Here’s why I think Curtis and his team made the right call. The magic of Love Actually is that it makes you believe the impossible. It makes you think the Prime Minister could actually fall for his tea lady. To kill that dream with a boring reality—like “we filmed this in a warehouse in Borehamwood”—would break the spell.
Was Love Actually filmed in Downing Street? | The Irish Sun
By building a perfect copy, they gave us permission to pretend. And isn’t that what Christmas movies are for? We want to believe that a bumbling, dancing PM exists behind that door. We don’t need the truth; we need the feeling of the truth.
It’s the same reason we forgive the movie for having about eleven different plot lines that never intersect. Logic is not the goal here. Feeling like a cup of hot cocoa is the goal.
So, What Did They Actually Film at the Real Address?
Almost nothing. A handful of establishing shots of the street—which, by the way, requires police permission and is generally a nightmare. In fact, during filming for the scene where the PM’s car drives out, they had to use a process shot (car filmed against a rear projection screen).
Even the famous Christmas lights on Downing Street were fake. Yep, those twinkling bulbs were hung by the lighting department, not the City of Westminster. I know, I know. It feels like a betrayal. But keep reading, because there’s a silver lining.
Love Actually Filming Locations in London You Can Visit Now in 2026
