Actress Julie Walters CBE, 66, has starred in films from Educating Rita,which won her a Bafta, a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination, to Billy Elliot, for which she also won a Bafta. Originally from Birmingham, she now lives in West Sussex with her husband, Grant Roffey. They have a grown-up daughter.
When it comes to love, have confidence in who you are. Don’t think, “What does this person see in me? Am I good enough?” Instead, ask yourself, “What are my needs?” Don’t be afraid to have a really good look at the person in front of you before making any decisions.
It’s OK to rock the boat. My mum came to Britain from Ireland and as a result she had this mindset of just keeping her head down. I think that was passed on to me. It’s only recently I’ve realised that it’s actually OK to say to people, “I don’t agree with that,” to say what you feel and not be ashamed of it.
Looking back, fame derailed me a bit. It was a surprise when people would come up to me and say, “Ooh, aren’t you in that film?” In my ignorance, I mistook that for someone saying I was a marvellous actor. Of course they weren’t. They were just gawping. But at the time, I just embraced it. I had this huge superiority complex. For years I thought I was the best thing since sliced bread, and if somebody didn’t employ me, then they weren’t worth working for. That’s gradually been chipped away.
I’m never going to be a brilliant cook. Or any good at parking.
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My husband’s a great bloke. I met Grant in a bar in Fulham. I was with a friend and we were absolutely plastered. He walked us home, made sure we got back all right. I’ve been with him for 30 years now and he’s been wonderful to me.
Working as a nurse opened my eyes to suffering and death. You can have this compassion mixed with love for somebody you don’t know at all. I remember thinking, “This is somebody’s child,” or, “This could be my dad.” People might imagine I’m a bit dotty, but I’m not the sort of person who is fazed by somebody collapsing or getting ill. When I make a bed with a flat sheet, I still do the same proper corners.
If you’re going to eat animals, treat them with respect. They’re sentient beings and should be treated as such.
Women often use humour when they feel they aren’t right in some way. This was probably the case with me. I wasn’t confident about how I looked and who I was, and so I was funny instead. And it suddenly gave me a lot of power. Some men find it threatening and don’t consider it sexy at all. But then, in my life, I’ve met a lot of men who do.
I love London, but it can be depressing sometimes. You sometimes feel there’s a lack of community. In Birmingham, if you’re at a bus stop, someone might say, “Ooh, it’s cold, isn’t it?” If someone said that to you at the bus stop in London, you’d probably be terrified.
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There’s no such thing as the “perfect” mother. It’s the best thing anyone ever told me. Otherwise, it just becomes a minefield and you end up feeling you can’t do anything.
I’ve got excellent hand-eye co-ordination. I used to be very good at darts. I can throw things into bins from a long way away.
A lot of people think my life must be like a sitcom. Grant gets fed up when people come up to him and say, “You’re married to Julie Walters, aren’t you?” and he says, “Yes,” and then they go, “Ooh, I bet it’s a laugh a minute in your house!” He just stares at them and says, “No.” Haha.
Julie Walters stars in Indian Summers, which returns to Channel 4 on March 13