have that same patience.
Even though their marriage hasn’t been perfect, it’s endured, and the couple is now sharing a very honest and open look at their relationship on a new podcast. They’ll also be offering advice to other couples based on their experiences.
After 26 years of marriage, like I’ve experienced, it’s unrealistic to expect things to always be perfect. There will be difficult times, periods where you feel frustrated, annoyed, and even dislike each other. But just when you think things are at their worst, they can unexpectedly turn around and be good again.
No relationship lasts for 26 years without facing challenges. Today, it’s common for couples to separate when things get difficult. We feel fortunate that after 26 years together, we’ve evolved in similar ways, so we still share the same values and perspectives.
We definitely have our disagreements and arguments, but we’ve grown together over time. We’re not always affectionate – we bicker a lot! He’s calm, thoughtful, and reserved, while I’m much more energetic, emotional, and quick to react. We’re quite different, actually.
Marriage takes effort, so be ready to work at it. Don’t give up when things get tough, and remember to always be kind and keep a sense of humor.
Joanna and James first met in 1999 while working on the BBC’s production of David Copperfield. They later married in 2003.
They have since welcomed four children and are now navigating life with a teenager at home.
Joanna acknowledges that Eva is experiencing significant hormonal changes, leading to unpredictable moods. Seeing this has made Joanna realize she now understands what James went through during their marriage, as she herself behaved similarly when they were together.
She realized, “I wonder if living with me has been hard for people all this time?” It made her think about how her behavior might have affected others.
She ran upstairs, clearly very upset, and flipped me off from the middle of the staircase. There’s been a lot of angry door slamming, too.
It reminds me of how I used to be with my husband, James, when I was experiencing PMS. I’d snap at him over something small, like how he cut an apple, and then immediately feel bad and be okay again.
I’m so excited! My daughter, Eva, is finally at the age where I thought she could appreciate Gavin & Stacey. It’s been a fun, but sometimes a little embarrassing, experience watching it together as a family – let’s just say some of the jokes are going over my head now that she’s explaining them!
She particularly remembers feeling embarrassed watching the early episodes, specifically when her character, Stacey, first meets Gavin (played by Mathew Horne) and they end up spending the night together at a London hotel.
Joanna mentioned that it’s amusing how Eva, now that she’s turning thirteen, is finally watching it for the first time.
Honestly, some parts of the first season were pretty steamy. I found myself skipping ahead during scenes where things got a little too intimate – like when a character was just kissing someone in a hotel room. It was quite bold for the time.
It’s become a tradition for us, and my daughter really enjoys it – it’s something that’s been passed down through families. I’m happy to be remembered as the young, blonde woman from that time, and I’m perfectly okay with that image.
The popular comedy series ended in 2024 with a hugely successful final episode. In it, fan favorites Smithy and Nessa – characters created and played by James Corden and Ruth Jones – finally got married.
Over 18 million people watched the final episode of Gavin & Stacey, making it a huge TV event.
I was so thrilled when the show became such a hit, but all the talk about a reboot with a different cast made me a little nervous. Thankfully, Joanna has pretty much shut down those spin-off rumours, and honestly, I can’t blame her! She’s right – I just can’t picture anyone else playing Stacey. It wouldn’t be the same!
Honestly, I truly believe it’s over for good. She made it very clear – this is the absolute end, and she’s completely certain of it. She doesn’t see any chance of it happening again, ever. It feels definitive, and she seemed so sure.
It would feel very odd and unsettling, as I’ve become so attached to the character of Stacey after playing her for so long. I began the role when I was 29, and I honestly can’t imagine anyone else playing her now.
That’s really strange, and honestly, I wouldn’t enjoy it at all. I’m very protective of things like that.
They feel like family to me. I wouldn’t trade our connection for anything, and I’d love to continue our tradition of getting together – even if it’s just for a yearly celebration with my friends.
Joanna is plenty busy with her new podcast, so she has her hands full.
The actress thinks her husband, James, is settling into his role as a podcast co-host and that fans will love hearing about their relationship – including intimate details they jokingly compare to a form of couples therapy.
He was initially quite tired and anxious because this was a new experience for him, and he feared he wouldn’t know what to say. But we ended up talking for two hours in the studio. We’d actually gone in not speaking to each other after an argument, and I just encouraged him to start talking, and it felt like we were in couples’ therapy.
Sometimes, with all the chaos of raising the kids, we barely get a chance to connect. But we finally had a long conversation, and it made a huge difference – he seemed completely revitalized and we truly reconnected with each other.
In one conversation, we discussed everything that felt preferable to returning to my marriage bed after being with Boe for four years.
It’s amazing, really. My closest friend and I share everything – we know each other inside and out. But actually talking about it, really digging into those deep connections, is incredibly freeing. It’s like a weight lifts off your shoulders just being able to be that open and honest.
We’ve experienced a lot of different situations over time, but one of the things we enjoy is simply discussing our thoughts and getting input from our listeners – like when we recently had a full conversation about whether or not to turn on the heat.
We’ve been together for 26 years, so we talk about everything. No subject is forbidden between us.
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2026-02-26 14:21