'Love Actually' cast reuniting for 20th anniversary TV special

The cast members of Love Actually—one of the most beloved Christmas-themed classics—are set to get together for an ABC News special in celebration of the film's 20th anniversary.

Announced by the network on Nov. 22, the TV special will reunite Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and Olivia Olson, along with the film's writer and director Richard Curtis. Martin McCutcheon will also be there to give a special message.

In a promotional clip shared on Twitter, news anchor Diane Sawyer, who will lead the special, is seen asking guests to fill in the sentence, "Love actually is…," to which Grant humorously answers, "Dead."

Now, more than ever, we all need some love…actually.

"The Laughter & Secrets of 'Love Actually,' 20 Years Later: A @DianeSawyer Special" premieres Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 8/7c on @ABC. Stream later on @Hulu. https://t.co/ZGewRPfd2o pic.twitter.com/aDUYk4gAJR

— 20/20 (@ABC2020) November 22, 2022

Also starring Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, and Rowan Atkinson, Love Actually centers on exploring the different aspects of love through nine separate stories whose characters are shown to be intertwined as the plot progresses. 

Among the characters explored are David, a newly-elected prime minister who falls head over heels for his young junior staffer; Sarah, a graphic designer whose search for love is trifled by her dedication to care for her mentally-ill brother; and Harry, a man who smears his marriage with his wife after being allured by his attractive new secretary.

In a news release, the one-hour special titled The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later will "look at how the film became a beloved Christmas tradition and a global sensation, with new insight into behind-the-scenes secrets and iconic scenes."

"The special will also examine how the COVID-19 pandemic refocused the ways we love and connect and the omnipresent acts of kindness inside our families and communities," the network said.

The upcoming project will not be the first reunion of the cast members, as most of them previously worked on a short sequel called Red Nose Day Actually as part of the titular fundraising event Red Nose Day for children in need.

The special is set to air on Nov. 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET (Nov. 30, 9:00 a.m., Philippine time) on ABC, and the next day on Hulu.