kiera knightley love actually

This Love Actually revelation about Juliet and Sam will blow your mind

The age gap between the pair in Love Actually will blow your mind

TV & Film Editor
February 13, 2018

Although they never shared any scenes together in the popular 2003 rom-com Love Actually, Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) both had huge parts in the film. Juliet's storyline follows her happy marriage to Peter, only to discover his best friend is deeply in love with her, while Sam has to deal with falling in love with a girl from school, and learns the drums in order to impress her. But the mind-blowing thing about the pair is that Keira was born in 1985 and Thomas in 1990, meaning that there was only a five-year age gap between the pair. Technically Keira and Thomas could have even gone to senior school at the same time!

keira love actually juliet© Photo: Rex

Keira was 17 when she was cast

Keria was just 17 when she was cast in the role, and plays a character who seems older than her actual age, while Thomas was just 13, and aged down to appear as though he could still attend primary school. Following the revelation, fans of the film have discussed the age gap on Twitter, with one person writing: "Still shook by the fact that Keira Knightly was only 18 when she was in Love Actually and only five years older than the guy who played the little loved-up boy wtf," while another added: "So uhhh he was 13 and looked eight and she was 18 and looked 25... interesting." A third person joked: "I can't believe Keira Knightley was 18 when she was in Love Actually???? I'm 18 and I look like a toe from hell."

READ:Andrew Lincoln thinks his Love Actually character Mark is a 'creepy stalker'

© Photo: Rex

Thomas was 13 during the filming

Thomas, who has gone on to star in Game of Thrones and Maze Runner, has previously opened up about shaking off his role in Love Actually, and told the Evening Standard: "It's always like, 'Look what the cute little kid is up to now!' It follows me around and it's still one of the main things I get recognised for.'"

READ: Did Love Actually predict the royal engagement?

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