The Holiday, a classic Christmas rom-com packed with A-list stars, has become a staple of the festive season for many. The film follows the story of Amanda, a movie producer from LA, and Iris from Surrey, who swap homes after their relationships fall apart.
Amanda falls for Iris’ brother Graham, played by Jude Law, while Iris forms a close bond with Miles, played by Jack Black, with hints of romance in the air. The film ends with a heartwarming Christmas scene featuring Graham and his two daughters in England.
A hard to believe 18 years after its release, the Mirror has caught up with the actors.
Miffy Englefield
Miffy, who played Jude Law’s adorable on-screen daughter, has stepped away from acting to work as a barista.
In 2020, she became a mum to baby girl Frankie, revealing to The Sun that she endured a 21-hour labour. Although she’s taken a break from acting, she fondly remembers working on the beloved Christmas film.
Speaking to The New York Times last year, she recalled: “Jude had so much time for us. He was always giving me tips about acting.”
Cameron Diaz
Hollywood A-lister Cameron Diaz has stepped away from acting, according to friend Selma Blair, who revealed the news at the 2018 Vanity Fair post-Oscars party. Diaz, known for her roles in Bad Teacher and the 2014 remake of Annie, has reportedly chosen to focus on family life with her husband, Good Charlotte singer Benji Madden, and their child, whom she welcomed at 47.
Blair shared: “I had lunch with Cameron the other day. We were reminiscing about the film. I would have liked to do a sequel but Cameron’s retired from acting. She’s like ‘I’m done’.”
Jack Black
Jack rose to fame after his role as Miles in The Holiday and has become a household name with films like Kung Fu Panda, Tropic Thunder, and the Jumanji remakes. However, TV presenter Vernon Kay revealed a surprising feud between them, recalling an early interview where Black was “horrible” and “I don’t know whether he’d had a hangover or whether it was because I was either the first or last interview of the day, but he was horrible. He was an absolute d**k, an a******e.”
Kay expressed his disappointment, stating: “When you’re so rude, arrogant and pig-faced to a young TV presenter, who’s so nervous and trying to hone his skills, and you’re so arrogant to dismiss that, it’s just not on. I hope he reads it, and let this be a lesson to Jack Black.”
Jude Law
The English heartthrob best known for his role in The Holiday where he played Iris’s brother Graham, has charmed audiences worldwide.
He’s also recognised for his roles as Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts films, Sherlock Holmes, and in the Sky Atlantic series The Young Pope. The actor is a proud father of six children; three with ex-wife Sadie Frost, one with former partner Samantha Burke, another with Catherine Harding, and most recently welcomed his sixth child in 2020 with Dr Phillipa Coen, whom he married in 2019.
Eli Wallach
Eli played Arthur in The Holiday and formed a sweet bond with Kate Winslet. He sadly passed away in 2014 at the age of 98 due to natural causes. He was known for his roles in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, alongside Clint Eastwood, and for playing Calvera in The Magnificent Seven.
His last acting role was in 2010 when he starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in Ghost Writer.
Edward Burns
Ed turned heads as Cameron Diaz’s exasperated boyfriend in The Holiday. Before that stint, he had etched his mark with performances in Saving Private Ryan and the TV series Will and Grace.
His personal life blossomed alongside his career, as he wed the stunning supermodel Christy Turlington back in 2003.
Shannyn Sossamon
After becoming a familiar face on TV with shows like Sleepy Hollow, Shannyn chose to step back from the limelight to focus on motherhood.
John Krasinski
John had a brief stint as Amanda’s employee Ben in The Holiday but has since moved on from that minor role. Now 43 and happily married to Emily Blunt, John’s career took off after The Holiday; even at that time, he’d just finished a season on The Office US.
Following its success, he went on to star and direct in A Quiet Place films alongside Blunt and lead the action-packed series Jack Ryan.
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