Latest news with #Lumley
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joanna Lumley reveals plan to celebrate her 80th birthday
Dame Joanna Lumley will not host a big birthday party to celebrate turning 80. The former 'Absolutely Fabulous' star reaches the milestone age on May 1, 2026, but Lumley doesn't enjoy a huge fuss on her birthday and will instead hope she will be working when her big day comes around. Speaking to the new issue of Closer magazine, she said: "When I was growing up, I was always at school for birthdays. Always at school. So, we never did stuff. The idea of birthday parties repels me. Not because of anything, I just don't know why you would ever do it. "I love having birthdays, but the idea of doing a big party to say, 'Me, I'm 112.' Why would you do that? Or, 'Me, because I'm 57.' Why have that, why have a party? So, on my big special day, fingers crossed I'll be working. It's always good to be working on your birthday." Luckily for Lumley she has plenty of acting roles and TV jobs. The British screen icon has earned critical acclaim for her performance as Felicity Sanderson, the mother of Lucy Punch's character Amanda Hughes in BBC sitcom 'Amandaland' - which is a spin-off of the successful comedy series 'Motherland'. Lumley admits it is a role she is very proud of. She said: "I love 'Amandaland'. I love Lucy's character - I love them all, actually. It's beautifully cast." Lumley and Lucy previously worked together on 2004 film 'Ella Enchanted' and she has fond memories of that shoot. Jonna added: "She played my daughter before. We did a film together in Ireland with Anne Hathaway playing the Cinderella figure. Lucy was playing one of the bad stepsisters and I was the evil stepmother. This is how life goes on - I'm now her evil mother! Not evil, Felicity is not evil." Lumley has also become a prominent travel documentary maker in recent years and in her latest ITV travel series 'Joanna Lumley's Danube', she travels 1,770 miles along the River Danube. visiting Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania and taking a detour to the Ukrainian border before reaching her final destination the Black Sea. Whilst she was in Romania the former 'Absolutely Fabulous' star spent time with a group of white witches and after taking part in the ceremony Lumley was presented with an amulet which she was told would keep her safe on her trip. In a previous interview with the Daily Express Saturday magazine, she said: "They work with the elements - earth, air, water, fire - to bring peace and ward off negativity. "They were so glamorous. They used masses of candles for their ceremony. The camera boys nearly died from the heat. Then they gave me an amulet to take me safely on the rest of my journey."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joanna Lumley took part in a spell ceremony with a coven of white witches in Romania during travel series
Dame Joanna Lumley participated in a spell ceremony with a coven of white witches to "bring peace and ward off negativity". The 79-year-old actress travels 1,770 miles along the River Danube for her new ITV travel series 'Joanna Lumley's Danube', visiting Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania and taking a detour to the Ukrainian border before reaching her final destination the Black Sea. Whilst she was in Romania the former 'Absolutely Fabulous' star spent time with a group of white witches and after taking part in the ceremony Lumley was presented with an amulet which she was told would keep her safe on her trip. In an interview with the Daily Express Saturday magazine, she shared: "They work with the elements - earth, air, water, fire - to bring peace and ward off negativity. "They were so glamorous. They used masses of candles for their ceremony. The camera boys nearly died from the heat. Then they gave me an amulet to take me safely on the rest of my journey." Whilst in Austria, Lumley met with with former Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst - who won as Austria's entrant in 2014 with the song 'Rise Like a Phoenix' - and she also witnessed a performance by a troupe of homosexual lederhosen dancers which she was amazed by. She said: "The lederhosen dancers were so unbelievably touching. It was a group made completely of middle-aged gay men, it was out of this world. They were amazing. Their kindness and inclusivity touched me very much. "Thinking back to Austria and Germany's darkest times, where people were persecuted and sent to camps for being gay, suddenly here they are in the heart of Austria doing this fabulous dancing." Joanna - who is married to composer Stephen Barlow - admits the journey left her amazed by how much beauty and wonder there is in the world. She said: "It was a delight to see this magnificent river coming out of the ground at the source, a tiny little trickle, and then travelling her length. It was awesome. "I did so much thinking and reflecting on how we neglect geography at our peril. The world is so full of marvels. Everything about this trip was eye-opening. It was terribly touching, very funny and extreme."
