Would have loved to see Joanna in...

[Mara]

So, any serie or movie characters that were not, but should have been played by Joanna? I often come across these kind of characters, so I wonder what kind of parts would have suited her as well...

Ok, first, I think she could have made a good Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. Small parts, but still big-hit movies. Secondly, I'd have loved to see her as Lady Catherine in the movie version of 'Pride and Prejudice': Judi Dench does a great job, but she would have been perfect for this part as well.

I actually think there are a lot of roles in the Jane Austen costume drama's' that would have been perfect for Joanna, but they somehow always give these parts to either Julie Walters or Judi Dench.. (click here for a picture)

[Mara]

I almost forgot - Tanya in Mamma Mia! (preferably with lady French and dame Saunders)



Why on EARTH didn't they give that part to Joanna?! (quite possibly because of the exact reason Dawn was rejected: she can't sing, haha) Still, she would have made a fab Tanya.

[Philippa]

^I was gonna say Mamma Mia too. I would've loved to see Joanna as Tanya!
And of course there's plenty more, but I'm gonna think about that for a while.

[Timeless A-Peel]

No actual part in mind, but I would have loved to see her play someone in Life on Mars, preferably a Purdeyish character to fit with the '70s setting. That would've made a genius series that tiniest bit better.

[Mara]

I'd really love to see Joanna on QI once. I love this clever show, and I'm sure she has the knowledge, but also the wit to make a great episode.

[Timeless A-Peel]

I'd really love to see Joanna on QI once. I love this clever show, and I'm sure she has the knowledge, but also the wit to make a great episode.

Joanna+Stephen Fry can only be a good thing (wish we had QI over here).

[Mara]

We have our own, Dutch version here too, which I admit is pretty good. But nothing can top Stephen Fry, of course.

[Timeless A-Peel]

We have our own, Dutch version here too, which I admit is pretty good. But nothing can top Stephen Fry, of course.

Oh, you get a QI? I want one!

[Philippa]

Ooh yes, I'd love to see Joanna on QI. That would be so brilliant

I don't like the Dutch version of QI though. Arthur Japin is great, but not a patch on Stephen Fry.

[Mara]

I don't like the Dutch version of QI though. Arthur Japin is great, but not a patch on Stephen Fry.

Well, it also depends on the guests of course. I do like Japin, and I'm glad they didn't go for one of the presenters we usually get for quizes on the
commercial channels.

[Avengerdan]

I would have liked to see Joanna properly in a Bond movie (ignoring the bit part in OHMSS). Perhaps the Dr. Holly Goodhead role in Moonraker (1979).

I agree she'd be great on QI - she used to do the Call My Bluff quiz show in the 70's quite often (oddly I don't see this listed on her IMDB, but she did appear several times).

I'd also like to see her in a sequel to her, now seemingly lost, sitcom It's Awfully Bad For Your Eyes Darling.

[Timeless A-Peel]

Come to think of it, my number one wish for what Joanna could have been in would be anything that paired her up with Gareth again. The two projects they did together post-TNA had either little or no interaction between them. I would have loved a series with the pair of them, even one where they didn't play Purdey and Gambit. It would have been very fitting if they'd played exes/old lovers or something and turned the Purdey/Gambit dynamic on its head. On the flip side, I often wonder what it would have been like if Joanna had played the lady in Upstairs, Downstairs that Frederick fooled around with and ran off to the States with. Any of those in my brain would have been great.

[Mara]

Oh yes, another series with Gareth and Joanna would have been great, because they worked so well together.

I'd like to see more of Jo on ''the big screen''. All those shows and documentaries are quite great, but she has the talent to get here name ''out there''. I'd never ever want her to move to Hollywood/the US or something, but it'd be nice if more people abroad knew who she was.

And I forgot to add: anything including Jo Lumley and Jen Saunders is a win too.

[Timeless A-Peel]

Oh yes, another series with Gareth and Joanna would have been great, because they worked so well together.

