Liam Neeson and Thomas Brodie-Sangster have reunited to film scenes for the highly-anticipated Love Actually sequel - 14 years after the original movie's release. The actors, who played widower Daniel and his beloved stepson Sam respectively, were pictured recreating their bench scene by the Thames on Thursday afternoon. The one-off special, appropriately called Red Nose Day Actually, is being made in aid of Comic Relief and will see the return of some of the much-loved characters.
Emma Freud, the partner of the film's director Richard Curtis, also took to her Twitter page to share pictures from the shoot as filming got underway. In the caption, she wrote: "So this just happened. #rednosedayactually day 1 of filming. Might have cried a tiny bit." Thomas, 26, was just 13 when he captured the heart of the nation playing a young boy whose mother had just passed away. The pair were also joined by actress Olivia Olsen, 24, who was just 11 when she played Sam's childhood love interest Joanna in the movie. Earlier on in the day, Emma posted a behind-the-scenes image of her director partner posing with a grown-up Olivia. "Oh hello #rednosedayactually cast member looking slightly older than she did in the original film....," she tweeted.
QUIZ: Which Love Actually suitor is perfect for you?
News of the ten-minute special was announced on Wednesday. Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley and Colin Firth have all been confirmed to reprise their roles. "I would never have dreamt of writing a sequel to Love Actually, but I thought it might be fun to do ten minutes to see what everyone is now up to," said writer Richard in a statement. "Who has aged best? I guess that's the big question… or is it so obviously Liam?"
STORY: There's more to Martine and Hugh's Love Actually kiss than know!
Love Actually was released in 2003 and has gone on to become one of the most watched romantic Christmas films of all time. "We've been delighted and grateful that so many of the cast are around and able to take part - and it'll certainly be a nostalgic moment getting back together and recreating their characters 14 years later," he added. "We hope to make something that'll be fun - very much in the spirit of the original film and of Red Nose Day - and which we hope will help bring lots of viewers and cash to the Red Nose Day shows." The ten-minute movie, which will centre on what the characters are up to now in 2017, will be shown on 24 March on BBC One as part of the Red Nose Day appeal.