The Full Cast Of 'What's Love Got To Do With It? (2022)'—And Where They Are Now

The 2022 romantic comedy What's Love Got to Do with It?, directed by Shekhar Kapur and written by Jemima Khan, offers a fresh, cross-cultural perspective on modern love, standing in stark contrast to the 1993 biopic of the same name about Tina Turner. Released in late 2022 and early 2023 globally, this film quickly became a feel-good hit, sparking conversations about the differences between "love marriage" and "assisted marriage" in a contemporary British-Pakistani context. The success of the movie hinges entirely on its stellar ensemble cast, featuring a blend of global stars and acclaimed veteran actors who bring a complex, humorous, and deeply human story to life.

The film’s central premise follows a documentary filmmaker who decides to chronicle her childhood best friend’s journey toward an arranged marriage, only to question her own cynical views on finding lasting love. This article dives deep into the complete cast list, the characters they play, and the fascinating dynamic they create in this unique romantic comedy that explores how to find connection in today's complicated world, as of December 2025.

Meet the Stars: The Main Cast and Characters of the 2022 Rom-Com

The core of What's Love Got to Do with It? is the magnetic chemistry between its leads, supported by a powerhouse of British and international talent, including an Academy Award winner. The film was a major production for Working Title Films, a studio famous for iconic British rom-coms like Love Actually and Notting Hill.

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• Lily James as Zoe Stevenson: James, known for roles in Cinderella and Pam & Tommy, plays the cynical, dating-app-addicted documentary filmmaker who is professionally successful but romantically adrift. Zoe's journey is one of self-discovery, forced to confront her own biases against traditional marriage when she begins filming her best friend's engagement.
• Shazad Latif as Kazim "Kaz" Khan: Latif, who has appeared in Star Trek: Discovery and Penny Dreadful, portrays Kaz, Zoe’s charismatic childhood best friend. Kaz is a British-Pakistani doctor who opts for an "assisted marriage" with a young woman from Pakistan, believing it offers a more stable, practical path to a family than the chaotic Western dating scene.
• Emma Thompson as Cath Stevenson: The Academy Award-winning actress plays Zoe’s well-meaning but often over-the-top mother, Cath. Her character embodies the sometimes-clueless, yet ultimately loving, liberal Western parent, providing much of the film’s comic relief with her attempts to embrace Pakistani culture.
• Shabana Azmi as Aisha Khan: Azmi, a legendary Indian actress, plays Kaz’s mother, Aisha. Her performance grounds the film, representing the traditional yet evolving matriarchal figure navigating her children's lives in a Western society.
• Sajal Ali as Maymouna: Ali, a prominent Pakistani actress, plays Maymouna, the young woman from Lahore chosen to be Kaz’s bride. Her character is crucial in challenging Zoe’s—and the audience's—preconceptions about arranged marriages, proving to be intelligent and modern.

The Supporting Ensemble: Key Entities That Complete the Story

A great romantic comedy requires a strong supporting cast, and What's Love Got to Do with It? delivers by filling its world with vibrant, diverse characters. These actors and their roles are essential for exploring the film's themes of cultural clash, family expectations, and the many faces of love.

The Stevenson Family and Friends

• Oliver Chris as James: Chris plays a love interest in Zoe's life, representing the kind of casual, non-committal dating Zoe is desperately trying to escape.
• Alice Orr-Ewing as Helena: Helena is part of Zoe’s friendship circle, offering a contrast to Zoe's romantic struggles.

The Khan Family and Community

• Asim Chaudhry as Mo: Chaudhry, known for *People Just Do Nothing*, plays Mo, a member of the Pakistani community who adds comedic and cultural flavor to the narrative.
• Jeff Mirza as Zahid Khan: Mirza plays Kaz's father, Zahid, the patriarch of the Khan family, who is deeply invested in upholding cultural tradition while living in the UK.
• Nikkita Chadha as Baby: Chadha plays a friend or relative, contributing to the bustling family atmosphere surrounding Kaz’s impending wedding.

The film also features a special appearance by world-renowned Pakistani musician Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, whose music is integral to the cultural backdrop of the wedding preparations, adding an authentic and celebratory layer to the film's soundscape.

Behind the Scenes: The Visionaries and The Assisted Marriage Theme

The film’s unique perspective is rooted in the personal experiences of its key creators, which is what makes the content so fresh and authoritative. This is not just a standard romantic comedy; it's a deep dive into cultural practices often misunderstood in the West.

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The Creative Team

• Shekhar Kapur (Director): The acclaimed Indian director, known for *Elizabeth* and *Bandit Queen*, brought a sensitive and visually rich touch to the film, balancing the comedy with genuine emotional depth. His involvement was key to ensuring the cultural elements felt authentic.
• Jemima Khan (Screenwriter and Producer): The screenplay is based on Khan's firsthand experiences and observations living in Pakistan and having friends who entered into assisted marriages. She was keen to explore the idea that "assisted marriages" (a term preferred over "arranged marriage" in the film) can be successful, often having lower divorce rates than "love marriages," challenging the Western romantic ideal. Khan's script spent a long time in development, ensuring a nuanced portrayal of the cultural differences.

The Assisted Marriage vs. Love Marriage Debate

The central thematic conflict is the contrast between Zoe's reliance on dating apps and casual hookups ("love marriage" in the modern sense) and Kaz's decision to trust his family's judgment ("assisted marriage").

Kaz explains that an assisted marriage is not forced; it is a family-supported process where two individuals and their families are carefully matched based on shared values, background, and compatibility, with the final choice resting on the individuals. This concept of love growing from commitment, rather than commitment stemming from initial passionate love, is the core of the film’s topical authority. Writer Jemima Khan noted that she has friends who have had "incredibly happy assisted marriages," which drove her desire to tell this story.

Topical Authority: Why the 2022 Film is the Current Focus

While many people immediately think of the 1993 biopic starring Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne when they hear the title *What's Love Got to Do with It?*, the 2022 film is the most current and relevant entity for a search on updated cast information.

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The 1993 film, a biographical drama about the life of Tina Turner, is a classic and remains important, especially following the passing of the music icon. However, the 2022 film represents a fresh, contemporary, and entirely different genre—the modern romantic comedy—and is the subject of current discussions and streaming views. The stark difference in subject matter—a rock-and-roll biopic versus a cross-cultural rom-com—makes the shared title a point of interesting confusion for audiences.

The Impact and Legacy of the Cast

The ensemble cast, particularly the pairing of Lily James and Shazad Latif, was praised for their chemistry, which successfully carries the film's delicate balance between comedy and cultural commentary. Emma Thompson's performance as the eccentric mother Cath also received significant attention, solidifying her status as a rom-com veteran.

The film’s success highlights a growing trend in cinema: the desire for authentic, diverse, and nuanced stories about love that move beyond the traditional Hollywood formula. By focusing on a Pakistani-British family and the concept of assisted marriage, the film provides a platform for actors like Shabana Azmi and Sajal Ali to showcase their talent to a wider global audience, enriching the cinematic landscape with cross-cultural themes and genuine heart.

The movie is a testament to the idea that love, regardless of how it begins—whether through a dating app, a chance encounter, or a family introduction—is ultimately about finding connection, respect, and mutual understanding. The fresh and diverse cast is the primary reason this Working Title production resonated so well with modern audiences worldwide.