Diana Rigg

[mousemeat]

I have always rated Diana Rigg as our finest actress here in the UK, along with fellow Dame, Judi Dench. Yet I can't help but feel Diana's career wasn't as successful as it should have been. Dame Judi has been offered excellent film roles and has awards and nominations galore. Not so Dame Diana. She's been successful yes, but don't you think she should have been offered more in the way of meaty film and television roles. Mother Love was excellent and she did win awards, but that was nearly 20 years ago. She's had good roles since but not nearly enough of them. When was the last time she graced our tv screens? Maybe she prefers it this way, preferring to spend more time in the theatre. Her underuse is a great pity, because she is one of our finest actresses.

Diana was offered loads of movie roles after The Avengers, and she admits as such. However, most of them had her playing the Emma Peel character and "bursting through the door with a flamethrower" (what I wouldn't give to see Diana Rigg with a flamthrower, but moving on) and such, and as she was pretty sick of Emma by that point, she turned them all down. Recently she's said she regretted not having a film career because she focussed so exclusively on theatre, but seems to realise she's partly to blame.

How true...And in the long run, she was probably smart to turn most of that stuff down..unless she was interested in the pay cheques..

Even with her limited film out put, and lack of real 'MEATY' roles, she still had a pretty good career...not counting plays, and her Television.

At least she was able to make a living doing what she loved..ACTING !

instead of working in some drone like 9-5 gig...or being on the dole..

[Lile]

I have always rated Diana Rigg as our finest actress here in the UK, along with fellow Dame, Judi Dench. Yet I can't help but feel Diana's career wasn't as successful as it should have been. Dame Judi has been offered excellent film roles and has awards and nominations galore. Not so Dame Diana. She's been successful yes, but don't you think she should have been offered more in the way of meaty film and television roles. Mother Love was excellent and she did win awards, but that was nearly 20 years ago. She's had good roles since but not nearly enough of them. When was the last time she graced our tv screens? Maybe she prefers it this way, preferring to spend more time in the theatre. Her underuse is a great pity, because she is one of our finest actresses.

In at least one interview, Dame Diana has said that she prefers the theatre and thinks it's the purest form of acting. Whereas in film, the acting may not be the final product, with cuts and edits that are made later.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

I think Timeless and Barry have said it all really. She doesn't get the types of roles that Dames Judi and Helen get, but I don't compare those actresses with Diana Rigg at all - and I think they often only do because of the 'Dame' prefix.

To a global audience any theatre work Diana does is frankly invisible because it's obviously something you can only experience by buying a ticket and going to see live.

Perhaps she could have made the types of 'action-woman' movies she was offered after The Avengers, but by doing that she may not have been taken seriously had her successes on stage. She was right to turn her back on The Avengers and never go back.

I don't think she has any regrets from the choices she's made.

[Timeless A-Peel]

I think Timeless and Barry have said it all really. She doesn't get the types of roles that Dames Judi and Helen get, but I don't compare those actresses with Diana Rigg at all - and I think they often only do because of the 'Dame' prefix.

To a global audience any theatre work Diana does is frankly invisible because it's obviously something you can only experience by buying a ticket and going to see live.

Perhaps she could have made the types of 'action-woman' movies she was offered after The Avengers, but by doing that she may not have been taken seriously had her successes on stage. She was right to turn her back on The Avengers and never go back.

I don't think she has any regrets from the choices she's made.

She does regret not having a movie career--more than one recent interview I've read she's said as much, but again, she knows it was her choice, and there's not much to be done about it now. Certainly with her track record in theatre and such, it doesn't sound as though she's got anything to be ashamed of. There are loads recordings in my library of her in plays and such. I ought to take them out one day.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Wasn't she offered or penciled in for the Cybill Shepherd part in The Lady Vanishes remake?

She either auditioned and didn't get it or she turned it down. Anyone know?

[helenofirvine]

Interesting. Somehow, I think Diana could have any role she really wanted, because she is that talented. So I do think she is happier being in control of the role, and the stage offers that much more completely than film or television. True, there is a director and such. But when one is performing in front of an audience, no one can shout "Cut!" It is what it is... and she is probably at her best on the stage because it is what she loves.

[Rodney]

She is fantastic in the House of Brede film about a convent. I have always found it a moving film. She is very much her own person, does not suffer fools, will not sit in a restaurant unless she can smoke - harder and harder to find those - and I don't think Hollywood would have suited her. It's interesting that it was only decades later that she realised how stunning she was in The Avengers. Not conventionally pretty, but a powerful sex symbol, both for women and men. And in terms of witty retorts, light years ahead of any other Avengers regular.

[kim]

I saw House of Brede more years ago than I want to admit to, but I remember it very well. I had seen OHMSS just weeks prior and while I had enjoyed seeing Diana Rigg in it, I'm not a James Bond fan by any means so I wasn't overly impressed. House was much more suitable for her and in my opinion she out did herself in that one. I should see if I can get the movie again since it's been so long since I've seen it, to see if I'm still of the same opinion.

[cyberrich]

My favourite of her movies (besides OHMSS) is Theatre of Blood. Vincent Price was wonderfully hammy in this, and Diana gave a wonderful performance or should that be performances, as she slipped into various guises including a Brummie man in an afro wig! The script was wonderfully inventive and not a million miles away from the Avengers. A failed Shakespearean actor seeking revenge on the critics who ruined his career would have fitted in quite easily among seasons 4 to 6. The violent deaths might have needed toning down a tad though!

[Essa]

I believe there's some kind of problem with the author of the novel and her estate. But, I'm not giving up!

Thanks for that info. If so, it could take years to untangle. I'll not give up, but I won't throw away my very vintage video tape either.

Regarding Diana's movie roles, I've wished she could have gotten roles in films like Julia. I understand why she didn't want to do any other action movie after OHMSS, I also don't understand why she was passed over for roles that she would have (IMO) fit so well. But she's done some incredible work on stage.