Martine McCutcheon reveals she nearly missed out on her iconic role in Love Actually – after cashing in on the role with five festive ads

by

Martine McCutcheon almost didn’t get her famous part in Love Actually because she lost her passion for acting at the time.

For years, the 49-year-old actress hoped to star alongside Hugh Grant as his romantic interest, and that dream finally came true when she played the role of Natalie, his clumsy assistant, in the 2003 holiday film.

Things could have turned out quite differently, though. Martine had actually left acting that year and moved to the isolated mountains of Spain to pursue photography.

Fortunately, the film’s director, Richard Curtis, found her after creating the part in Love Actually with her in mind.

She explained to The Sun that she initially believed her role on EastEnders would hinder her chances of working in film, as actors from soap operas rarely transition to the big screen. Ironically, she now considers her time in the soap to be the most challenging acting experience of her career.

Martine explained that she’d called her agent and quit her job. He was surprised, but she really wanted to travel. She ended up staying with friends in the mountains of Spain, and that was the start of her adventure.

Around three weeks into my travels, I received a call from my former agent. Despite knowing I didn’t want to be contacted and had left the acting world, he insisted on sharing some exciting news: Richard Curtis was interested in me for a role alongside Hugh Grant. And that’s how it all began.

Martine gushed that ‘dreams do come true’ after starring alongside the award-winning actor and 

Martine is hoping to boost her income during the holidays by leveraging the popularity of the movie Love Actually. This comes after she filed for bankruptcy in July, less than a year after separating from her husband, Jack McManus, with whom she has a ten-year-old son.

Public records showed she declared bankruptcy due to owing money to a finance company.

Just two months after selling their five-bedroom Surrey home for £1,355,000 following their split, she filed for bankruptcy.

This holiday season, Martine has been featured in five different advertising campaigns. She’s partnered with brands like Costa Coffee, as well as companies in the beauty and tech industries, including Google.

She also switched on the Christmas lights at a Hampton Court hotel and hosted a meet-and-greet event for fans.

As someone who’s spent years helping people live their best lives, I completely understand Martine’s stance. She’s made it clear she won’t apologize for focusing on her own well-being as she approaches her 50th birthday, and honestly? I think that’s fantastic. It’s a powerful reminder that self-care isn’t selfish, especially as we navigate different life stages.

The actress and singer has faced a difficult few years, following a strained relationship with her mother, Jenny Tomlin, and the end of her 18-year marriage to Jack McManus.

But ahead of her 50th birthday next year, Martine has said she is looking forward, not back.

Martine has decided to stand by her beliefs and express herself freely, and she’s also learning to set boundaries and say ‘no’ when necessary.

She expressed enthusiasm for what’s ahead, explaining that she has a much better understanding of herself now. She’s comfortable with her beliefs, her perspective, and even her boundaries, and isn’t afraid to respectfully say ‘no’ when she needs to.

She explained that she simply wants to enjoy herself and discover what activities she finds fun outside of her work and family life.

Earlier this year, Martine’s mother, Jenny, contacted her after a long period of no contact. Jenny emotionally pleaded with Martine to rebuild their relationship, having previously cut her off following the death of Martine’s brother.

Martine and her mother, a 69-year-old author, used to be very close. However, in a recent and painful interview, the mother, Jenny, revealed she distanced herself from Martine after experiencing a difficult emotional breakdown following the death of Martine’s brother, LJ, in 2022.

Jenny shared how much she misses Martine, explaining that the distance feels like a physical ache. She’s now trying to reconnect and apologize for losing touch.

It was devastating when I lost LJ, and honestly, I just shut down. I was so incredibly heartbroken that I couldn’t even bring myself to talk to Martine. It wasn’t a dramatic falling out or anything – she actually tried reaching out for months, but I just couldn’t respond. Looking back, I realize she was hurting too and really needed me, and that kills me. I desperately want the opportunity to apologize to her. I miss her terribly – it genuinely feels like a physical pain.

She continued, explaining that she hadn’t reached out to Martine, she’d essentially left her. She was so consumed by her own sadness that she wasn’t paying enough attention to her other child, and that’s how everything began to fall apart. It just spiraled from there, leading to the current situation.

Jenny shared that she and Martine had a brief contact last October when Martine unexpectedly texted her, asking for a favor for her husband, Alan. Jenny described the meeting as awkward and said there was a tense atmosphere.

Oh, it’s just… heartbreaking. They talked about maybe getting together for Christmas, but it never happened. And now? Complete silence. I’ve been following everything, and I know Jenny keeps trying to reach out, sending texts, emails… but he just isn’t responding. It’s like she’s talking to a ghost. Honestly, it’s killing me to watch!

Jenny felt she had to do the interview in hopes of hearing from Martine, explaining that she thinks about her daughter every single day.

She said she’ll never give up on her daughter and, if she could, she would apologize to Martine. Having already lost one child, she’s desperate to avoid losing another.

Jenny realized witnessing the damage silence causes within families motivated her to avoid a similar fate, and she hopes she and Martine can reconnect and rebuild their relationship.

Read More

2025-12-21 19:51