Dame Harriet Walter makes blunt Margaret Thatcher confession ahead of new drama
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Dame Harriet Walter says she would never have guessed she would end up playing Margaret Thatcher as she used to “switch off my TV whenever she came on”. The acclaimed actor did little to hide her dislike of the former Tory leader when speaking about new Channel 4 TV drama Brian and Maggie about the close relationship between Thatcher and journalist Brian Walden and an interview he gave that changed the course of politics.
Dame Harriet, who stars alongside Steve Coogan, says: “I was very surprised when I was asked to play Margaret Thatcher because I didn’t see any association with her and I’d always switched off my TV whenever she came on during the 1980s. But with Steve Coogan and James Graham on board I found it irresistible and Stephen Frears was directing whom I would’ve killed to work with!”.
Asked if the drama changed her opinion of Thatcher, she added: “I admired how she stepped into a world made up of men in grey suits and braved it out. I would love to have admired her more because I do admire her for that. I don’t admire her legacy or what she did to the country but I do admire a woman who walked into that scenario and said ‘I’m going to change things’.”.
On her performance as Thatcher, Dame Harriet said it was quite a challenge and she watched lots of YouTube videos of her in action as well as previous theatrical performances. She said: “I don’t look anything like Thatcher. I’m the first brown-eyed, dark-haired person who has taken the role - so I asked for a lot of help with the makeup and hair as well as voice lessons. We also had a brilliant wig department that created three different wigs.”.
