Geraldine James
The first job of an actress, for me, is creating relationships with other characters, and you have to achieve that almost instantly.
When I left drama school I worked in children's theatre for six months, then went up to the Gateway to do my first ever rep job.
Friends become more important as you get older and give you a sense of where you are.
It's very comfortable to work with somebody that you know well.
My fantasy was to have a home in the country with six children, all with different fathers. The fathers would come down occasionally and provide for us. I thought that was a marvellous solution - just me and all my kids.
I was brought up very traditionally to think the man should be the breadwinner. My concerns were all about fulfilling an image that has been dreamt up for you.
My parents were stuck in the idea of what a marriage should be, and they divorced. So I've tried to take the word 'should' out of my vocabulary.
I used to run quite a lot and then I stopped.
You see people who, because they are leading actors, think they're of a higher echelon than mere mortals. And that really annoys me, because that's not true.
If people say, 'Please don't tell anybody,' I say, 'I can't involve my husband in that. He has to know.' He's party to everything but he doesn't talk about things. So my discretion levels are fairly high.
I talk to my husband about everything.
They are brought up to be the providers, the tough guys at the top of the family. The attitude is: 'Don't make me feel better or I might cry - and wouldn't that be awful?'
I think men have much more difficulty in saying: 'Could I talk to you about this?' The idea of counselling is still a tough one for them.
You do get the same people on telly an awful lot, which is sad because there are so many people out there who can do it.
Being bad for being bad's sake is just being a villain.
I think 'Utopia' is incredibly relevant and very frightening, and very important.
America television is terrifying. It's the best, but my God, it's the worst, isn't it?
I do like children, but not if I'm on holiday and their screaming abdabs get in the way of what I'm doing.
I only feel at home once I've shopped in a place.
My fantasy would be somewhere very sunny, where I'm not burning and I've had lots of sleep and read lots of books.
I'm not very showy.
One minute I'm on stage in London, the next Hollywood, swanning around with Daniel Craig in a golf buggy.
I went to a posh school but I'm not a posh person.
I don't want to find 'my part' and keep doing it.
If you look at my generation, there are some pretty amazing actresses.
Programmes like 'Who Do You Think You Are?' and 'Restoration' are marvellous.
My advice to young actors is very simple: don't forget to have children. When you get caught up in your career, it's very difficult to turn down work. But you have to make a decision, and just do it.
Cate Blanchett is extraordinary.
At around 45, when I was being offered the same old boring TV parts. So I went back to the theatre.
I have one daughter, but I always thought I'd have four.
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