Sky News AU
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Live day to day:' Dame Joanna Lumley, 79, says she doesn't have 'much time left' in emotional interview moment
Beloved British actress, comedian and presenter Dame Joanna Lumley has opened up about her mortality in a revealing new interview. The Absolutely Fabulous star, who celebrated her 79th birthday on May 1, made the emotional comments during a chat with Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2. "As you nearly (reach) the top of the hill, you suddenly think, 'Gosh, there's not all that much time left'," she said. "My time must be coming quite soon, and I don't want to have wasted a minute of being on this beautiful planet. "I used to panic when I was young, but as I've got older, I've started to live day to day." She also opened up about her personal health battles, particularly living with prosopagnosia, which is a disorder that makes her unable to recognise faces that she has seen before, even with family and close friends. "I've got this weird thing with faces, I've got a face blindness. It's called Prosopagnosia, which means I can't tell people from faces," she said. "So unless I know who they are, I don't know who they are." Lumley admitted that the condition has led to many awkward, and often hilarious- encounters. "I've been at parties where I've literally said 'do you want another glass of wine?' Gone off, got the glass of wine, come back and I don't know who I've been talking to … their face hasn't registered. Isn't that weird? "Sometimes I don't know whether I've seen that person that day or whether I should've seen them." She added: "I kiss so many strangers, they go, 'Get off!' And I go 'Look, do I know you? Was I married to you? Who are you?' I literally don't know!" Born in 1946 in Srinagar, India, to British parents, Lumley launched her career as a model and later found fame at 23 as a Bond girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). She went on to enjoy a celebrated career in both comedy and drama, playing iconic roles including a secret agent in The New Avengers, the eccentric Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, and more recently, a snooty grandmother in Motherland and Amandaland. She has also joined the cast of Netflix's hit series Wednesday, playing Grandmama Addams in the upcoming second season. Off screen, Lumley has fronted numerous award-winning travel documentaries and has been widely praised for her humanitarian work. She was made a Dame (DBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to drama, entertainment and charity. At the time, she described the recognition as a "fabulous" and "incredibly charming" moment in her life.
New York Post
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Wolf of Wall Street' star Joanna Lumley, 78, admits her ‘time must be coming quite soon'
Joanna Lumley is reflecting on her life and sharing some sound advice while doing it. The British actress, who turned 79 on Thursday, recently revealed in a bold statement that she expects her 'time must be coming quite soon.' The 'Absolutely Fabulous' star said 'beloved friends are beginning to leave' in an interview with My Weekly. 8 Joanna Lumley in 2025. Getty Images for University of St Andrews 8 Joanna Lumley and Leonardo Dicaprio in 'The Wolf Of Wall Street.' Appian Way/Paramount/Kobal / Shutterstock 'As you near the top of the hill, you suddenly think: 'Gosh, there's not all that amount of time left,'' she continued. 'My time must be coming quite soon and I don't want to have wasted a minute of being on this beautiful planet.' 'The Wolf of Wall Street' actress explained she 'used to panic when I was young, but as I've got older, I've started literally to live day to day.' Getting older has only been a gift for Lumley. 8 Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley in 'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.' Fox Searchlight / Everett Collection 8 'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.' ©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection 'With age, you work out what matters. I always knew that good stuff would come along when I was older,' she confessed. 'When I was 18, I longed to be 30. When I was 30, longed to be 50. We mustn't be led into thinking getting old is bad. Growing old is good.' Lumley admitted that while she is able to be present and live in the moment, she isn't sure the younger generation is able to do the same with the consumption of social media. 'You need time in your head,' the BAFTA winner shared. 