Love, actually, is a complex emotion that often accompanies our experiences with movies. In the case of Keira Knightley and one of her most iconic film scenes, the perception of that emotion might not be as straightforward as we initially thought. Knightley, a storied actress, was only 17 when she joined the star-studded ensemble cast of "Love Actually" in 2003. This romantic Christmas movie has since become synonymous with the holiday season, yet Knightley admits she can't remember much from her time on set.

Love Actually's Unforgettable Impact

Most of Knightley's films are either ones she has never seen or seen only once. She emphasizes that this is not a reflection on "Love Actually" itself. In fact, she finds it lovely that the movie didn't do as well as expected upon its release but later took on a life of its own. It's the only film she has had that has resonated with an audience even after its initial release.The movie weaves its characters together through a variety of love stories. One such story involves a newlywed couple, Juliet and Peter, played by Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor respectively. Their wedding is filmed by Peter's best man, Mark, played by Andrew Lincoln, who is secretly in love with Juliet.

The Iconic Door Scene

In what has now become an iconic scene, Mark comes to Juliet's door with cue cards in tow, professing his love for her while a boombox plays "Silent Night". Standing outside the couple's doorstep, Mark has Juliet read the cards, revealing his true feelings. However, this scene hasn't aged well, with many acknowledging a bizarre undertone of inappropriateness. Knightley herself recalls feeling this on set and voicing her concerns to director Richard Curtis."The slightly stalkerish aspect of it – I do remember that," Knightley reflected. "My memory is of Richard, who is now a very dear friend, of me doing the scene, and him going, 'No, you're looking at [Lincoln] like he's creepy,' and I'm like, 'But it is quite creepy.' And then having to redo it to fix my face to make him seem not creepy."

Lincoln's Perspective

Andrew Lincoln, who portrays Mark, also had similar concerns. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2017, he said, "I kept saying to Richard, 'Are you sure I'm not going to come off as a creepy stalker?'" This shows that even the actors involved were aware of the potential issues with the scene.

Richard Curtis' Acknowledgment

In 2023, Richard Curtis gave an interview with The Independent where he acknowledged the inherent weirdness of the scene. He said, "I think it's a bit weird. I mean, I remember being taken by surprise about seven years ago, I was going to be interviewed by somebody and they said, 'Of course, we're mainly interested in the stalker scene,' and I said, 'What scene is that?' And then I was, like, educated in it. All I can say is that a lot of intelligent people were involved in the film at the time, and we didn't think it was a stalker scene."Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney and Colin Firth also appeared in the film, adding to the ensemble's charm.Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer and LinkedIn. Story tips can be sent to caroline.thayer@fox.com.