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Lindsay Duncan – Being The Iron Lady

Posted Saturday 27th June 2009by Editor

The eminent actress discusses what it was like to play the Iron Lady, whose political actions had such a profound and lasting impact on Britain.

Multi-BAFTA nominated actress Lindsay Duncan, who recently appeared as Servilia in the HBO/BBC Two series Rome, plays Margaret Thatcher during the final turbulent days of her political reign. The eminent actress discusses what it was like to play the Iron Lady, whose political actions had such a profound and lasting impact on Britain.

This film focuses on the final days of Margaret Thatcher’s reign as Prime Minister. What stood out about Richard Cottan’s script and made you want to take the role?

I couldn’t really say no! How do you explain that you turned down the chance to play Margaret Thatcher? However, I honestly would have said no it if the script had been less than excellent. By focusing on the few intense days around her fall, Rick has written something dramatically compelling. So it works on that level. The real hook for an actor is of course when a writer examines the personal as well as the public side of someone iconic.

How would you describe Margaret’s character in the film?

Rick shows that aspects of her character which put her in power also played a part in her downfall. For instance, conviction becomes intransigence. After so long in power she is incapable of effective collaboration and has become isolated. I think the film is more than a study of Thatcher’s character. In examining someone in power and those around them it becomes universal.

Margaret Thatcher was called the “Iron Lady” with good reason but in the film we see her emotional side – her vulnerability even. I think, at the end, whether you like her or not, you can see the pain that she is in. It wasn’t just pride or that she had been humiliated by her own party and lost power so quickly and clumsily, it was actually a terrible personal loss for her because being Prime Minister was her life.

How do you think people will view Margaret Thatcher after watching this film?

I don’t think the film is ever meant to take one particular view. It isn’t supposed to make us feel warm towards her or indeed dislike her. Instead I think it is an attempt to get behind the caricature of Margaret Thatcher which has almost become the accepted reality.

It is very easy to think of her as that infamous Spitting Image character so I’ve stayed away from that in my portrayal of her. I think the interesting thing about this film is that it will just make us think again about her. No one can be confined simply to a box marked “monster” or “saint”, appealing though these simplifications are. People are much more complex than that.

Denis was very much “behind the scenes” when she was in power. What do we see of their relationship in the film?

Richard’s script provides crucial glimpses into her relationship with Denis and shows how he supported her and was absolutely there for her. It was a very successful relationship and it does, I think, humanise her.

Of course she ignored Denis when he tried to give her advice but she ignored lots of people when they gave her advice. However, I still think that in the film we see how much she cared for Denis and depended upon him.
Denis thought she was the most marvellous woman and they shared the same view of the world and were entirely comfortable in each other’s company. It’s so interesting that she found exactly the right man and he clearly found the right woman.

She needed someone who was slightly ahead of his time; prepared to support a wife who immersed herself in her career. I think he was her rock and it hurt him to see her in pain. At the end he felt that she had given the party so much that they owed her a great debt, but instead they betrayed her.

How much research did you do into Margaret Thatcher and that period of political history when you took on the role?

I watched acres and acres of news footage from her first time in parliament right up to the time she stepped down. I watched The Downing Street Years, Miriam Stoppard’s interview, Carol Thatcher’s documentary Married To Maggie, and I also read an awful lot of material.

It was absolutely fascinating to see the footage of her over the years, especially the footage of her leaving office. At that point I don’t think she could hide her feelings and there was real bitterness, anger and emotion there. I found reading and watching the footage so compelling that it was difficult to turn away from it and stop!

What was it like playing opposite such a well-known cast?

The cast is absolutely wish list material and I worked opposite some fantastic actors in relatively small parts, who normally would be playing leads. It was also a joy working with Ian. I’m such a great admirer of his work and had never had the opportunity to act with him.

However, I did work with him at the Almeida when he and Jonathan Kent were running it and it was a very happy and special time. I knew that he would be perfect for the role and indeed he is. Ian conveys such depth of feeling without saying a word. Performing the private scenes between Denis and Margaret was just great.

Since filming Margaret, you’ve also filmed scenes as Alice’s mother for Tim Burton’s new movie Alice in Wonderland. What was it like working with Tim?

I absolutely loved working with Tim Burton. He’s delightful, very funny and completely passionate about his work. I’m a great fan; I admire someone who can find their own vision of something and then carry that vision through and realise it.

Tim has consistently done that with his films over the years and he has had the most remarkable career. There is nothing formulaic about him. He just has an amazing imagination and he’s a great collaborator.

Image © and courtesy of BBC