Dame Joanna Lumley blames her voice for being cast in villain roles
Dame Joanna Lumley thinks she gets cast as baddies in TV and films because of her posh-sounding accent.
Dame Joanna Lumley blames her accent for being cast in "horrid" baddie roles.
The 78-year-old actress has been known to play villains in TV shows and movies - such as being the wicked Aunt Spiker in the 1996 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's 'James and the Giant Peach' - and now the icon has pointed the finger at her posh-sounding voice as the reason why she gets cast as the bad character.
Joanna told the Daily Star newspaper: "I'm always cast as horrid, sad old grannies and mothers or wizened cruel aunts.
"I don't know what it is because I'm a sunny character. But, it's sort of nice.
"It might be to do with the accent."
She now thinks there will be many more wicked roles in store for her in the future.
Joanna, who played former fashion model Patsy Stone in the hit sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous', quipped: "It's written in my contract now ... I must be mean."
Her new BBC TV project is 'Amandaland ' - a spin-off to the comedy 'Motherland', which sees Amanda (Lucy Punch) relocate to South Harlesden and battle modern parenting issues as a single mum.
The 'Fool Me Once' star reprises her role as Amanda's spiteful mum Felicity and she admitted it was "magic" to be a part of the new show.
Joanna added: "On 'Motherland', I only filmed for a couple of afternoons. We planted her a little bit.
"People ask what it was like, and what the cast are like, and I say, 'I've never met them'.
"You never expect a role like that to come back.
"So to get to do 'Amandaland' was magic.
"It was such a treat to see more of her."
Joanna teased the audience will have laughing fits and be gripped by what plays out throughout the six episodes of the new series - which begins airing on Wednesday (05.02.25).
She revealed: "It's a really darling show.
"The scripts are lovely; very well-written, funny and full of charm.
"There are some wonderful other characters as well, so there's so much in it.
"I'm just an incidental part, really."
