One of the most romantic comedies ever, Notting Hill, turned 20 . Yes, twenty years have passed since that contemporary fairytale became a cult film. The film was released on October 22, 1999 in cinemas.
The protagonists of the romantic love story are Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant , interpreters of this romantic comedy that compares two different worlds: on the one hand, the “glossy” universe of Hollywood to which the protagonist Anna Scott belongs, from the other is that of old England from which the protagonist, William Thacker, comes.
The unlikely love story between the beautiful Anna and the shy William was born in a neighborhood that is still a renowned tourist destination and has reached greater popularity thanks to the beloved film.
If you have dreamed at least once of passing through the places made famous by the film, of sitting on that famous bench on which the protagonists have sat, perhaps taking a picture, or of knowing some other little secret about the film , do not miss this one. item.
Let ‘s find out 6 curiosities about the Notting Hill movie:
1) The title of the film
The film takes its name from a district of London , where the famous bohemian Portobello Road is located. You may not know that, for about a century, it was the neighborhood of the Caribbean community . This is why the Caribbean carnival is celebrated every year. With the passage of time, the neighborhood has literally transformed and, in the 90s, has become an elegant and rich area . Also thanks to the film it has become a famous tourist destination.
2) The blue door
Not everyone knows that the famous blue door of the protagonist’s house is located exactly in the middle of the neighborhood . Also, Notting Hill screenwriter Richard Curtis had lived in that same house. In case you want to visit this place that has become a pilgrimage destination over time, the house is located at 280 Westbourne Park Road . For a few years, just to avoid too many tourists crowding in front of the house, the door was painted black .
3) The bench
Remember the bench from the film ? What you can admire in Australia, in Perth, it has been discovered that it is not the original piece on which the two protagonists sit, but a copy. It had been bought at auction by an anonymous man and then donated to a park. Only a short time ago, this detail emerged and it is absolutely not known where the original one can be kept .
4) The painting “La mariee”
In addition to not knowing where the original bench for the shooting of the film is, it is also a secret where the Marc Chagall painting that Anna gives to William is kept . The original painting belongs to a Japanese collector who asked that the copy made for Notting Hill be destroyed.
Source image: Wikipedia
5) Hugh Grant didn’t want to kiss Julia Roberts
Unbelievable but true, Hugh Grant had no intention of kissing Julia Roberts . The reason? According to the actor, the protagonist’s mouth was too big , so maybe not to her liking. Considering the numerous kisses that the two protagonists exchange during the film, one would never have thought. Who knows how Julia Roberts took Hugh Grant’s statements!
6) He cachet
The protagonist was not offended by Hugh Grant’s statements but in response I reveal another little secret related to the film. In fact, Roberts confesses the compensation she received to star in the film : $ 15 million. It was perhaps thanks to the agreement on her cachet, equal to her colleague (which is not exactly frequent in the star system) that Julia did not take offense and it was easier to forgive him.
