Pauline Collins: “Sometimes you’re chosen for your flaws”

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This article originally appeared in TopMob magazine in October 1996 as part of a promotion for the Screen Two drama, Flowers of the Forest.

Let me tell you, this woman just felt like a mom – a strong, no-nonsense type, even though she was only about five-two. She was a little guarded, always a bit on the defensive, so I wasn’t shocked when she gave me a stern look and said she’d be seriously annoyed if I used words like ‘nutty’ or ‘wacky.’ We’d been talking about her first TV appearance in four years – she was an expert on something really heavy, child satanic ritual abuse – and briefly shifted to a slightly more…out-there topic: radionics. It’s this idea that your organs vibrate, and you can diagnose problems by reading those vibrations, which, honestly, was a welcome change of pace.

She stated firmly that this method is effective, explaining it’s been practiced on animals for a long time. Historically, people would send a clipping of a horse’s hair or hoof to a practitioner who would use a technique called ‘dowsing’ to diagnose the animal’s ailment. She believes the same approach works for people. If the practitioner is seeing someone in person, they’ll place a metal plate on the patient’s stomach and use a machine to send vibrations to their fingertips.

She’d tried studying physics to keep her mind sharp, but found it too difficult. Recently, she became fascinated by a science concept she learned from her son’s book – Schrödinger’s cat and the idea of observation. It led her to ponder questions about reality and time, and she independently concluded that time isn’t linear, but moves in waves. Her son suggested this insight would have been groundbreaking a century ago, but she admits she struggles to articulate it clearly, preferring to visualize it.

Before discussing this, she’s conducting an interview, remaining helpful and cheerful, though not overly dramatic. She’s self-deprecating, especially about her appearance, acknowledging her limitations would prevent her from playing certain roles. She observes that many people, even beautiful ones like Michelle Pfeiffer, are critical of their own looks, and playfully asks the interviewer if they consider themselves beautiful. She then reflects on how actors are sometimes chosen because of their flaws, and notes that she’s often described as ‘cuddly’ or ‘plump’ in reviews, which made her perfect for her favorite role, Shirley Valentine. She received an Oscar nomination for the 1989 film.

Many actors are actually quite down-to-earth. It’s rare to meet one who seems overly dramatic. She suggests that British culture discourages flamboyance in performers – this country prefers actors to be understated. A lot of an actor’s life involves facing rejection, even with the occasional high point. It’s a strange job built on being told ‘no.’ She doesn’t take reviews too seriously, reasoning that you can’t believe the positive ones if you dwell on the negative. She enjoys applause – it’s how actors gauge their success – but understands that opinions are often exaggerated, either praising you too highly or criticizing you unfairly.

She and her husband, John, met on the set of the 1960s TV show Emergency Ward 10 and married in 1969. She found their reputation as a perpetually happy couple frustrating. “It was actually quite annoying being seen as ‘that sweet couple who never argue,'” she admits. Since they stopped working together after their final series, Evergreen, she says they’ve shown a more realistic side. She’s optimistic they’ll find another project they both enjoy in the future, adding, “The best part of being married to an actor is that he understands and accepts your flaws and challenges.”

You know, I was chatting with this actress, and we got onto the subject of rivalry. I wondered if even a big house could feel cramped with two strong personalities clashing. She immediately dismissed the idea, scoffing at the notion that actors are catty and competitive. She challenged me to name just one who was, and when I offered a few names, she said they didn’t count because they were American! It seemed like suggesting any British actor might even hint at jealousy was a no-go. She insisted everyone’s incredibly supportive, explaining how quickly actors have to bond – you can meet someone in the morning and be working intimately with them by afternoon, professionally of course. And honestly, she’s so over the term ‘luvvie’ to describe actors – she’s begging for a new word!

All my reviews say ‘cuddly’ or ‘cosy’. I was perfect for Shirley Valentine. It’s a hard act to follow

She’s turned down a lot of roles recently, saying that while good parts are available, truly exceptional ones are rare. She’s currently taking a break from theatre, as it demands a lot of energy, and performing the same show night after night unless it’s truly special can be draining. She feels there aren’t enough original plays being written, and she isn’t interested in performing classics or revivals. She jokingly suggests a ten-year break from Shakespeare, arguing that so much money is spent on a playwright who died centuries ago when it could support emerging writers. While acknowledging Shakespeare’s importance to culture and tourism, she believes he overshadows contemporary playwrights.

