For almost two decades The holiday has been a seasonal staple in many households. Jude Law, who has fond memories of filming the romantic comedy, “can’t believe” it has stood the test of time. (Well, 18 years old to be exact.)
“It’s still a miracle to me,” he told Yahoo Entertainment while promoting his new thriller. The Order. “I love it because you can’t plan that kind of relationship between a film and its audience. And I think it’s so charming and so moving that so many people come back to it every year.”
Law played Cameron Diaz’s love interest, Graham (aka “Mr. Napkinhead”), in the 2006 film, which also starred Kate Winslet and Jack Black. “Three wonderful actors with whom I had the pleasure of working,” he reflected. When asked why he thinks that The holiday still insists, he said he has “no idea.”
“What I mean by that is it was a beautiful experience to make. I would never really – people always associate me with rom-coms. That’s really the only real romantic comedy I’ve ever made, and I’ve always wanted to want to make one,” he said, saying he grew up watching Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn films.
“I was very intrigued to make one and make one. And it was a fun experience,” he said. “It was just a happy time. But you have no idea when you make it that it will have an impact… the idea of something living on is – I mean, if I knew, I would do it every year.”
The holiday director Nancy Meyers recently posted about the film as it topped Prime Video’s streaming charts. Meyers recalled how it had “a somewhat disappointing domestic opening in 2006.”
“Young filmmakers: remember, you don’t make films for an opening weekend or a musical number that no one will ever remember. You put your work out into the world and let time tell your story. I’m sure this applies to all types of creative work ,” she wrote this weekend.
Law’s latest film, The Order, is a little different than The holiday. The 51-year-old actor plays an FBI agent investigating a series of robberies linked to domestic terrorists trying to finance an uprising against the US government. The film is based on a true story.
“I was surprised that this piece of history wasn’t told,” Law, who is also a producer on the film, told Yahoo. “There are clearly uncomfortable parallels with the political climate of the moment and the divisive nature of society worldwide at the moment. It just fueled the need to get this thing fixed.”
The Order is in theaters now.