10. Maggie Smith
Oh I love her, don’t you? I wish she was my Nan. For a start, have you seen how beautiful she was as a nipper? She’s a wonder in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I love her in Hook and Keeping Mum and just about everything she’s ever been in.
Goodness only knows how old she is as she often plays character much older than her. I make her at about 112. She’s amazing, I love her and I never want her to stop.
9. Susan Sarandon
She’s everything I wish I was. That smirk. That bust. That face! She’s a beautiful ice queen and a damn fine actress to boot. I admire her versatility and the fact that she grows old gracefully and seductively. She was sensational in The Lovely Bones and I can’t think of anyone who could have played that part better than she did.
8. Kathy Burke
I admire Kathy Burke full stop. I watched an interview she did recently and charm, passion and warmth oozes from every pore on her body. I like her refusal to be anything other than what she is. She’s intelligent, witty, sharp and funny. She makes me proud to be female and proud to be British.
I know Kathy has a slide towards the grotesque and a tendency to play caricatures, such as Linda LaHughes in Gimme Gimme Gimme and Waynetta Slob in Harry Enfield and Chums. However, her more serious roles in The Martins and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy show her immense gift. She is a sensation and I adore her.
7. Jane Horrocks
Little Voice is one of my favourite films ever. Jane Horrocks is incredible in this film. Her speech with Brenda Blethyn makes me cry each and every time and her singing is wonderful. She is so talented and versatile and not afraid to throw herself into anything. She is genuinely funny and her madcap escapades as Bubble in Absolutely Fabulous were a delight.
6. Charlize Theron
Goodness knows this woman has made some god-awful rubbish in her time but in the film Monster she was just incredible. To turn from a leggy bronzed goddess into a broken mess of a woman was staggering. She was moving, and frightening, and dark and evil and everything that part needed her to be. What a wonderful actress. More like that please.
5. Helena Bonham Carter
And her constant sidekick Johnny Depp. I know she ruffled a few feathers with her constant griping about how hard it is to be posh but in the excellent Fight Club as Marla Singer she was just perfect.
She does tend to play almost the same character and I know she’s very stylised due to looking like a teenage Goth after being put on a boil wash. However, I like her. I like her stony realism and her ability to be quite grotesque.
4. Maggie Gyllenhaal
Mostly for her performance in Secretary. How anyone can be so fragile, naive and young and yet a disgusting pouting sex kitten all at once is quite beyond me. I loved her in that movie. It was a brave choice to do it because it’s extremely racy and to some (not me) quite offensive. She played the part to perfection and I think she’s amazing.
3. Thora Birch
She looks exactly like me and therefore I must love her. However, she’s a very good actress. She has a certain teenage air about her that doesn’t ever leave, despite the fact she’s well into her thirties now. Did you know both her parents were adult movie stars? Anyway.
I loved her The Hole, opposite vapid talentless black hole Keira PoutyKnightley. I loved her in American Beauty. I loved her in Ghost World, with the brilliant Scarlett Johansson. I love her.
2. Scarlett Johansson
Such a mix of personalities all rolled into one it’s really weird. She should be one of theHollywoodelite with her ridiculous good looks but there’s just something about her. The girl has substance.
I thought she was amazing in The Prestige but really her triumph over all is Lost in Translation. She was so fragile and gentle and took on the role so well, considering the film is pretty much entirely about her. I thought she was wonderful. I love that movie by the way- first of all, it has Bill Murray in it, and as you know, I worship the man, and secondly, “unofficially” the character Anna Faris plays is based on irritating bobblehead Cameron Diaz, who I think has all the talent of a bathroom sponge. Marvellous.
1. Anjelica Houston
Morticia Addams and various Wes Anderson films. Cheekbones you could shave with. Thousand yard stare. She is the greatest actress ever. No room for discussion.
