“Judi Dench and Ian McKellen taught me how to work hard and respect the...” — Francesca Annis Quote

Judi Dench and Ian McKellen taught me how to work hard and respect the theatre.

I consulted a Chinese herbalist and spent two weeks on an island off the coast of Zanzibar. I was away from any kind of contemporary technology.

I'm often asked if I regret not going to Hollywood. I'm glad I didn't go, because if I had I wouldn't have my extended family, which is the fabric of my life. Only recently have I realised how special and unusual it is.

Everything is about class in England, whether it's upper, lower or middle. Why should that be?

I am not going to share my private life with millions of people. I don't find a need to do that and nobody else close to me does either.

Anything I learned was just work hard, just keep working and don't worry about the outside stuff. Whatever happens will happen.

Dreams do come true if you work hard and you get your head down.

You don't wake up at 18 and necessarily become the person you want to be as an adult - you have to work hard to become them.

I work hard. I like getting to the end of things. And I write my plays that way.

I have worked very hard to achieve this. If others also work hard, they can also achieve as much.