'I'm so afraid we're going to breed a generation who don't know the world and don't know how to talk.' 8 English actress Joanna Lumley, circa 1970. Getty Images And even in Lumley's later years, her career hasn't slowed down one bit. She portrays Felicity Sanderson in the British sitcom 'Amandaland' and starred in Harlen Coben's 'Fool Me Once' on Netflix in 2024. Now, Lumley is set to play Grandmama Hester Frump in Season 2 of 'Wednesday' on the streaming platform. 'It's wonderful. I get to wear many, many huge wigs, one on top of the other – and lots of quite constraining clothes, so I love it,' Lumley gushed over the role on the horror show. 8 Leonardo DiCaprio and Joanna Lumley in the movie 'The Wolf of Wall Street.' Splash News In 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as stockbroker Jordan Belfort, Lumley played Aunt Emma, the aunt to Margot Robbie's Naomi Lapaglia. There was even a scene in the film where Lumley kisses DiCaprio, 50, although it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. 'I did kiss Leonardo DiCaprio, about 15 times in fact,' the actress said in 2023 at a dinner for the Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope charity, per LadBible. 'There are so many takes and you both have to chew so much chewing gum.' Lumley added, 'It's like kissing someone in a dentist's waiting room.' 8 Joanna Lumley in 1965. Getty Images The actress was a model before getting her start in Hollywood as Purdey in the ITV action series 'The New Avengers' at age 30 in 1976. 'It was a proper big part in a series,' Lumley told The Guardian in 2023, 'made over the course of two years, so you have a real chance to get into a character and work all the time.' The star went on to play Patsy Stone in the British sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous' in 1992 opposite creator Jennifer Saunders. Looking back at playing unapologetic women, Lumley told the outlet: 'They are women without brakes.' 8 Joanna Lumley attends The RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Getty Images 'It doesn't matter what they do, they don't care,' she expressed. 'I think people found that refreshing because women were usually anxious about things.' 'It was back to clowning again,' she recalled of the role, 'back to making people laugh.' In 2016, the women reunited for 'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.' 'It's fantastic,' she told 'Good Morning America.' 'And to have had a character for 25 years and still be there is brilliant, because I know exactly what she's going to do. So although I am not like her, she is mine!'
The Courier
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Joanna Lumley has always found Dundee Absolutely Fabulous
Joanna Lumley has never been shy in stating her love for Dundee. The Absolutely Fabulous actress, who has turned 79, made several trips to Dundee in the 1980s and 1990s, describing it as her 'lucky city'. Her down-to-earth demeanour endeared her to Dundonians. A fish supper at the Deep Sea or visiting the Skarne blocks in Whitfield was as far removed from the glamour of a James Bond movie as it's possible to imagine. Yet Lumley took everything in her stride. And she loved it. She said Dundee was one of her favourite cities in the world. Lumley started her acting career as a Bond girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969 before getting her major break as Purdey in The New Avengers. She starred in a list of ratings-winners including Sapphire And Steel before being cast in the Pink Panther movies in 1982 and 1983. Going pink paid well but Lumley dreamed of becoming a classical actress. Robert Robertson was artistic director of Dundee Rep. The St Andrews actor was best known for playing Dr Stephen Andrews in Taggart. He offered Lumley the lead role in Hedda Gabler in November 1984. Gabler was the 'intelligent but wilful heroine who leaves tragedy in her wake'. Lumley immediately accepted. She said it would 'fulfil a lifetime's ambition'. The play would run from March 14-30. Lumley arrived for rehearsals in February 1985. She stayed in a modest flat in Broughty Ferry overlooking the River Tay. Lumley went shopping and loved walking around. She also spent time touring around Crail, Anstruther and St Andrews. Lumley also visited Carnoustie and had tea at a local hotel. Virtually every seat was sold for all performances. Robertson directed the play. The Stage newspaper said Lumley's performance 'convincingly contained and conveyed all the complex characteristics of Hedda'. 'It's what I want to do,' said Lumley. 