The world of romantic comedies and book-to-screen adaptations have converged in the form of Love Again. James C. Strouse’s adaptation of Sophie Cramer’s 2009 novel, SMS für Dich (which follows a grieving woman who sends romantic messages to her dead boyfriend’s old phone number every morning only for a reporter to receive them instead), is now in theaters, giving fans of the genre a chance to fall in love with its story and the actors who bring it to life.
Speaking of those actors…
There’s a good chance after watching Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan fall in love with one another, you’re wondering where you’ve seen the Love Again cast before. Well, worry no longer, for we have put together a list of why everyone looks so familiar. Well, except for Celine Dion, because who can forget her?
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Mira Ray)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays one of the leads in Love Again with her portrayal of Mira Ray, a children’s book author and illustrator still struggling to overcome the death of her boyfriend two years ago. But, her journey of grief takes a drastic turn upon meeting Rob Burns.
An accomplished actress in her native India and Hollywood, Chopra Jonas has appeared in movies like The Hero, Krrish, Baywatch, Isn’t It Romantic, We Can Be Heroes, and The Matrix Resurrections. Her TV work is just as impressive, having led Quantico, and worked on the HBO Max hidden gem A World of Calm, and most recently, led the Prime Video original series, Citadel.
Sam Heughan (Rob Burns)
Playing opposite Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the Love Again cast is Sam Heughan, who takes on the role of Rob Burns, the journalist who begins to fall in love with Mira after receiving texts sent to her dead boyfriend's old phone number.
Diehard fans of Outlander will instantly recognize Heughan from his portrayal of Jamie Fraser on the show that is about to kick off its seventh season. Let’s be real, though, even those who haven’t watched the show probably know about Heughan at this point. His other TV series include Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham, Suspect, and the upcoming, tantalizing The Couple Next Door. Heughan hasn’t made nearly as many film appearances over the years, but his list of credits is impressive with the likes of The Spy Who Dumped Me, Bloodshot, SAS: Red Notice, and multiple others.
Celine Dion (Celine Dion)
Celine Dion shows up in the rom-com, playing a version of herself who works with Rob on his journey to find true love.
Throughout her decades-long singing career, which includes songs like “All By Myself,” “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” and the megahit “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic soundtrack, the multi-time Grammy winner has appeared in a handful of movies like Quest for Camelot and Muppets Most Wanted. She has also portrayed herself before on shows like The Nanny, Touched by an Angel, and Hell’s Kitchen.
Russell Tovey (Billy)
Russell Tovey is in the film as Billy, Rob’s friend and colleague who helps him branch out more.
Throughout his career, which dates back to the mid ‘90s, Tovey has appeared on TV shows like Agatha Christie’s Poirot, The Bill, Doctor Who, Being Human, Sherlock, Looking, Quantico (alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas), Years and Years, and most recently American Horror Story: NYC. Tovey has also made several film appearances throughout his career, including movies like The Lady in the Van, The Pass, The Good Liar, Allelujah, and a small part in Muppets Most Wanted, which also featured future Love Again co-star Celine Dion.
Sofia Barclay (Suzy)
The cast also includes Sofia Barclay, who takes on the role of Mira Ray’s supportive sister, Suzy, who tries desperately to get her back into the dating world.
Though probably not as recognizable as other members of the cast, Barclay has been quite busy since making her professional acting debut back in 2010. This includes small roles on shows like Beyond the Blade, Defending the Guilty, NYPD Blue, and We Are Lady Parts. Barclay also joined the Ted Lasso cast for a single episode during the Apple TV+ original series’ second season. She has also appeared in multiple short films over the years.
Lydia West (Lisa)
Lydia West shows up here as Lisa, another one of Rob's friends from work, one who is wise and savvy, but also extremely cynical when it comes to things like love.
Fans of Russell T. Davies’ drama series like Years and Years (alongside Love Again co-star Russell Tovey) and It’s a Sin will instantly recognize West from her star-making performances on two outstanding shows. But, if not that, then maybe fans of the 2022 BBC One and Netflix series, Inside Man, will remember the actress from her portrayal of crime journalist Beth Davenport. West has also appeared on shows like Dracula, Suspicion, and The Pentaverate.
Arinzé Kene (John)
Arinzé Kene appears in the Love Again cast as John, Mira Ray’s deceased boyfriend whose old cell phone number was later picked up by Rob, starting the whole romantic journey at the heart of the movie.
Probably best known for his portrayal of Connor Stanley on EastEnders, Kene has also appeared on shows like Youngers, Crazyhead, Flack, and Informer. His film appearances include the likes of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, How to Build a Girl, Been So Long, and I’m Your Woman.
Nick Jonas (Mira's Date)
And then there is Nick Jonas, who makes a brief appearance in a scene in which he goes on an awkward date with Mira, who is played by his real-life wife, Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
In addition to his incredibly successful music career (both as a solo artist and with the Jonas Brothers) he has landed some memorable film roles throughout his career, including parts in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its 2019 sequel, Chaos Walking, Midway, and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. He’s also landed small-screen gigs on shows like Kingdom, Scream Queens, and Hawaii Five-0, to name a few.
Well, this about wraps up the major players in the Love Again cast. With each of the actors being busier than ever, there’s a good chance we’ll be seeing all of them again in some of the other upcoming 2023 new movie releases.
