British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor said he agrees with fan criticism that his on-screen best friend in Love Actually probably isn’t much of a friend at all.
“I may be biased, I may not be the jury, but I’ve said it to his face,” he told ComicBook.com.
In the 2003 holiday classic, Peter – played by Chiwetel ― marries Keira Knightley’s character, Juliet. Peter’s pal Mark (played by Andrew Lincoln) is secretly in love with Juliet, leading to a memorable scene in which he confesses to her via a series of cue cards, unbeknownst to Peter.
“I think if there was a conversation between the two of them afterwards, it could become heated,” Chiwetel told the website.
Some fans find romance in the hopeless and (probably) unrequited love. Some see closure as he accepts the situation. Others find it creepy. Anrew himself suggested it could be “borderline stalker” behaviour.
And many fans think Mark is just way outta line.
Chiwetel said he gets it ― and has noticed that fan sentiment toward Mark “ebbs and flows” over the seasons and across the years.
“I’ve noticed over the 20 years or so since the film came out, that sometimes people find it romantic ― the gesture, the cards, all of that stuff,” he said. “And other times, people just think, ‘What is he doing? He should have been arrested.’”
Chiwetel’s latest movie, Rob Peace, hits theateres this week, while the annual Love Actually debates will return in a few months. He’s also set to return to the rom-com world with his upcoming role in the fourth Bridget Jones movie, set for release in February 2025.