Lumley, 75, has had a long, illustrious career and loves life more and more with each passing year.
Who doesn’t love Joanna Lumley as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous? It is perhaps her best-known role but the actress has worked steadily from 1969 until now, with memorable parts in The New Avengers, Coronation Street and Sapphire and Steel, amongst many more.
Lumley is also a keen activist, patron of many charities, mother and grandmother.
She’s been very vocal over the years about not fearing getting old, in fact she relishes it as a blessing. Joanna says, “I always knew that good stuff would come along when I was older. So when I was 18, I longed to be 30; when I was 30, I longed to be 50. I’ve always looked forward to my next birthday. We mustn’t be led into thinking getting old is bad. Growing old is good.”
In fact, Joanna feels far calmer now than she did in her youth. “I used to panic and get rattled when I was young, but as I’ve got older, I’ve started literally to live day to day. With age, you work out what matters.” The actress says.
Read on for more of Joanna’s words of wisdom.
Joanna Lumley
“I’ve got lots of good friends, I could have affairs. I can read a book all night, put the cat on the end of the bed or I can pick up my passport and go to France. I don’t have to ask anybody.”
“I’ve never felt the constraints of social acceptability.”
“I am blessed beyond the realms of blessedness, and easily the greatest pleasure is giving it away.”
“You only have one go at life, which is thrilling. Only you can make yourself into who you want to be. Don’t blame anybody else. You are entitled to free fresh air, and that’s it. Do the rest yourself.”
“A lot of us are ruled by fear during our lives – afraid we’ll get burgled, afraid a dog will bite us, afraid we’ll get fat, afraid someone will leave us. Once you lose fear, life becomes sweeter, and that happens as you get older. I’m sure by the time I’m 80, I’ll be able to do absolutely anything!”
“I love being a grandmother. That feeling you have for your own child – you don’t ever think it will be replicated, and I did wonder if I would have to ‘pretend’ with my grandchildren. But my heart was taken on day one.”
“All you have to be is kind. That’s all you need. Once you’ve got that, it virtually rules out everything else.”
Click here for more stars in their own words.