I'd like to see more of Jo on ''the big screen''. All those shows and documentaries are quite great, but she has the talent to get here name ''out there''. I'd never ever want her to move to Hollywood/the US or something, but it'd be nice if more people abroad knew who she was.

And I forgot to add: anything including Jo Lumley and Jen Saunders is a win too.

Joanna does get movies, but they always seem to give her a tiny little part (although her name always gets put high up in the credits)--Ella Enchanted and Maybe Baby were both guilty of that (although I loved both movies and she was good in them, too). They often bring her in as a pseudo-Patsy. If they gave her a major role, I'd prefer that she play a different kind of character.

[Philippa]

Yes, definitely something on the big screen, that would be lovely.
Something involving both Jo and Jen goes without saying, I would always want to see them work togehter. I agree about Joanna and Gareth, it would've been so nice if they had worked together properly on something other than The New Avengers. Their on-screen chemistry was so good, so they would've been good in any kind of role or setting

[Timeless A-Peel]

Yes, definitely something on the big screen, that would be lovely.
Something involving both Jo and Jen goes without saying, I would always want to see them work togehter. I agree about Joanna and Gareth, it would've been so nice if they had worked together properly on something other than The New Avengers. Their on-screen chemistry was so good, so they would've been good in any kind of role or setting

Oh, yes, they could have played anything and it would have been brilliant. They did old married couple very well, so maybe they could have done that. It could have been slightly in-jokey about TNA, like "Purdey and Gambit: the later years," only playing different characters. Or that TNA reunion special--I would have gone for that!

[Mara]

They often bring her in as a pseudo-Patsy. If they gave her a major role, I'd prefer that she play a different kind of character.

Absolutely true. It's a shame they always give her small parts to play, because I'm convinced she can do a ''Mirren'' or ''Dench''. (if you know what I mean) I remember she once said that she doesn't have much ambition, and it does sometimes show. She's been in two major hit shows, so it's like no one knows who she is... She just seems to accept the stuff she enjoyes, really. (which is a good thing too, of course)

[Timeless A-Peel]

They often bring her in as a pseudo-Patsy. If they gave her a major role, I'd prefer that she play a different kind of character.

Absolutely true. It's a shame they always give her small parts to play, because I'm convinced she can do a ''Mirren'' or ''Dench''. (if you know what I mean) I remember she once said that she doesn't have much ambition, and it does sometimes show. She's been in two major hit shows, so it's like no one knows who she is... She just seems to accept the stuff she enjoyes, really. (which is a good thing too, of course)

She doesn't have to try, really, does she? I mean, no one in their right mind would say "Oh, Joanna Lumley wants to be in this? Eh, I don't think so." So I suspect she doesn't have to be ambitious because people come to her--she's in demand. She's done quite a few successful series--more than most people--so I don't think she feels as if she has anything to prove. I would love it if she guest-starred in a series I was more familiar with. I've seen all of one episode of Lewis. I'd love to see her on Ashes to Ashes or Hustle. Can you imagine her as a posh older grifter, sweet-talking guys in bars while lifting their wallets? If they brought back Marc Warren, I'd love to see how they interacted. Danny did say he didn't mind older women.

[Mara]

She doesn't have to try, really, does she? I mean, no one in their right mind would say "Oh, Joanna Lumley wants to be in this? Eh, I don't think so." So I suspect she doesn't have to be ambitious because people come to her--she's in demand.

Hm, I'm not sure about that. She's been on screen for more that thirty years now, so it's true she probably no longer has to do auditions like she had to for her part in the Avengers, but still... I'm sure there are directors out there who would love to have her for a major part in a movie, but I'm not convinced if she wants too. You can't blame her for that of course, but it's kinda frustrating for someone so very ambitious as I am.

[Philippa]

They often bring her in as a pseudo-Patsy. If they gave her a major role, I'd prefer that she play a different kind of character.

