Miriam Margolyes is not regarded as "traditionally beautiful" but has made a successful career out of theatre and film. Photo / Getty Images
During a recent conversation, a woman told me that she'd always wanted to be involved with theatre but she wasn't confident and: "Besides that, I don't have a beautiful face," she said.
Where did that come from? Physical beauty is no prerequisite as theatre is largely a reflection of everyday
life and beauty is the exception rather than the norm.
Certainly, there's no shortage of gorgeous young things (and not so young things) strutting their stuff on the Hollywood red carpets, the epitome of glamour, but there are also many very successful actors on whom the good fairies at the christening did not confer the gift of great beauty.
Who springs to mind? Timothy Spall, who's played various characters from Winston Churchill to 'Scabbers', Ron Weasley's pet rat in the Harry Potter movies. He's not a handsome man but watching him in an interview for TV he came across as a charming chap with a lovely sense of humour.
Humour? Miriam Margolyes, (pronounced 'Margles') is a wonderful character actress who exudes a wicked sense of humour.
