Joanna Lumley's telling response when asked about plans to retire from acting
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Dame Joanna Lumley, a stalwart of the TV and film industry with a career spanning several decades, shows no signs of slowing down as she nears her 80th birthday. Known for her femme-fatale roles, comedic timing, and stage performances, the actress continues to captivate audiences.
Born in India in 1946 during the British Raj, Lumley moved to the UK as a young girl and attended boarding school. Despite an initial rejection from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she found her way into the acting world.
Her first significant role was a brief appearance as a Bond girl in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service. She then secured roles in popular TV shows like Coronation Street, Steptoe and Son, and Are You Being Served?, before landing her breakthrough role as Purdey in The New Avengers.
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Speaking at the SANDS International Film Festival of St Andrews on April 26, the iconic star expressed her determination to continue working in the industry, reports the Mirror.
"I'll be here when I'm 90 - as long as I can speak. When I was 16 and told the careers officer at my convent school that I wanted to go into acting, he told me that the only jobs open to me in film would be as a continuity or makeup girl," she shared, as reported by the Daily Mail.
(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Getty Images for University of S)
Joanna, who has previously voiced her thoughts on what she would 'ban' for teenagers, commented: "In the past women like me would have been sidelined at 38 but now there are lead parts for people in their 50s and big parts for those in their 70s."
Despite now being a celebrated name, the star of Amandaland opened up about the difficulties she faced on her journey to fame, especially as a young single mum at the tender age of 21.
"I've been skint – I had no money, and we lived off Marmite sandwiches for months, and I burnt furniture to keep us warm," she recalled, adding: "But having a son to look after gave me such motivation to work, and it wasn't so bad – it made me tough, and I learnt resilience."
She's just landed a fabulous new role in the Netflix sensation Wednesday, where she'll portray Hester Frump, the protagonist's grandmother. As well as being excited about the wigs and makeup for her spooky role, Joanna shared insights into her true character away from the camera glare.
With a history that took her from modelling to stardom, Joanna learned early the art of budgeting and quick thinking, often doing her own styling from head to toe in her formative years.
Now, travelling the globe as a sought-after actress, Joanna – a longstanding vegetarian – is known for having just one modest requirement on set, in stark contrast to the stereotypical demands of the Hollywood elite.
She shared: "The only thing I put on my rider when travelling is that I don't eat meat or fish in case I get an upset tummy," and added: "So if I am presented with meat when I visit somewhere I just say, 'Oh it is against my religion.'".
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