Regarding Female-Centric Shows and Behind-the-Scenes Dramas

[Faulkner]

Cybill. Oy. So jealous. I wonder if Jennifer Saunders felt threatened when Joanna Lumley began to eclipse her on Absolutely Fabulous. It seems like she took it all in stride.

[Franko]

I'm guessing/hoping being part of a comedy duo helped Saunders develop a "she's your co-star, not your enemy" attitude.

 

One tidbit I remember from Cybill's book is that Alicia Witt "acted like a spoiled brat" during the last season. If I remember right, she was also dating Peter Krause. Wouldn't you know it, Cybill didn't give more details.

[DaytimeFan]

 

Saunders has no ego - with talent like hers, she doesn't need it. She and Lumley remain very close friends. 

[Faulkner]

Yeah. She and Dawn French seem friendly as well.

[DaytimeFan]

 

Oh, way beyond friendly. They remain best friends and just did a French & Saunders Christmas special for the BBC.

French and Lumley are also good friends. As is Ruby Wax with all of them.

 

The UK media and entertainment scene is so much more inclusive and positive. Certainly, the money is lower, but actors in the UK are mostly the jobbing sort and live nice lives but don't live lavishly and are in less competition with each other. The US entertainment industry is so vile it pits everyone against each other and egos go out of control.

[Faulkner]

Yeah I look at Victoria Wood (RIP) and Julie Walters. Or even Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc. Such shining examples of female solidarity. As you say, there are tradeoffs, but it all seems so much saner over there. 

[Khan]

 

That's why I have so much more respect overall for British actors than I do for Americans.

 

I recall reading how people were HORRIFIED to see Laurence Olivier doing commercials (for, if I'm not mistaken, Polaroid cameras?).  But, as Samantha Eggar told (I think) Michael Logan during an interview about her brief AMC stint, British actors are trained with the attitude that acting is a craft, like carpentry; and that a job is a job.  

[amybrickwallace]

 

That is such an awesome quote.

[Faulkner]

That explains Sir Michael Caine’s career.

[DaytimeFan]

 

I’m paraphrasing from Sir Michael’s memoir when he wrote “I’ve never seen the Jaws film I started in. I hear it was horrible. But I do see the house it paid for every day. And it is wonderful.” 

[Khan]

Exactly.  I don't know whether it's true for ALL actors from the UK, but certainly among Caine's generation, the line of thinking is, "Art is what you do when you're financially secure and you don't need the money.  Otherwise, it's a job, and it's what you do to keep food on the table and a roof over everyone's heads."

 

(Speaking of Caine...I probably shouldn't SAY anything, since I've never been able to verify this information, but I might be related to him by marriage.  Specifically, through his wife, who's supposedly a cousin to Papa Khan.  Again, though, I can't verify it, and I tend to take it with a HUGE grain of salt.)

[BetterForgotten]

Lorre sure had back luck with Roseanne, Brett Butler, and Cybil, lol.

 

Though, I do believe he later said he respected Roseanne, despite her craziness. I don't think he ever thought much of the other two though. 

[amybrickwallace]

 

You forgot Charlie Sheen, who though a man has shown as many if not more histrionics than those women. Plus, Brett Butler was dealing with addiction issues...which didn't help her OR the show.

[SFK]

 

Interesting, Shakira is a beautiful woman.

 

@DaytimeFan would appreciate this, Shakira introduced Dame Joan to Retin-A. 

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