Penelope Wilton

“I have spent my whole life educating myself.”

“You need to keep on doing things you have never done before in your career. You have to have a go.”

“I am drawn to characters that go on journeys, characters that are real people, that have life.”

“It's true, I've become one of those grumpy older women.”

“Acting attracts shy people and show-offs.”

“You don't go to a comedy and try to laugh. You laugh in spite of yourself. You don't just come on stage and cry. Something has pushed you to cry.”

“I've learnt to listen. I don't think I always did listen.”

“I don't really care any longer what other people think.”

“The trouble with anyone when they're unhappy or in a relationship they recognize is not working but don't know what to do about is that they can't see farther out than that. If the relationship is not working, if what was there isn't there anymore, you have to do something about it.”

“Some people will never change.”

“In my life, I've had estates in Russia, houses in Spain, in Norway, in the deep south of America.”

“I've had very close relationships with some twentieth-century writers.”

“You can't look at people being crucified. Even if you know it is just pretend.”

“I find talking about acting very boring, having to come out with platitudes about how terribly nice everyone is. I would much rather just do it.”

“Mostly in life people are trying not to have emotions.”

“I can't understand why people so readily put themselves up to be humiliated.”

“I don't tell everyone my life history because if everyone knows your inside-leg measurement, how can you surprise them?”

“People in distress behave in a stressful way. They aren't all sweetness and light. They don't behave well when they are unhappy. That's just what I've observed.”

“The thing about being an actor is that you turn into other people. You have to hide yourself a bit in order to let that other person come out.”

“I love the drive from York to Whitby over the moors - one of the great journeys, in my book.”