Richard Curtis said Love Actually needed more diversity

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 2022-12-03T21:15:27+00:00

He's obviously not able to recall the film at all. I'm watching it now, ten minutes in and we've had two black 10 Downing Street employees, a black man marrying a white woman, a full gospel choir, a black saucy film director and a very diverse set of wedding guests. Later on I'm sure there's a gay relationship and mental health issues, and a biracial kid singing All I Want For Christmas Is You. What exactly is he moaning about?

mayblossombitch · 04/12/2022 01:00

I thought exactly the same. Seemed a pretty good mix of people to me 🤷‍♀️

ShillyShallySherbet · 04/12/2022 15:04

I watched this the other evening for the first time in a very long time and I agree I don’t think diversity was a problem but I thought all the references to people being fat or chubby had not aged well and it is so so cheesy I was pretty much cringing all the way through thinking I don’t think this level of cheese would wash today.

ghislaine · 04/12/2022 15:08

I think what he meant was “this film needs no less misogyny”.

ShillyShallySherbet · 04/12/2022 15:09

ghislaine · 04/12/2022 15:08

I think what he meant was “this film needs no less misogyny”.

Absolutely! Yes I felt that too when rewatching it.

tothesea · 04/12/2022 15:14

I think it needed to not be utter, utter shit.

Costadelot · 04/12/2022 15:15

Diversity doesn't mean having non white side characters. It means having well rounded non token diverse characters. All of the main characters are white
It is also a pile of misogynistic shite.

Mrsjayy · 04/12/2022 15:20

Well it's all a bit sexist and sleazy isn't it ? And the main characters are white and middle class diversity doesn't mean popping in a gospel choir here and there

also the only good storyline in it is Emma Thompson's the rest of it is so cringy I can't watch it

Ponderingwindow · 04/12/2022 15:36

there Is a trend to evaluate older television and films by today’s standards. I don’t believe that is fair. Casting rules today are very different than they were 20 years ago. Standards change and that is good, but we can’t judge productions completely retroactively.

Look at Star Trek. In its day, it was progressive on both racism and sexism. By today’s standards, it is absolutely antiquated. That doesn’t change the fact that it was ground-breaking television that pushed boundaries and increased acceptance for minorities and women.

Look at Friends. At the time its portrayal of non-heterosexual relationships was lauded. Now my teen can’t watch it because it’s too insensitive.

FrippEnos · 04/12/2022 15:58

You could put more diversity in to LA but it wouldn't solve what some people to be the main issue with the film.

Simonjt · 04/12/2022 16:00

Ah yes the only ethnicities are black and white, no others exist. Some more diverse views would have been nice, rather than fairly sexist views and body shaming.

NyanBinaryJohn · 04/12/2022 16:01

Ponderingwindow · 04/12/2022 15:36

there Is a trend to evaluate older television and films by today’s standards. I don’t believe that is fair. Casting rules today are very different than they were 20 years ago. Standards change and that is good, but we can’t judge productions completely retroactively.

Look at Star Trek. In its day, it was progressive on both racism and sexism. By today’s standards, it is absolutely antiquated. That doesn’t change the fact that it was ground-breaking television that pushed boundaries and increased acceptance for minorities and women.

Look at Friends. At the time its portrayal of non-heterosexual relationships was lauded. Now my teen can’t watch it because it’s too insensitive.

Exactly this.

GyozaGuiting · 04/12/2022 16:02

I’d say it’s pretty diverse, isn’t that the point of the story? Covering love from all different angles and all sorts of different people?

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 04/12/2022 16:04

ghislaine · 04/12/2022 15:08

I think what he meant was “this film needs no less misogyny”.

Agree although surely this occurred to him at the time? Because it sure as hell did to me.

RaRaRaspoutine · 04/12/2022 16:38

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This reply has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

FuckabethFuckor · 04/12/2022 16:40

He wrote it, he directed it, he's got a right to say if he thinks it could have been different.

I suspect he's trying to drive up streams of it leading up to Christmas but CALL ME CYNICAL etc

Smearywindowsagain · 04/12/2022 16:44

It’s the martine mcutcheon and her thunder thighs comments that are utterly ridiculous. She is of course now insanely thin

ImAvingOops · 04/12/2022 17:05

No one with any brain cells would consider Martine McCutcheon anything other than lovely in that film. She's a beautiful woman.
I love LA, but the storyline which pisses me off is Sam never mentioning his dead mum - it's all about chasing the girl at school, and the husband gets over her in a few months and hooks up with Claudia Schiffer at the end. His wife was supposed to have been the love of his life!

IDontWantToBeAPie · 04/12/2022 18:14

I'd assume he meant some non white main characters.

FictionalCharacter · 04/12/2022 18:17

ghislaine · 04/12/2022 15:08

I think what he meant was “this film needs no less misogyny”.

Ah, but acknowledging misogyny is not at all fashionable.

inappropriateraspberry · 04/12/2022 18:21

It's an awful film no matter who is in it.

ImAvingOops · 04/12/2022 18:24

I'm glad it's not being made now - it would be all about the brave transwoman finding love (no doubt with a female and calling themselves a lesbian)!

I don't think all films have to be diverse in all ways. That makes it feel like a tick box exercise.

MumGoneMild · 04/12/2022 18:29

Three black characters and a choir do not make it diverse

all central characters are white.
one normal sized white woman called fat throughout

napody · 04/12/2022 18:30

ImAvingOops · 04/12/2022 17:05

No one with any brain cells would consider Martine McCutcheon anything other than lovely in that film. She's a beautiful woman.
I love LA, but the storyline which pisses me off is Sam never mentioning his dead mum - it's all about chasing the girl at school, and the husband gets over her in a few months and hooks up with Claudia Schiffer at the end. His wife was supposed to have been the love of his life!

Same! But it's the old fairytale thing: loving mothers have to removed ASAP (preferably before the story starts). It's because they are too important.
I imagine RC is referring to the lack of non white main characters, which is a fair point.
If he reflected on the misogyny I'd be absolutely flabbergasted.

PurpleParrotfish · 04/12/2022 18:31

Can’t believe it’s a Love Actually thread and no one’s posted the Jezebel article yet. jezebel.com/i-rewatched-love-actually-and-am-here-to-ruin-it-for-al-1485136388/amp

VoyageInTheDark · 04/12/2022 18:33

Is there a gay relationship in it? I don't remember one