Diana Rigg Quotes

I'm just so glad that I started acting when I did because I had this wealth of life experience. I don't know if I'd have been able to handle it had I gone out to L.A. at 22.

I consider myself a very lucky actor that, approaching 60, I'm still employed and employable.

The great thing about getting older and doing TV and theatre is that the roles get more interesting, and you're not cast because, 'Oh, she's always looked extraordinary.'

I think Jennifer Lawrence is that inside of herself. As long as I've known her she's been both 10 years old and 50 years old. And we've watched her grow up since she walked on "Silver Linings Playbook" as a 20-year-old and had not been - "Hunger Games" had not come out. And I've watched her have to take on and deal with a great deal of attention and resources and people.

When I became CEO, I just didn't think about my age too much. I'm sure many people did think that my age mattered, but I didn't. That was probably because of my age.

One thing that's happened to me is I've been around a long time and I've played a lot of villains and so forth. I think it had to do with, well one thing is that I looked younger than I was for a long time. Now I think I'm suddenly starting to play people's father.

Even Rod Woodson will tell you his best year he had as a professional was when he was 36 years old. If you think about why, you're much wiser.

So I did that for a long time in my career, and I waited for parts to play myself just physically down a little bit. But I do feel like I'm at a place in my career now where I don't necessarily fret about that too much anymore.

There's no such thing as too late. There are different roles for different ages, assuming an actress has something to offer. There aren't many Helen Mirrens and Meryl Steeps, and it takes a lot of talent to get to that level. I hope I have it. That's the model I aspire to if I'm lucky enough. It's all about luck.

Whether it's 18 years old or 40 years old, we think we know what's going on. But if you're lucky enough to continue the journey, its amazing how we keep learning how much we didn't know.

I've been playing old parts forever. I play 93 quite often. When you've done it more than once, you take the hint. I think it's a great burden if you're one of those fantastic stars who've always been beautiful; then I think it's hard.

My mom got me into some commercials, and I basically, I guess, just got out of my shell I was in at the time because I can't remember. I've just been blessed ever since.

You start at SNL when you're young and hungry, but I don't want my pro years to be my SNL years.

To me, acting is all about hard work and talent. Once you get your first wrinkle, if you are a female actress, nobody will care about what you look like - it's all about what you can do.

When you are old enough to... play powerful parts, who cares if you are 45, 55 or 65?

This idea of the world expecting you to remain an ingenue forever - it's a very short shelf life if you're going to commit to that as your career, and I knew that early.

I'm particular about the projects that I've chosen. Each one of them, I've taken a step up, like climbing a ladder. Before, it was baby-steps, up to 'Riddick.' Then I took this huge leap onto 'Guardians!' It was such a higher level, this huge project which originally I never thought I'd have a chance in hell of getting.

It took me a lot of years on the 'Burnett' show to feel like I had earned the privilege to play in the sandbox with the grown-ups.

If I had gotten the parts in 'Scream' or 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' I would not have been very good in them, and I would've squandered whatever success I had gotten because I wasn't ready for that sort of thing. So I feel grateful for all of the years that I have behind me trying to get traction and a career.

We know it's a young man's game.

I honestly don't think you're taken seriously until you're 30. Any ideas I've ever taken to the BBC, they've told me I wasn't ready for it.

There's a process: you audition, you get rejected, occasionally you get jobs, and it's exciting, but it's all little stepping stones.

I just want to keep getting roles that challenge me to be the best actor and the best person I can be.

Early on in my career, I used to get out in the 30s, 40s, fifties, and 60s. So I really appreciated reaching my first hundred.

Being an actor does make you aware of your age.