That Christmas’ Richard Curtis Says Past Films Needed More Inclusivity

British screenwriter and director Richard Curtis isn’t afraid to learn from past mistakes — and that’s exactly what he did when creating his new holiday film, That Christmas.

“You know, sometimes I’ve done things in my past films and I look back at them and think, ‘Oh, I could have and should have done better there,’” Curtis, 68, exclusively told Us Weekly, referring to some of his previous movies and their lack of inclusivity. “I think, you know, it’s really important to me to reflect the world we live in and the complexity and the diversity of it.”

In a 2022 interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer in honor of Love Actually’s — which Curtis wrote and directed — 20th anniversary, he addressed past criticism regarding the film and its lack of racial diversity.

“There are things you’d change but, thank God, society is changing, so my film is bound, in some moments, to feel out of date,” the director said at the time. “The lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid.”

Creating a story where more viewers can see themselves reflected in the characters was certainly top of mind for Curtis when directing That Christmas — an animated film based on the fame director’s trilogy of children’s books.

Succession’s Brian Cox stars as Santa Claus in the film, alongside Love Actually’s Bill Nighy, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen and more.

“The movie is set in a place that is terrifically close to the place where I live and go every day at Christmas,” Curtis explained. “And in a way, my great joy is that I go these wonderful designers and movie makers to come up, spend time where we live, find the quintessential beauty in the beach and the lighthouse and the sort of look of the high street and to see this place, which I think is magical.”

Like his books, the film follows a series of stories all entwined and centered around families and friends, love, conflict, feelings of togetherness and the feeling of being alone. That Christmas marks Curtis’s first animated film — he is, of course, most known for directing rom com hits like Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill.

“I think one of the great things about animated movies is that they can create the most amazing world of animals or robots or everything like that,” Curtis says of his foray into the world of animation. “I’ve also, over the years, really loved very small, intimate animated films. I’m obsessed by the first Charlie Brown’s Christmas and there was a movie called My Life as a Zucchini, which is just a story (about a) little boy.”

He added, “So I love the idea of doing an animation with all its richness, but actually focusing on really normal kids and families to whom quite normal things are happening with a bit of sparkle in the middle, from Santa.”

While numerous stories are depicted within the film itself, Curtis admits there is one storyline in particular that tugs at his heartstrings.

“There’s this story of this little boy called Danny … sort of a latchkey kid whose mom is working in the health service and is being forced to work too hard, and dad ran off and everything,” he explained. “I like the fact of having something that feels (like a) real, you know, 2020 family with those problems rather than a kind of Dickensian problem. So I think that setup is probably my favorite.”

That Christmas premieres on Netflix December 4.

With reporting from Travis Cronin