Absolutely true. It's a shame they always give her small parts to play, because I'm convinced she can do a ''Mirren'' or ''Dench''. (if you know what I mean) I remember she once said that she doesn't have much ambition, and it does sometimes show. She's been in two major hit shows, so it's like no one knows who she is... She just seems to accept the stuff she enjoyes, really. (which is a good thing too, of course)

She doesn't have to try, really, does she? I mean, no one in their right mind would say "Oh, Joanna Lumley wants to be in this? Eh, I don't think so." So I suspect she doesn't have to be ambitious because people come to her--she's in demand. She's done quite a few successful series--more than most people--so I don't think she feels as if she has anything to prove. I would love it if she guest-starred in a series I was more familiar with. I've seen all of one episode of Lewis. I'd love to see her on Ashes to Ashes or Hustle. Can you imagine her as a posh older grifter, sweet-talking guys in bars while lifting their wallets? If they brought back Marc Warren, I'd love to see how they interacted. Danny did say he didn't mind older women.

Right, the first time you mentioned Joanna and Ashes in one sentence I nearly fainted, but I'll try to contain myself this time
I would love love love for that to happen!

[Timeless A-Peel]

She doesn't have to try, really, does she? I mean, no one in their right mind would say "Oh, Joanna Lumley wants to be in this? Eh, I don't think so." So I suspect she doesn't have to be ambitious because people come to her--she's in demand.

Hm, I'm not sure about that. She's been on screen for more that thirty years now, so it's true she probably no longer has to do auditions like she had to for her part in the Avengers, but still... I'm sure there are directors out there who would love to have her for a major part in a movie, but I'm not convinced if she wants too. You can't blame her for that of course, but it's kinda frustrating for someone so very ambitious as I am.

I think the fact that they'll squeeze her into a tiny part just to get her name on the poster shows what kind of clout she has and how much people respond to her. There are probably parts she wants to do that she might have to convince people she's right for, but I suspect a lot of people come to her, not the other way around (but I agree she probably turns stuff down all the time). It's certainly not "Please can I audition?" anymore.

I'll try not to mention the Ashes connection again because I might kill Philippa, although it would be fun to see her with one of her bad hairdos from the eighties.

[Mara]

True. Her name is often used so you expect her to have a big part, and too often its just a tiny role... I'm affraid people to often try to make her play a similar part to what she did in AbFab, which is understandable, but no fun for her. It must be frustrating sometimes, it's been nearly 5 years since the latest episodes aired, and she's proved she can do more ever since. She can do the serious stuff, if only she'd accept such a part in a movie, haha.

I'll try not to mention the Ashes connection again because I might kill Philippa, although it would be fun to see her with one of her bad hairdos from the eighties.

That can be arranged - I'll talk her into that.

[Philippa]

Joanna with big 80s hair and strange fasion, yes please!

[Timeless A-Peel]

Joanna with big 80s hair and strange fasion, yes please!

Some really garish eyeshadow would work.

True. Her name is often used so you expect her to have a big part, and too often its just a tiny role... I'm affraid people to often try to make her play a similar part to what she did in AbFab, which is understandable, but no fun for her. It must be frustrating sometimes, it's been nearly 5 years since the latest episodes aired, and she's proved she can do more ever since. She can do the serious stuff, if only she'd accept such a part in a movie, haha.

I'm sure she does get sick of doing Patsy. She did do Sensitive Skin (which I watched 2 minutes of the other day. I can't bring myself to watch the whole thing, though, because I get the feeling it'd leave me depressed, and I don't need more depressing stuff just now). It doesn't have to be super-serious, just something a bit different.

[Mara]

I'm sure she does get sick of doing Patsy. She did do Sensitive Skin (which I watched 2 minutes of the other day. I can't bring myself to watch the whole thing, though, because I get the feeling it'd leave me depressed, and I don't need more depressing stuff just now). It doesn't have to be super-serious, just something a bit different.

I love Sensitive Skin - it never gets me depressed, but it does leave me with a slight feeling of melancholy, which is beautiful. I think that's when I fel properly in love with Joanna's acting, because then I realised she's can do both comedy and serious roles. There's a lot of humor going on in the series, and you'll have to watch each episode more than once to discover the details. But once you do, it's great.