'I used to worry that people thought my career too lightweight but I don't now.' It was a masterpiece. Lumley went on to play several powerful roles in London's West End. She left her mark on Dundee in more ways than one. Lumley became only the third person to sign the visitors book at Dundee City Chambers when she met Lord Provost Tom Mitchell in March 1985. The Queen Mother and Lady Strathmore were the first to add their signatures. She made a welcome return to Dundee Rep in 1989. She took the role of Madame Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard. It was again directed by Robertson, who also acted in the Chekhov classic. Lumley was not the only former Bond star to appear in the production. The cast included Julie T Wallace, who played an MI6 agent in The Living Daylights. Lumley spent six weeks in Dundee. She rented the same flat 'to ensure I have as happy a time this year as I did in 1985'. 'I couldn't be happier,' she said. 'I can eat when I like, do what I like and go where and when I like in a city that has been very lucky for me. 'With three weeks of rehearsals to go we are all burning the midnight oil, but once the show is up and running I'm hoping to travel around a bit, as I did the last time. 'I spent a lot of my time touring around the Fife fishing villages like Crail, Anstruther and St Andrews and I'm planning to do the same again – almost like an action replay.' She also brought a suitcase full of letters to Dundee. Lumley spent time replying to the fan mail after rehearsals. It was not all work. Lumley swapped Chekhov for chips. She enjoyed a fish supper at the Deep Sea. BBC Scotland TV reporter Neil Mudie was a regular at the Nethergate chippie. Owners Raymond and Lawrence Sterpaio pledged £100 for the BBC Children in Need appeal if Mudie brought Lumley to the restaurant for her tea. Lumley had presented the show with Terry Wogan in 1988. She accepted. 'Glamour at the chipper' was The Courier headline. The actress tucked in to her deep fried plateful. 'I live on fish and chips,' she said. 'When I'm working in the theatre I often stop for fish and chips and eat them in the car on my way home from a performance.' The Cherry Orchard was another sell-out success. Lumley also filmed a BBC documentary about Dundee while filming Chekhov. It's My City investigated the city's regeneration. The actress visited an aerobics class for the-over-60s, Captain Scott's Discovery ship, Dundee Law, the Wishart Centre and the Whitfield housing estate. Lumley joined residents looking on as demolition began of some of the worst of the infamous Skarne blocks as part of the £6.5m redevelopment scheme. She showed a keen interest in the work going on and blasted the 'ghastly' and 'dehumanising' blocks which were to be turned to rubble. Lumley said she was 'immensely impressed' with Dundee. 'The people are terrific,' she said. She ended the programme by describing it as one of her favourite cities in the world. She also stumbled upon the family she never knew. 'While I was making the film I found out that my family had lived across the River Tay in Fife, at Cruivie, since the 16th Century,' she said. 'I even met some of my relatives who still live there and we've become great friends. 'I found out that we share a common maternal great-great-great-grandfather.' She couldn't stay away. Lumley was described as an 'honorary Dundonian' in January 1990 when she returned to open the multi-million-pound Asda supermarket at Milton of Craigie. She cut a ceremonial cake in the shape of the new store with the city's civic sword. Lumley headed round the aisles with a trolley following the ceremony. She was loudly cheered on leaving. She took her now iconic role of Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous in 1992. Lumley has not returned to Dundee since. She was gone but not forgotten because, in 2016, she helped convince Dundee's licensing board to grant an alcohol licence to a new restaurant. The original application was refused for The Caird. A revised application received hundreds of letters in support. One stood out. Lumley was a friend of an investor. Lumley's PA Lisa Baker wrote: 'Joanna Lumley has asked me to write to you on her behalf regarding the application for premises licence for The Caird. 'Miss Lumley wishes to offer her support for this proposal and says that this development will bring significant benefit to Dundee.' It's an example of Lumley taking an interest in a city that captured her heart. She's worked there and played there, visited and revisited over the years. Lumley is an iconic figure who is beloved all over Britain, but perhaps nowhere more so than in the city by the Tay – a friend to Dundee and its 'terrific' people.
