Imelda Staunton Quotes

Children should always be brave and do something about bullying. Its not okay to stand by and let it happen. Bullies thrive off secrecy. Children should tell someone if they see someone being bullied.

We all must support the arts, as it is our culture. It makes us better people. It makes us happy; it gives us empathy and shows us how to live. It is so important.

I’ve always liked new writing.

You could say I’m a character actress. Or maybe a character actress who does peculiar, interesting lead roles.

We’re all unique as actors. To yourself, you are unique. You have to think, ‘I’m me. I’m not going to bunch myself with other people.’ Agents and producers have to get you into a box to accommodate their limited imaginations.

A lot of film stars are just playing themselves in different frocks.

A lot of me is very up, and you have to have light and shade. They are both important and you have to be able to balance them. You have to admit that sadness is part of you and that it enriches you. I use it in my work.

Chaotic people often have chaotic lives, and I think they create that. But if you try and have an inner peace and a positive attitude, I think you attract that.

If you’re at an award ceremony, you’re against your mates.

The one good thing is that I get a lot more good scripts coming through my letterbox. ‘Vera Drake’ raised my profile in one way, and then ‘Harry Potter’ in another.

We’re all unique as actors. To yourself, you are unique, you have to think ‘I’m me, I’m not going to bunch myself with other people.’ Agents and producers have to get you into a box, to accommodate their limited imaginations.

I adore Bette Davis and Vivien Leigh, but more because they were good actresses. That’s what makes me interested in them, that they didn’t present themselves as idols; they were just doing their jobs.

Agents and producers have to get you into a box to accommodate their limited imaginations.

To me, it’s really not about how I look – it’s about who I can be. It is my job to bring the character to life and my duty to fit into the jigsaw in that story.

You can only do your best. That’s all you can do. And if it isn’t good enough, it isn’t good enough.

Looking back, there is nothing wrong with that peace, love and equality that the hippies espoused. In many ways, we have regressed because they were into organic food, back to nature, make love not war, be good to all men, share and share alike – which is what many are talking about now.

Look at Judi Dench, who’s brilliant in whatever bloody job she does.

You read about poor people having Botox go wrong and you think: ‘Well, what the bloody hell were you doing?’ Why would you inject yourself with poison? And why are we spending so much time looking at ourselves? I just don’t get it.

We’re in a world that celebrates things: success, beauty, money. And I reckon that’s really about 4 per cent of the world. The rest of us are just getting on with it.

Drama school introduced me to a world I had no idea about. I wasn’t brought up in a literary household at all.

I’ve fallen over on stage a couple of times, but I’ve only ever bruised my ego.

Both my parents had heart problems: my mother had type 2 diabetes, and my father had a stroke.

I was brought up a Catholic, so I take no pleasure in guilt.

Having a child makes you strong and gives you chutzpah. It relaxed my attitude to the job; my center of focus shifted, which I think is very helpful, because even if you’re not a very indulgent actor you spend a lot of time thinking about yourself. I don’t think that is particularly healthy.

I think the first 10 years of my daughter’s life were my mother’s happiest, because she could finally have carefree time with a kid.

I worked in rep for six years, then I came to London and to the National Theatre. What’s better than that?

I never wanted for anything. We went to Ireland for holidays every year. I was 14 when we first went to Italy. My mum was determined I was going to go to a good school. My mum was an absolute grafter. A real grafter. I got my work ethic from her.