Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2011 | Page 36

INTERVIEW

Celia filming in India with Dame Judi Dench

because she wanted to be a ballet
dancer. Her other passion is classical
Greek dancing, and Celia is thrilled to
have been asked by the island’s Dance
Festival to give a special cup for that
category.
However, after being told she wasn’t
the right shape for ballet she decided
to pursue a career of ‘anything to show
off ’, even though to this day there is
a certain lack of self-confidence about
her incredible acting talents.
“I had a wonderful
childhood and was
brought up by a nanny. In
those days I thought it was
too posh to say we had a
nanny, but of course a lot
of working mums do have
one now,” she said. “My
mother Diana didn’t work;
she was too busy throwing parties.
She was hardly ever there, but was a
glorious person. She is in every part
that I ever play.
“I was in school plays, and perhaps
that was when I realised I wanted to be
centre stage. If you do something and
people like it and are laughing, then it
is the most intoxicating feeling. When
you have a whole audience laughing it
is thrilling. Any actor will tell you that

laughter is much better than applause
in the end.
“Of course I like to be known
for comedy roles, but I like to
surprise people as well and not be
pigeon-holed. I do have a lot to thank
Victoria Wood for because people
associate me with Miss Babs and I am
very proud of that.”
But as if to plant her feet firmly back
on the ground, she says: “This business
is so up and down, a constant roller

being recognised everywhere she went,
she smiled: “It depends whether I have
lipstick on or not. That really is true.”
And with that flirtatious smile she
added: “I put some on especially for
you.”
She continued: “The truth is that
part of me is thrilled when I am paid
a compliment, but I can feel my toes
curling in my boots, and if I didn’t
have make-up on my face would go
bright red. It is thrilling, but there is
something that makes me
want to hide from it, and
I don’t know what it is.”
Celia had already
become an established
actor when she was
spotted by Victoria Wood
while appearing on a New
Year’s Eve TV programme
in Scotland, where she played Lady
Di. It was the year Charles and Diana
were married and was called ‘81 –Take
Two’. Victoria saw it, and the rest is
history.
Celia has been in so many fine
productions it is difficult for her to
pick out a favourite – but if really
pushed she agrees that the film Nanny
McPhee is high on the list because the
children in it hardly dared speak to her

'If you do something and people
like it and are laughing, then it is
the most intoxicating feeling'

36

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coaster. So you must never think ‘this
is the moment’ because as soon as you
do it’s gone. If someone tells me they
look on me as an accomplished actress,
I think they are talking about someone
else. I find it hard to accept; anyway
it is dangerous to sit still. It is always
on to the next thing. Most actors are
constantly unsure, and rightly so. It
would be hopeless if we were sure.”
When I asked Celia if it was difficult