She hadn’t been drawn to a TV script in a while, but ‘Flowers of the Forest’ immediately stood out. In it, she plays Aileen Matthews, a Welsh expert on child abuse who was trained by the New Morning Trust, an American evangelical group. This group believes in a global conspiracy involving satanic ritual abuse. The script is inspired by real cases where children were taken from their families based on similar suspicions, and it explores how easily people can be persuaded by someone passionately believing in a conspiracy theory, like Aileen.

Her work involves therapy that sometimes uses techniques to explore past events, which can be a sensitive and risky area. It’s easy to mistakenly believe someone is lying – especially a child – and memories can be surprisingly malleable. Sadly, abuse often happens over long periods, and families can be involved in covering it up, leaving the child feeling at fault. However, it’s also possible for false memories to be created. While I wouldn’t directly accuse anyone of dishonesty, when dealing with both an alleged abuser and the victim, intuition often reveals who is telling the truth; genuine innocence is usually clear. However, social workers, especially in child abuse cases, don’t always see things this way, and can sometimes be overly suspicious. A simple, innocent act, like a father drying his daughter after a swim, could be misinterpreted. It’s reached a point where fathers worry about even offering a hug, and it’s heartbreaking that relationships between parents and children, or teachers and students, are now viewed with suspicion. Perhaps increased caution is simply necessary these days.

I grew up with a happy and safe childhood. I know that’s not everyone’s experience, and while I haven’t personally needed therapy, I’ve seen friends benefit from it. Everyone goes through times when they could use support. Traditionally, people turned to religious leaders for help, but as society changes, we’re finding new sources of guidance. I was raised Catholic, though I don’t always live up to its teachings. I think religions would be stronger if they united instead of remaining separate. I used to struggle with Catholic guilt, especially when I worked while my children were young, but I’ve since realized that feeling guilty wasn’t helpful and I’ve let it go.

Growing up, teaching was just… in my blood. My dad was a headmaster, and both my mom and sister were teachers, so I ended up training as one too, even though all I ever dreamed of was being an actress! Mom put me in a school play when I was eight, and that was it – I was hooked. Honestly, I always figured I could fall back on supply teaching if I needed to, and I did a few times. But teaching just for the money felt wrong. You need to love it. I was okay at it, but I didn’t have that passion. I gave myself five years to make acting work, and it was close! I finally started getting noticed around age 30 with Upstairs, Downstairs – I took over for Eileen Atkins, actually. It’s funny, I’ve always been a bit of a late bloomer. Films really came into my life later on, and now, at 56, there aren’t a ton of leading roles available. Lately, I’ve been offered some really violent parts, and they just don’t feel right for me. I’m not saying I only want to play sweet, innocent characters, but I don’t think that kind of extreme violence is good for anyone.

Life inevitably includes hardship, and it’s a classic question whether art imitates life, or life imitates art. It’s hard to say! She enjoys working but admits that as you get older, your drive naturally lessens. She aspires to have a career like Denholm Elliot, who found a perfect and fulfilling role for himself. She also wants to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, like traveling and appreciating beauty. Earlier this year, she traveled to Indonesia with her 19-year-old son, Richard, who was starting a gap year before university and asked her to join him for the first part of his journey. She was happy to accept and they had a wonderful time together. Both of their children are in the arts – their daughter Kate is an actress, and their son Nick is a writer and director, a profession she playfully admits is even more challenging than acting.

She’s written a book about her daughter, born when she was 23 – a topic she doesn’t want to revisit – and is now planning a novel. She says she has ideas for three books, but admits to being a big procrastinator. I’m surprised to hear that, as she seems very organized, happy, and at peace. She clarifies that she doesn’t want to be too content, though. A little dissatisfaction is healthy, she explains – it gives you something to strive for and prevents you from becoming self-satisfied. But she also values enjoying the good times amidst life’s challenges.

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2025-11-07 18:36