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Finty Williams |
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Finty Williams, the daughter of Dame Judi Dench, is now a respected actress in her own right. She spoke to Caroline Harrap about life at the family home, her own flourishing acting career and the role that brings her to Guildford next week. As the head of MI5 (6) in the latest James Bond films, Dame Judi Dench certainly knows her technical gadgetry. In real life, however, things couldn't be more different... Ask her family if she's anything like the ball-breaking, techno wizard "M" and you'll be met with hoots of laughter. "Is she hell!" exclaims her 31-year-old daughter, Finty Williams, who has followed in her mother's footsteps to become an actress herself. "She couldn't be more different! "In the James Bond films, she'll be using some gadget or other like a 'global positioning system' and yet, in real life, every time the phone rings, she tries to answer the remote control... She's just learnt how to text, actually, and it's so funny because she sends us these really long, Pulitzer Prize-winning tomes!" You don't need to speak to Finty Williams for long to work out that not only has she inherited her mother's dry sense of humour but also her acerbic wit. Always ready to see the funny side of things, the daughter of Dame Judi Dench turns out to be funny, charming and remarkably down-to-earth, regaling me with hilarious tales about everything from her acting career to visits to the family home. The family moved there from Stratford-upon-Avon some 20 years ago and has always been held in high regard in the village. In fact, residents are fiercely protective of their mega-famous neighbours who are not averse to enjoying a quiet drink down the local themselves. Although Finty now lives ..., with her seven-year-old son, Sam, she is a regular visitor and keeps an eye on things when her mother is away. "Yes, I have the task of looking after all the animals," she says with a wry smile. "There are seven cats, a dog, two goldfish and two hamsters, amongst others, so when she's off gallivanting around the world, I get to take care of the menagerie!" While her mother, of course, is one of this country's most esteemed actresses, and widely regarded as a national treasure, her late father was the much-loved actor, Michael Williams, who died in 2001 following a long battle with cancer. The couple were one of the most popular in show business and held in great affection by all who knew them. So coming from an acting family of such pedigree, was it inevitable she would become an actress herself? "Actually, I always wanted to be a dancer more than anything," says Williams. "But the problem was, not only did I grow outwards, as opposed to upwards, my father very wisely said that my career would be over by the time I was 30. In hindsight, I'm so glad I didn't become a dancer because that would have been the time when Darcy Bussell and tall, skinny people like that were turning professional and there I would have been, this dwarf in the corner... I wouldn't have had a look in!" Her first acting break came when she was six months into her A-levels and was offered a part in a children's TV series. Bitten by the bug, she went on to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama, in London, and has gone on to enjoy a steady stream of work ever since. As well as her many theatre roles, she has a whole string of film credits to her name, including The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Mrs. Brown and Gosford Park. Her television work, meanwhile, has included the BBC drama series Born and Bred and the animated children's TV series, Angelina Ballerina, which she voiced with Dame Judi. Her decision to go into acting has meant that she has worked alongside her mother on several occasions, which she describes as 'fantastic'. I can't help wondering, though, whether growing up in the shadow of such well-known parents was intimidating for her as an actress? "Actually, the only time I ever found it a problem was when they'd have these famous directors round for Sunday lunch," says Williams. "There'd be people like Sir Peter Hall or Kenneth Branagh sitting in the lounge and, meanwhile, I'd be going up for an audition with them the following week! That was tricky - separating the professional and the social - but, otherwise, it was fine." In her latest role, she's back in the theatre again playing what she describes as "a fairly neurotic housewife" in the Richard Harris comedy, Party Piece. Set in the gardens of two terraced Victorian houses, the story revolves around an 'upwardly mobile' couple who hold a barbecue to celebrate the completion of their expensive renovations. But what they haven't reckoned with is the interference of their down-at-heel elderly neighbour... Boasting an all-star cast, including George Cole (Arthur Daley in Minder) and Emmerdale actor Peter Amory, the tour culminates in Guildford next week. "It really is a very funny piece," says Williams. "We literally get people falling about laughing. It's also quite short - about an hour-and-a-half in total - so you can be in the pub or the restaurant by about quarter to ten!" Not surprisingly, she's particularly looking forward to coming to Guildford as, being so close to home, she has a fair few friends coming to see the show. However, she does admit to finding the whole prospect rather nerve-wracking. "Terrifying, actually!" she says. "My best friend came to see the show the other night and I was so nervous, but you just have to get on with it!" A huge supporter of her daughter's career, Dame Judi Dench saw the show on its opening night in Windsor - along with Finty's biggest fan of all - her son Sam. "Luckily, they loved it," says Williams. "In fact, my son has seen it three times now in all!" He isn't showing any signs yet however, of following in the family tradition. "At the moment, he wants to be a rock-singing footballer when he grows up," she says. "In fact, we sing together all the time. He does get decidedly p***** off, though, about my lack of football skills - but I am trying to learn!" She says there is no-one special in her life right now - she is no longer with Sam's father - though what with looking after her son and holding down a career, there probably isn't time. "No, I'm definitely young, free and single at the moment," she says, sounding quite happy about the fact. "Oh, except, I guess there's not so much of the 'young' now - more like slightly ageing, free and single!" Work-wise, her next projects include an audio book for the BBC and a new DVD of Angelina Ballerina. So could she ever see herself following in her mother's footsteps with a role in James Bond? "Only as a Bond babe," she muses. "But I think I've burnt all my bridges there... sadly, I'm no Halle Berry. I think my dream role would be in a great big musical looking all glamorous and sophisticated - as long as it didn't mean being away from home for too long. I'm not very good at that." And when she's not busy working, or trying to perfect her footballing skills, what does she do when she wants to just chill out? "Chill out?! I'm a mother - I don't get time to chill out!" she says. "When I do get a few minutes, it's just the normal things - seeing the family or popping into Redhill to have a coffee; just the usual stuff really ... " * Party Piece, which also stars George Cole, Peter Amory, Matthew Cottle, Samantha Giles, Harry Gostelow and Katy Landis, comes to Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre from Monday August 23 to Saturday August 28. Box office: 01483 440 000 or www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
A Special Thank You to Sandra P, UK, for sharing this interview with us
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