Love Actually star Martine McCutcheon has slammed critics who say the film is not politically correct.
The film is celebrating its 20th anniversary - but some fans and director Richard Curtis, reckon parts of the Christmas classic are out of date.
Richard, 66, recently said he would change bits of the script because “the lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid”.
However, Martine, 46, who played tea-lady Natalie in the film, says its imperfections are what makes it 'perfect'.
“I think, honestly, it was 20 years ago, and the world has changed a lot, but I also think that part of the charm of the film was the fact that some of the love stories and the characters weren’t perfect,” she said.
“They admitted – or we saw – their flaws [and] their insecurities, whether they were real or they weren’t. That’s what made it so human.
“For me, part of the reason that I love the film is because it was so honest and it wasn’t about ticking too many boxes and being PC, it was about being human,” reports MailOnline.
Martine also defended her character being referred to as “the chubby girl” throughout the film.
One member of the prime minister's cabinet comments on Natalie’s “sizeable a**e”, while she complains her ex broke up with her because “nobody wants a girlfriend with thighs the size of tree trunks”.
The EastEnders star said she thought it was "sweet" Natalie felt she could talk to the PM, played by Hugh Grant, with such honesty as she praised the film for its candidness.
Love Actually was released in 2003 and went on to become a staple feature of the UK festive season.
Despite a mixed critical response, the film was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards as well as Bill Nighy’s Bafta.
It grossed $246 million (£205 million) worldwide on a budget of $45 million (£37 million) and received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
The cast and writer Richard got together for an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer last month to celebrate the flick's anniversary.
Asked if there were any parts of the film that “made you wince”, Richard replied: “There are things that you would change, but thank God society is changing."
He later revealed he'd cut a scene from Love Actually, which featured Anne Reid playing the school's headmistress, who had a partner called Geraldine (played by Frances de la Tour), who was terminally ill.
Sadly, the scene was cut, with the Richard later admitting he was "really sorry" to lose the storyline.
