Helen Baxendale Quotes

People latch on to characters who are rude or naughty or bad. Look at JR in ‘Dallas’ or Angie in ‘EastEnders.’ They’re the best parts, the parts people want to be like.

People know me but can’t quite place me – they squint at me like I might be their old school teacher or a woman they’ve seen down the local pub.

I’ve never had my feet done and never had my legs waxed.

I suit high passions, and I can play women who have undercurrents going on.

When you’re given the chance, you can’t really not go to the Caribbean, can you?

People expect because it is called ‘Friends’ that everyone was great friends, but they were real professionals.

You don’t keep in contact with many of the people you work with because there are so many. Acting’s just a transient job, very occasionally you’ll meet people and really hit it off but generally you just know people to say hello to.

I love the idea of seeing a character – I mean, there’s nothing like seeing a character and having the huge detail and roundness that a character in a book can give you. It’s so much more full than a character in a script can give you, isn’t it?

People in TV don’t want leading actresses over 40.

Fame just didn’t fit in with my life.

For me, acting is like a holiday. I spend a lot of time at home with my kids, and then every so often I go out and flex my creative muscles on stage.

Listen, I’m extremely lucky. I can’t complain at all. I’ve had a very good go at it. But there is no doubt that as a woman it gets harder as you get older. I don’t think it’s so hard for men – that’s the same in a lot of industries.

We’ve still got a cathode ray TV with a big back. An ancient, massive thing. All our teenagers’ friends come round and say the TV’s really cool. The picture is so much better than HD TVs – everything looks like film. It’s not digital, and we still haven’t got Netflix. It’s too confusing.

After I’d been on Friends, people would whisper as I went past. I no longer had proper dialogues with people.

I don’t know what drippy means, but it’s not very nice. To be drippy. I don’t feel like I drip much at all.

It’s frightening to go onto a stage, particularly in the first few days.

I used to try to carry the weight of my character around with me, but I just can’t do that now, it’s too hard.

I certainly don’t get the opportunities I had when I was younger.

I have vivid memories of my dad watching ‘Not the Nine o’Clock News.’ I didn’t really get it but I thought it was hilarious because he was laughing.

I really don’t feel much of a pull to go back to work. It’s a difficult one because I don’t want to end up with no career.

‘Friends’ and ‘Cold Feet’ seem like a lifetime ago. That whole period is like a weird, bizarre blip or a surreal dream.

I have to enjoy life – it is a privilege to be an actor and I love what I do, so I will act those moments and then do my best to switch off – life is too short.

I originally wanted to be a ballet dancer and trained for years, but when I was around 18, I realized I wasn’t going to be as good a ballet dancer as I’d hoped I’d be and decided to become an actress instead.

Of course you come back after a long day and are heavy hearted when all of your scenes are unremittingly upsetting or angry, but I don’t take it home with me.

It’s surprisingly easy to get teenagers to watch subtitles.

‘Beyond The Pole’s Facebook page has been incredibly instrumental in introducing us to new people and to making connections with journalists, cinemas everything.

It’s not like I’m back for bath-time and bedtime for the children. You’re back when they are asleep and you go out before they wake up. Really, that time when they are young goes all too quickly.

I’ve never had a facial, ever.

Each job I do is a bit of a logistical nightmare because of the kids, so I always feel like I need a good rest afterwards.

I’m not steely ambitious.

Our after-dinner entertainment would be a little family party. We’d string up twinkling fairy lights, put on some music and dance around in the glow of the fire.

I met my partner, actor David Elliot, when we were both in the play ‘La Ronde’ by Arthur Schnitzler.

I’ve pursued every avenue open to me ever, so I don’t really understand the idea that I walked away from opportunities.

There are so many detective shows on television, aren’t there? There’s a real glut of grisly and violent ones, that aren’t my cup of tea.

It’s hard to balance work-life commitments and sometimes you feel you’re not doing anything particularly well.

I never felt sorry for the people in ‘Friends’ though. They had enormous wealth and they were very funny, creative people who gave a lot of people happiness.

I don’t have any regrets whatsoever because it has been my life. I’ve been very privileged, I’m lucky and I’m still alive.

In career terms it would have been preferable for me to have done ‘Friends,’ because it lifts you and just, mmmm, gives you some kind of cachet.

If you are blonde with a little nose people always think you are gentle and not very bright.

I’ve never had my nails done – look at them!

Everything is nerve-wracking at first. Maybe it’s getting older! I don’t think I used to be so nervous.

When I was growing up, we used to be like the Royle family, sitting around watching lots of TV and commenting on it. It was our focal point.

When I’m filming I feel guilty about never seeing the children, but when I’ve not been working for six months I begin to think: ‘Who am I?’

Today’s culture is based on selling us a lifestyle that does not exist. It is selling us values that are worth nothing. It is plain wrong.

I find children still come up to me and say ‘You’re Emily from Friends.’

Valentine’s Day isn’t always as much fun as many of us would like.

Good love and romance aren’t always what the hype cracks them up to be.

Seriously though, most films worth their salt will have something to say about the world we live in. Even ‘Avatar’ claimed that!

I just knew it would be good fun playing Agatha Christie.

‘Cuckoo’ really is one of the best shows I’ve ever been in. I’m genuinely excited and proud to be a part of it.