"Diana Rigg won't talk about The Avengers"

[Cybernowt]

She will talk about it though.

Looking at it from another direction.. its good that she had a career after Mrs Peel. What I find quite sad is going to 'memorabilia' type events and seeing the same aging actors/actresses who only ever had one decent role in something in the 60's/70's/80's, trying to cling on to some sort of fame while charging £20 a pop for an autograph..

Diana obviously hasn't gone down this route, but if she did do a handful of events it would be fantastic.

[frank]

I think it is a case of her being wary of talking about it. Yes that is her signature role but there is more to her career. From her point of view it's very tiring talking mainly about Emma Peel. It is the burden of having been cast in such an iconic role. However the role was also a 2 dimesional one that got less depth over time. This was not a part that allowed her to stretch much as an actress or a part that evolved over the years, like a Jane Tennyson. As stated it's a character that she played for a brief time.

AS far as her claim about never talking about it, she probably prefers t not talk solely about or would prefer to focus on other parts of her careetr. Certaily from a critical aspect she was much more successful in the later part of her career.

As a side note I do recall Linda Thorson in a convention Q&A 20 yrs ago, stated that Diana Rigg prefers to avoid anything to do with the Avengers

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Frank, you said it perfectly. I think that's fair and accurate.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

More on this here ...

Do you find anything frustrating about the job?

PAUL O' GRADY: "Being told what I can and can’t ask. The PR team says, 'Don’t ask this, you mustn’t mention that, just talk about the film.' It’s so boring, I want to know what she had for breakfast! When Dame Diana Rigg was on they told me not to mention The Avengers. I told her that the show was the reason I moved to London, because it looked so exciting, with people driving sports cars and drinking champagne. Then she spoke about it freely because I’d gone in on a different angle. She was a sweetheart. A lot of the stars are quite happy to talk about anything, it’s the PR people who say you mustn’t."

http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/drama/tv-new ... ngue/12422

[mousemeat]

More on this here ...

Do you find anything frustrating about the job?

PAUL O' GRADY: "Being told what I can and can’t ask. The PR team says, 'Don’t ask this, you mustn’t mention that, just talk about the film.' It’s so boring, I want to know what she had for breakfast! When Dame Diana Rigg was on they told me not to mention The Avengers. I told her that the show was the reason I moved to London, because it looked so exciting, with people driving sports cars and drinking champagne. Then she spoke about it freely because I’d gone in on a different angle. She was a sweetheart. A lot of the stars are quite happy to talk about anything, it’s the PR people who say you mustn’t."

http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/drama/tv-new ... ngue/12422

I'm not sure how I like that comment, Steed's stooge ...I never thought that ever.
her role and interaction with Steed, was wonderful. and vital to the series, etc

Perhaps Rigg feels her career, never quite panned out, as she thought it should
have...at least in the cinema. True, she's a fantastic stage actress...and she
did do TV...(slumming ? ) but I suspect, Diana is a bit of an odd ball...perhaps
eccentric....somewhat...but overall, she's had a fine career...and she still
commands a presence....and that ain't toooo shabby..

I wish her continued good health, and lots of work...both on stage and on film!

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Yes, I think she did TV to possibly raise her profile to get better parts in the theatre, but that she was more of a success than she reckoned on. The old saying that springs to mind is "be careful what you wish for, it may come true" applies.

[Cariheart]

When did it all start? That's one question I would love to hear the answer too!

The first time I've read a negative remark from Diana about Avengers is when Linda Thorson brought it up in an old conversation in which Diana quickly dismissed it, saying that it was in the past.

I remember a Parky interview...Diana's first maybe from 1972, where she explained that she's responsible for convincing her fans that she can play roles other than Emma Peel or something of that effect. She's experienced the fandom of being perceived as Emma everywhere she goes and that 'label' is embedded in her. She was Emma to everyone around her. I'd imagine it's tiring. It isn't that she dislikes talking about The Avengers, it's that she'ld rather discuss other work.

You all probably have knowledge of this interview but it's the closest I've ever been to looking into Diana's psyche.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

I still think it all started with that pompous German interviewing her and saying the words, "So before the Avengers you would have been an actress, yes?" You can see her literally bit her lip. Talk about a cringe-inducing moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o20N3lIp ... re=related

[mousemeat]

Yes, I think she did TV to possibly raise her profile to get better parts in the theatre, but that she was more of a success than she reckoned on. The old saying that springs to mind is "be careful what you wish for, it may come true" applies.

DF, how right you are !

[Cariheart]

I still think it all started with that pompous German interviewing her and saying the words, "So before the Avengers you would have been an actress, yes?" You can see her literally bit her lip. Talk about a cringe-inducing moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o20N3lIp ... re=related

Yes, I watched that interview once (and only once)...my first thoughts to that particular question was ..."what the f@#*?!

Of course he didn't mean it to come out sounding the way we all thought it meant but still it was felt as a slap in the face....at least to me it did!

Still, this incident wouldn't have stopped Diana from talking about her show.