I think originally they probably did want an all British cast but somehow I snuck in! 
Laura Linney's big screen career started in 1992 in the Nick Nolte weepie Lorenzo's Oil. After many other supporting roles, her first high profile role came opposite Jim Carrey in The Truman Show in 1998. Since then, she's won an Oscar nomination for You Can Count On Me, and starred alongside Kevin Spacey in The Life Of David Gale. Her latest film is the romantic comedy Love Actually.
So how did you end up being the only American in an ensemble of British actors?
I think originally they probably did want an all British cast, which I completely understand, but somehow I snuck in! I'm not the only American in there because Billy Bob Thornton has a cameo. But I guess I am the only American with a major storyline, and it was an amazing experience.
Tell us about your character and what your story is about?
She's a woman who works in an office and has a crush on a co-worker played by Rodrigo Santoro - who's utterly divine and criminally handsome. The two of us kind of skirt around each other in this office but she's someone who's burdened by family obligations. There's a pull she has that keeps love from entering her life and keeps her from accepting what does come to her.
SPOILER: So no love actually for you then?
No. It doesn't happen for her. Sadly, that's life. It doesn't happen for everybody. Usually there are reasons why and I think it's important that there are reasons why, that there are always reasons it doesn't work out.
What about the film as a whole? How do you feel about it?
In some ways this movie is very brave. It's very hard to put forth a film that's about love and the joy of love and for it not to be patronising and not make people nauseous or make them roll their eyes. I think it's the ultimate romantic comedy.
