In a revelation that highlights the eye-watering sums sometimes commanded by top celebrities, it has emerged that supermodel Claudia Schiffer earned a monumental fee for her blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance in the beloved Christmas film Love Actually.
The Multi-Thousand-Pound Minute
According to details published in Vogue, citing Andrew Holmes' book How Much?!: The $1000 Omelette..., Schiffer was paid a whopping $350,000 for her role. The scene, which lasts approximately 60 seconds, was filmed for the 2003 romantic comedy. At the time, this translated to around £275,000, or an astonishing £4,500 for every second she appeared on screen.
When adjusted for today's buying power, that figure becomes even more staggering. The fee is equivalent to approximately £458,000 in modern terms, or a mind-boggling £7,633 per second.
Schiffer's Scene as 'Carol'
In the film, Schiffer, now 55, plays Carol, a single mother who is the love interest for Liam Neeson's character, Daniel, a widower. Daniel mentions Carol as his dream woman throughout the story. The pivotal moment comes after a school play where Daniel's son, Sam (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), has played the drums to impress a classmate.
After Sam confesses his plan failed, Daniel promises they will find the girl. As he turns around, he literally bumps into Carol in the school corridor. After a brief, charming exchange where they introduce themselves, Daniel expresses a hope they will meet again. Carol sweetly replies, 'I'll make sure we do.'
A Shift in Focus After Family Life
The revelation about her lucrative cameo comes as Schiffer has spoken about how her life priorities changed after she married film director Matthew Vaughn and they welcomed their three children: Casper, 21, Clementine, 19, and Cosima, 14.
In a recent interview with HELLO! magazine, the German-born model explained that her fiercely competitive drive from her 20s softened. 'That changed when I had kids, and now, I feel lucky to have such a wonderful family,' she said. While acknowledging she could still book more modelling work, Schiffer stated she is content with the balance she has achieved, prioritising her children's well-being above all else.
The Daily Mail has contacted Claudia Schiffer's representatives for comment regarding the reported fee for her iconic festive film moment.
