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Born in Essex, Juliet Stevenson, 69, studied at Rada and made her film debut in Drowning By Numbers. Her other film work includes Truly, Madly, Deeply and Bend It Like Beckham. On stage, she has performed for the RSC and the National. She received an Olivier in 1992 for her role in Death and the Maiden and the 2019 Critics’ Circle best actress award for The Doctor. She is current touring By a Lady, a show about Jane Austen which is at the Buxton Opera House 10 May. She is married with two children and lives in London.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I talk too much.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Cruelty.
Describe yourself in three words
Impulsive, enthusiastic, determined.
What would your superpower be?
Healing the sick.
What makes you unhappy?
The men currently running the world.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Most of it. I’ve never been very keen on what I look like. I’ve struggled with body image all my life.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
My dad, because he died much too young and never knew my children. It’s a constant source of grief.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Jessie Buckley.
What scares you about getting older?
Not being able to run.
What is the closest you’ve come to death?
Many times on British roads, because I drive very fast. In another life, I would have liked doing Formula One.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
I get a lot of abuse online because of my opposition to the assault on Gaza. The abuse is horrific, but I’ve learned to ignore it. The integrity of how you live your life is more important than what strangers think.
What was the last lie you told?
That I was late because of the traffic.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Watching dogs on Instagram late at night.
What does love feel like?
Recognition.
What is the worst job you’ve done?
I worked in a supermarket on the Kings Road when I was 17, standing by the beers, wines and spirits to make sure people didn’t shoplift. They were such horrible employers that I didn’t care whether people shoplifted or not.
What has been your biggest disappointment?
I really wanted a role in Harry Potter and I never got one.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I would find a much better way of looking after my mum in her last three years of dementia. I did my best, but it was incredibly difficult to find the right kind of care unless you’ve got £3,000 a week to spend.
When’s the last time you changed your mind about something significant?
I vowed never to marry, but we got married as soon as we could after lockdown. I used to think it was patriarchal but when same-sex marriage became legal, I thought: OK, great, this institution has finally changed.
What would you like to leave your children?
A deep sense that they will be fine in the world without me.
Would you rather have more sex, money or fame?
Sex.
