Biographie

Cast, ironically, as Rita Skeeter, one of Hermione Granger's least favorite people, in Harry Potter et la Coupe de feu (2005), after she did an impersonation of Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azibaijan", a Comic Relief sketch, in 2003.

Gave up smoking after being hypnotised.

Turned down the role subsequently taken by Glenn Close in Liaison fatale (1987).

She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the late seventies with Daniel Day-Lewis, Amanda Redman, Jenny Seagrove and Greta Scacchi.

Turned down a major role in the second series of Desperate Housewives (2004) because it "snowballed into something that would be so disruptive" for her.

I like people to be surprised by the turn of events. I don't want things just to be pat and formulaic. If there's some sort of internal combustion in the character or a desire to change the way things are going, that makes for conflict, which is the essence of drama.

Why did I not stop to have children? I suppose because the opportunity didn't present itself. Yes, many women feel they are not complete without having children, but I have different creative outlets.

I would rather do many small roles on TV, stage or film than one blockbuster that made me rich but had no acting.

Somebody referred to me as a ringleader, which I wouldn't have classed myself as, but anyway, there you go.

You can have a laugh in Los Angeles, or you can weep in Los Angeles, depending on your attitude towards it.