Rowan Atkinson Finally Reveals Why He Wasted Time In Wrapping The Necklace In The "Love Actually" Movie

Rowan Atkinson has finally spilled the tea on one of the most painfully specific moments in Love Actually. You know the scene, Rufus in Selfridges, carefully wrapping the necklace like it’s a mission, not a gift.

Here’s the setup that makes it extra ridiculous: Harry is out shopping with Karen, decides to buy a necklace for his assistant Mia, and somehow Rufus gets involved. Instead of a quick bow and done, Rufus goes full overachiever, wrapping the £270 piece with ribbons, flower petals, and even whole flipping cinnamon sticks, all while trying to “avoid” something.

And the wild part? Atkinson says it wasn’t just chaos, it was the character’s real role all along. Here’s the full story.

In the famous Love Actually sequence, Rowan Atkinson's character Rufus took a long time to wrap the necklace

Universal

While Harry and Karen are busy picking out the necklace, Rufus is treating the wrapping like a whole side quest in Selfridges.

Harry made the decision to purchase a necklace for his assistant, Mia (Heike Makatsch), while out shopping with Karen. Rufus began overwrapping the expensive piece of bling, which cost an enormous £270, in order to avoid that.

In the popular 2003 Christmas romantic comedy, Atkinson disclosed that his character was truly an angel

Universal

That’s why the cinnamon sticks matter, because Rufus isn’t just decorating, he’s trying to prevent the situation from going the wrong way.

This is the same kind of emotional crash as Kim Kardashian breaking down over Kanye West allegedly calling her Paris robbery fake.

Then the rumor mill kicks in, with fans speculating that Rufus was meant to be an “angel” who could stop Harry’s affair.

While many spectators must have been in excruciating pain as Rufus took his time wrapping the gift—complete with ribbons, flower petals, and even whole flipping cinnamon sticks—there was a secret motive for his lengthy and intricate packaging of the covert purchase. For years, fans have speculated on social media about the character's motivations, and Atkinson has now verified the claims.

He recently promoted his new Netflix series Man vs. Baby during an interview with Scott Mills on BBC Two's Breakfast show.

Atkinson has now come to verify the claims that has been circulating online

Universal

Atkinson confirms it during his <em>Man vs. Baby</em> promo on BBC Two’s Breakfast with Scott Mills, tying the “angel” idea directly to the wrapping scene.

During the conversation, Mills inquired about the rumors that Rufus was initially intended to be a "angel" in a previous draft of the movie's script and might have prevented Harry's affair entirely. "Well, actually, I mean in theory [being a Christmas angel] is still his role when my character is doing the wrapping in Selfridges of the gift," Atkinson said.

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Turns out Rufus wasn’t wasting time, he was playing angel with a £270 necklace.

Want more twisted Christmas secrets, read what theory someone shared about “The Holiday” changing everything.