Angela Lansbury

"Any actress will tell you that evil roles to play are the best. You can go to town, you know? And in that instance, I think that woman had so many layers and so many personas in a sense, she was riveting and so interesting to play. I relish the — having had that opportunity to play that role because I dont think there are many written like that. I consider that she was the Lear among, you know, movie women."

"Id like to be remembered as somebody who entertained — who took one out of oneself — for a few minutes, a few hours — transported you into a different venue — gave you relief, gave you entertainment, and gave you joy and laughter, and tears — all those things. I would like to be remembered as somebody who was — capable of doing that."

"I was never going to get to play the girl next door. And I was never going to be groomed to be a glamorous movie star. And I sort of realized that. So I had to make my — make peace with myself on that score."

"What I experienced at drama school was the fun and the excitement of being given a part. And when youre a student and you are given a role, something is assigned to you. And youre going to do a little scene at the end of the term. Thats absolutely the most thrilling thing in the world. So youre doing it, in other words."

"Im eternally grateful for the Irish side of me. Thats where I got my sense of comedy and whimsy. As for the English half — thats my reserved side ... But put me onstage, and the Irish comes out. The combination makes a good mix for acting."

"My first role was to play Audrey in As You Like It, which is a very comic part. And Touchstone and Audrey have a very funny scene together. And during that scene, I suddenly got this - the feel and the smell of being able to make an effect by the way I played the role, the way I comported myself. All of the physical aspects of acting suddenly came to me. And I got a laugh, you know, the first time I did it. Well, this was a tremendous kind of boost to my self-esteem."