Julia Roberts turned down a Notting Hill charity reunion because she thought the idea was “very poor”.
Richard Curtis, who wrote the 1999 romantic comedy, had planned to make a “mini-sequel” for his charity Comic Relief’s annual Red Nose Day fundraiser following the success of his Love Actually follow-ups, but the 57-year-old actress rejected the proposal as his planned plot would see her character Anna Scott divorced from Hugh Grant’s William Thacker.
Curtis told IndieWire: “I tried doing one with Notting Hill where they were going to get divorced and Julia thought that was a very poor idea.”
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The 68-year-old screenwriter, producer and director — who also wrote the screenplay for Four Weddings and a Funeral — said he does not think he would go back to his past films to do a full length sequel.
He added: “I actually did four Red Nose Days and Comic Relief.
“We did those mini sequels to Love Actually and those satisfied me.”
Meanwhile, Curtis is keen to take on new challenges in his successful career so had a great time writing new animated movie That Christmas.
He said: “I think oddly enough I’m keen at this stage in my career of doing new things as much as I can.
“That’s why it was great doing an animated film. I’ve made, I think, 17 films. It’s quite hard for the 18th to be as different as this one is.”
Still on the filmmaker’s wish list is getting to work on a James Bond film, and he joked he’d bring “true love” to the spy franchise.
He said: “I know I wouldn’t be asked.
“I have this joke with (director) Paul Greengrass. Whenever he finishes a movie, I say, ‘Do you want me to do a rom-com pass on the next Bond film? A little bit more kissing, a little bit more family stuff.’
“Maybe I could bring true love to the Bond franchise, but I don’t think I’ll be asked.”