Did
you always want to become an actress?
“No. I was
going to become a ballet dancer and then I wanted to teach deaf
children.
“I am
completely deaf in my right ear and have only 40 per cent
hearing in my left.”
So
how was your deafness caused?
“Mine is
what is known as nerve deafness and it is a complete and utter
pain.
“People’s
awareness is not nearly as strong as it should be and
unfortunately, it has a lot of association with stupidity or
being mentally deficient.”
Has
your hearing deficiency been a big hindrance to you then?
“Yes. It’s
been a constant hindrance in that I nearly get run over every
time I try and cross the road.
“The problem
is that there is simply nothing glamorous about being deaf so I
would like to try and change that.
“If I am
sometimes perceived as glamorous then I just hope that I can
become a positive role model for other deaf people.”
So
going back to your career - what was it like appearing in Tenko?
“It was a
terrific series. The people in the cast were just the best bunch
of women and it was a real experience.”
Well,
what about Dynasty and The Colbys?
“It was
massive fun and I adored The Colbys.
“It was just
wonderful to personify the whole feel of the 1980s and all the
self-seeking greed and admiration of money.”
But
was it as glamorous as it looked?
“Yes, it
was.”
You
are now starring in Simon Williams’ Nobody’s
Perfect - what is that like?
"Well, Simon
is just heaven.
“He not only
wrote the play but he also stars in it and it’s just
terrific to have the author right there.
“He just
makes everyone laugh so much.”
What
character do you play?
“I play a
publisher and, basically, I only publish books by women.
“Things
start to go wrong when a man tries to submit a book to our
publishing house.
“I won’t
give anything else away. You’ll have to come and see it.”
Can
you tell me a bit more about your character?
“She’s
a real feminist but she is the same as any other working girl -
trying to juggle a romantic life with work.”
Are
you a feminist in real life?
“No, because
I don’t need to be. I am just myself, thank you very much -
I am a very lucky woman.”
But
do you think you are like your character in any way?
“Yes, in the
way that she has a hard shell and a soft centre.
“She’s
witty, acerbic and won’t stand for any nonsense and in that
way we are certainly similar.”
You
have always managed to maintain a very glamorous image - are you
as glamorous in real life?
“My family
life is the most important thing to me and it is always my main
focus.
“I think it
is sad when life is all about cutting out newspaper clippings -
it’s much more important to have a strong focus in life.
“If other
people find me glamorous then that’s terrific but it’s
not something you do consciously.”
You
have two daughters - do you get to see much of them?
“Yes, all
the time.
“In fact, my
eldest daughter, Phoebe, recently had a baby boy, who is called
Jude.”
Do
you have homes both here and in America then?
“Yes, but
with the new love of my life (Jude) in England I have been
spending a lot of time over here.”
You
have just done a film called Unconditional Love - what’s
that all about?
“It’s
an extremely silly comedy that was directed by the same director
as My Best Friend’s Wedding. In fact, I seem to be
doing rather a lot of comedy lately.
“Life is fun
right now and I suppose doing comedy is a reflection of that.”
So,
do you have any other projects in the pipeline?
“So far I
haven’t addressed than. But I tend not to take breaks and
usually go from job to job.
“My
philosophy is always to live for today, though. It’s the
only reference point you really have.”
What
do you do to relax when you are not busy working?
“I love
gardening, even if it’s just putting a few new bulbs in a
window box. It’s a very restful thing to do.”
You
have done a lot of work for charity in the past. Is that
something that is important to you?
“Yes, it is.
It sounds very obvious to say, but I just want to give something
back.
“At the end
of the day, what is the point in being famous if you don’t
use your celebrity status for some good purpose?”
• Nobody’s
Perfect will be at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
from Tuesday May 1 to Saturday May 5.
