Brenda Blethyn has declared she has no intention of stepping away from acting as she approaches her 80th birthday next month.
The award-winning performer, best known for portraying DCI Vera Stanhope in ITV's long-running crime series, spoke about her future plans in a new interview, which was published just hours after she was unceremoniously snubbed by the powers that be at Bafta.
Ms Blethyn had been longlisted for her role in Dragonfly alongside nine other actresses for the Supporting Actress gong earlier this month, but on Tuesday, it was confirmed she'd missed out on a nod.
Instead, Marty Supreme's Odesse A'Zion, Sentimental Value's Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sinners' Wunmi Mosaku, The Ballad of Wallis Island's Carey Mulligan, One Battle After Another's Teyana Taylor, and Hamnet's Emily Watson, landed nominations.
Brenda Blethyn is best known for her role in Vera
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Her Dragonfly co-star Andrea Riseborough fared no better. Despite being longlisted in the Actress category, she too missed out on a nomination.
Hamnet's Jessie Buckley looks a shoo-in for the gong, but faces opposition from If I Had Legs I’d Kick You's Rose Byrne, Song Sung Blue's Kate Hudson, One Battle After Another's Chase Infiniti, Sentimental Value's Renate Reinsve, and Bugonia's Emma Stone.
Nevertheless, following the snub and 15 years in the iconic detective role of Vera, Ms Blethyn has no plans to slow down and has even moved on to fresh projects, recently completing work on A Woman Of Substance, a new period drama for Channel 4.
"I'm lucky to have been working all this time," she told Prima Magazine.
Brenda Blethyn turns 80 this year
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Despite her decades-long career spanning film, television, and theatre, Ms Blethyn confessed that self-doubt continues to affect her.
"I suppose I'm someone with imposter syndrome," she revealed. "I'm not as bad as I was, but I certainly had it when I was younger, and I wish I'd kicked that into touch."
The actress acknowledged that leaving behind her beloved detective character has been an adjustment.
"I miss the assuredness I had with Vera," Ms Blethyn said, explaining that after so many years, she understood the character better than anyone else involved in the production.
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Brenda Blethyn has addressed the possibility of retiring
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She noted that guest writers would occasionally make errors because they hadn't watched previous episodes.
However, despite moving on to pastures new, Ms Blethyn remains happy to discuss her time on the show.
"I don't mind still talking about Vera because I'm rather proud of her," she said. "I had to do the show for so long — it was 15 years if you count back to the pilot. She's like an old friend."
Turning her attention to potentially bringing her career to a halt, Ms Blethyn conceded the thought had crossed her mind.
Brenda Blethyn missed out on a Bafta nod in the Supporting Actress field despite being longlisted
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"In fact, when I was 65, I was thinking, 'Do I retire now? Maybe that's what I'm supposed to do?' And then Vera came along," she explained.
The role transformed her professional trajectory, keeping her busy for the following decade and a half.
Now on the cusp of turning 80, the actress maintains she has no desire to leave the profession entirely.
"Now I'm nearly 80 and I'm not thinking about retiring at all — though perhaps I will cut back a bit and spend more time at home," she said.
ITV brought Vera to an end last year
| ITVThe full interview appears in the March edition of Prima, which is currently available.
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