There is a danger, if you cast someone who is 18, 19 or 20 to play 14 or 15, that very subtly, almost unconsciously, the audience is, "Oh, this isn't so bad."
Without mentioning any names, there was a film that was being done, and I ran into the producer on the plane. It was a book that I really, really loved, and I said, 'I'd love to be a part of this.' And they made it clear that that was not going to be possible - for no particular reason other than that there was just no part for a black person.
I was certainly typecast for a while on television because I was always being cast as the 'compassionate mother' or whatever.
It often strikes me that the actors in high school movies look too old.
I kind of feel like every time I do a film, it is me and an entire male ensemble cast.
I can't get the serious roles. People don't see me that way.
I have trouble sometimes watching actors - even when they do a great job - with an accent.
I was playing 40-year-old women when I was 20. I didn't get considered for ingenue roles.
I think I've proven with my career that I can play a wide variety of characters. Yet, I still get typecast as the crazy slob guy. That's how it always works.
I was not only typecast as a Russian, but I was typecast as Yakov Smirnoff. This is understandable, and I was very happy to get the roles, but it would be nice to be in a movie where I could be someone else.
If an actor or actress is recognizable, that changes our perception of them. Sometimes you can play against type, or you can just repeat what they've already done. It can be an obstacle; it's a very fine line.
It bugs me when they have people my age [28] playing teenagers.
There's still a bit of a problem, in that so many leading English roles are taken by American or French actresses.
The only reason I'm associated with 'the Boosh' is because Richard Ayoade, who was meant to be doing Bainbridge, couldn't do it because of something with Channel 4, so I ended up doing it.
