I played old men back in drama school. It's just now that I'm drawing level with the age of the characters I play, but I'm fine with that, and I've certainly never envied people who became hugely famous when they were young.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I'm finding a lot of actors my age now who are a bit more like me, and not as posh or brought up in a certain way. There's now people of all sorts of kinds of backgrounds.
I was always a character actress, even when I was an ingenue. But as you age, people know what to do with you, and you're not quite as dependent on maintaining leading-lady beauty.
I was never a juvenile lead or a romantic hero, and I didn't come into my own as an actor until I was 40.
I was raised by two actors in a moment in time - the Seventies - when there was no judgment of characters, no heroes and bad guys.
I've really had good luck working with younger actors. Every younger actor that I have worked with has always been really on top of their game and fascinating to watch.
When I started acting almost 50 years ago, it wasn't about fame. It was about acting.
The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing old on-screen. It's understanding that you're now basically a character actor. Which is fine, but you have to pay attention to it.
I happen to be very good with younger actors because I have extremely vivid memories of that time of my life, and kids are just funny.
Since first starting my career, I've grown accustomed to working with actors older than me. I'm always the youngest.
I've always played characters that were younger than myself.