Colin Firth is a regular fixture on our screens during the festive period thanks to his role in Richard Curtis's rom-com classic, Love Actually, which is a Yuletide favourite in homes up and down the country. The actor plays newly single writer Jamie, who falls for his Portuguese housekeeper, Aurelia, having fled London for France after discovering that his girlfriend cheated on him with his brother.
Colin has held a number of fan-favourite roles over the years, from Jamie in Love Actually to Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary and Harry Bright in Mamma Mia!. But did you know that he once turned down the chance to play a now-iconic character?
The 65-year-old was originally cast to voice Paddington Bear in the Paddington film, Paul King's 2014 family favourite, following the titular character, created by author Michael Bond, as he journeys from the jungles of Peru to the streets of London.
Why did Colin Firth turn down the chance to play Paddington?
In June 2014, it was announced that the Oscar-winning actor had pulled out of voicing the Paddington film. The King's Speech star said that he had been unable to find the right voice for the bear.
"After a period of denial, we've chosen 'conscious uncoupling'," Firth said in a statement, referencing the term made famous by Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin when they separated in March the same year.
"It's been bittersweet to see this delightful creature take shape and come to the sad realisation that he simply doesn't have my voice," the actor told Entertainment Weekly. "I've had the joy of seeing most of the film and it's going to be quite wonderful. I still feel rather protective of this bear and I'm pestering them all with suggestions for finding a voice worthy of him."
Meanwhile, director Paul King said Colin's voice wasn't a fit for the bear. "I cannot thank [Firth] enough for his contribution to Paddington," he said.
"We love the voice and we love the bear, but as our young bear came into being, we agreed that the two didn't seem to fit. So, with somewhat heavy hearts we decided to part ways."
Who stars in Paddington?
One month after Colin announced he had stepped down from the role, it was revealed that Ben Whishaw had been cast as the voice of Paddington.
Ben, 45, who is best known for playing Q in the James Bond films Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die, as well as for roles in Black Doves and This Is Going to Hurt, has since starred in two further films, released in 2017 and 2024.
Other cast members include Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent. Meanwhile, Colin's Love Actually and Bridget Jones co-star, Hugh Grant, plays the villainous Phoenix Buchanan, appearing in the second and third films.
What is Paddington about?
The film follows the titular bear, who leaves his home in the Peruvian rainforest after a devastating earthquake in search of a new place to live. When he arrives in London, he's found at Paddington station by the Brown family, who take him home.
The marmalade-loving bear has since become a beloved British symbol, representing empathy, kindness and acceptance, with the film showing the challenges that come with being an outsider and the transformative power of kindness.