Alex Jennings and Dame Maggie Smith on The Graham Norton Show Oct 2015, talking about The Lady in The Van. Dame Maggie's first TV interview in 42 years!
I absolutely love, love, love Dame Maggie Smith. I haven't seen much of her work but very much appreciated her in ''Downton Abbey'' Her facial expressions alone tell a story!!
She was a goddess as Jean Brodie. The book had been a favourite of mine and I fully expected to be disappointed by the filmed version (as happens) but Maggie's Jean coincided precisely with the Jean of my girlish imaginings and her accent was flawless. I was stunned when I eventually discovered she's English. Her southern drawl in Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer (1993) is authentic to the point of surreality in those early minutes before Maggie Smith disappears utterly into the vile Violet Venable.
The days of the big stars are gone but maggie smith is an exception. An incredible talent ans one of britains jewels. Thank you for the many hours of pleasue.
Neither can I! So tongue in cheek, not at all taken with herself; a truly lovely person. Also, she's very attractive and once, an interviewer mentioned that to her and her response was, without a moment's hesitation: "Get hold of yourself". It was very funny. She is very self-effacing. Wouldn't you love to meet her?
What a wonderful woman Maggie Smith is from the inside out. Intelligent, fun and versatile. She is a really talented and credible actress. I never get tired of watching movies and series where she plays.
Closest to royalty you can get on the show. One of the most talented actors in the world. Her fame in Harry Potter was like Alec Guiness in Star Wars. They were both introduced to a new audience. She was delightful in her Oscar-winning role in California Suite.
Note how much Alex Jennings watches Maggie Smith 2:45 with such open admiration. Never takes his eyes off her. A treasure of an interview, as always with Graham Norton.
I would hope she is different. I've seen her on stage in the latter part of her career so she isn't going to be Portia or Juliet, but the roles have been varied. I have seen her in three Albee plays, one Bennett, one Peter Schaffer, having seen her on stage playing varied roles as an alcoholic (ironically twice but they were very different alcoholics, Bed among the Lentils and A Delicate Balance), an old woman as an agent of death (The Lady from Dubuque), an even older woman on the verge of senility and death (Three Tall Women), and Lettice in Lettice and Lovage. Five very different characters, and not one of them resembling her public persona on chat shows. The worst moment in any of them was when the audience enthusiastically applauded her entrance in Act I in The Lady from Dubuque, but her entrance marked the end of the act, she had only one line to say. My partner and I didn't know the play but we felt it was the grand entrance but undermining itself within the logic of the play as the end of the act. The poor bugger had to stand on stage for an eternity while the pointless and vacuous applause rolled on and on. A strange play by Albee, but still pretty good stuff.
Love Maggie's subtle dig at Ben Kingsley . She is a fantastic actress . If you haven't seen the film , The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie , in which she plays the Scottish teacher who encourages her " gurls " to think for themselves , then I urge you to do so . She is magnificent in it .
Great actor, great lady and great sense of humor. Alex Jennings very gentlemanly and very sweet with her all the time. Lovely interview. The film is just adorable and sad in a very subtle way. Both are great in it.
Graham was so excited when he found out she was going to be a guest in his show. And that’s why he had no one else on the show except Alan - wanted to dedicate the privilege just to her. Wonderful, wonderful guest, worth every minute.
He is such a phenomenal actor....apart from his film work I have seen him many times on stage from restoration comedies, musicals and serious drama and he blows me away every time. Stunning actor that deserves more recognition.
@@edward311 I saw Mr. Jennings in July at The Bridge Theatre, where he portrayed the Anglican priest in The Southbury Child. He was glorious to watch! Then after the play, my daughter and I caught him at the stage door and he graciously posed for photos then rode away on his bicycle. If I had known how actors such as Maggie Smith felt about pushy Americans, I might have hesitated to approach him. 😳
Love Maggie Smith, she is so awesome! Also wanted to shout out some love also for Alex Jennings! He was great as Prince Charles in "The Queen", and oh my, absolutely stole the show in my favorite episode of "The Crown" (Season 2, Episode 6) as the Duke of Windsor. That stunning performance seriously gave me the chills - a no-holds-barred portrayal of the former King as a despicable sociopath.
Alex is incredibly talented. He went to my drama school (or I went to his!) - it's lovely to see him noticed. Suggest you have a good poke about in his rich back catalogue - lots to enjoy!
@@bonnieroggensees6003 Agreed, AJ was magnificent in _Unforgotten,_ as of course was the always-good Nicola Walker. But eeep! Now anyone who reads this and fancies watching it, already knows whodunnit! Maybe rephrase your comment?
I saw the film and still can't believe that is actually reality. Living in a van for 15 years? What kind of misery is that? The smell, the view... just like a nightmare. Maggie Smith did such an outstanding job portraiting this actual woman. The lost, the sorrow, all of the human suffering on her look... This movie will make you rethink human society.
I know I feel like that every day. U give up. Society tells you that things will change. You have to change. You do nothing changes. It was a joke. Really. Okay.
OMG, when she talked about how her colleague hit her, I cried. I was so sorry. I mean, even if it was for the sake of the movie, I couldn't hit her. She looks so pure, she is a real angel. ❤❤❤
I had the pleasure of seeing Alex Jennings in The Southbury Child at the Bridge Theatre last month. Unbeknownst to me, I happened to be there on opening night, and Maggie Smith was in attendance! I could see her from my seat, and I kept half an eye on her during the show. I'm fairly certain I saw her dabbing her eyes at the end, and she seemed to be quite enjoying herself.
I heard a rumor Dame Maggie Smith wanted to play this role, bevause she didn't wanted to go into memory for just being the Duchess, yet she took the role twice again after the lady in the van.
This is absolutely superb! How I admire Maggie Smith -- the interview was wonderful. Thank you. (P.S. - I am from New Jersey and quite sorry that Americans have proven themselves to be off limits to Dame Maggie.)
I adore her; have since I saw her in "Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing". Marvelous sense of humour and I hear she can swear with the best of them!
