You can be revered for all sorts of qualities, but to be truly charismatic is rare. Elizabeth Taylor was, for me, one of those rarities.

I’ve never been married and I’ve no more desire to be married now than I ever have. I hate bureaucracy and I am not religious.

I go on giving interviews because I’ve been brought up to support the projects I’m involved in. When you’ve enjoyed working on a production, you want to do them a favour.

You have to be careful not to let your fear stop you doing things. It’s very exciting to test yourself.

My parents were hugely supportive like that. I was always the best – it’s so embarrassing, isn’t it? I was always the best at everything.

The minute anyone’s getting anxious I say, You must eat and you must sleep. They’re the two vital elements for a healthy life.

I’ve never been too afraid of what other people have said, especially when I was younger, but I suppose that was the arrogance of youth.

I have got a few misters interested but nobody special these days.

Eat well and sleep well. That will feed your nervous system and your psyche. As you get older, you look how you feel.

I’m not bothered or sad about being on my own – after all, I’ve never had a husband.

I maintain the rather old-fashioned view that this is my work and it’s in the public arena, but that doesn’t entitle everyone to know what happened at home before coming here.

My children were brought up with their grandparents, and I was brought up with my grandparents. I think the continuity of moving through life together gives people a certain pride and sense of security.

So many stars lose their way, and with success become more neurotic, not less so.

Having children with someone is the real bond.

I’m often asked if I regret not going to Hollywood. I’m glad I didn’t go, because if I had I wouldn’t have my extended family, which is the fabric of my life. Only recently have...

I have made a public statement about me and Ralph by being seen with him. I don’t need to make any other. You can live the way you want.

I am not going to share my private life with millions of people. I don’t find a need to do that and nobody else close to me does either.

If people think I look good, it’s the make-up.

My mother was madly adventurous. My father was an actor – he worked with Gielgud – and my mother came from a very wealthy family. She definitely wasn’t meant to marry an actor, but she...

The thing about doing anything artificial to your hair is that you have to look after it. So you’re always vulnerable to the weather and time.

After all my various relationships I find myself now home alone.

As you grow older, your whole life becomes very rich, multifaceted.

I don’t buy the tabloids, but you’re surrounded by it all and people tell you things they’ve read. I’d be sitting on a train looking over someone’s shoulder and thinking: That’s familiar… oh my God,...

I never pursued being ‘famous.’

I don’t think the media circus has ever been a shock to my life seeing as I was with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor when I was 17.

It’s not so much the dressing up, but I love the idea of moving and existing in a different time.

When I was starting out, young actresses had the studio system to protect them. Now you have a host of sharks, from your agent to your publicist to your lawyer.

I didn’t choose to be an actress.

Everyone has class, one class or another.

Too often, older women are seen as victims, but I know lots of formidable women who have marvellous jobs as well as a full erotic life, and children and friends and family.

I like working in theatre now and I think that once you’ve done a certain amount of films most actors love working in the theatre because of the camaraderie.

I turned down a lot of films.

I don’t want three million people digesting my private life over their cornflakes.

An interview has become such a confrontational thing. It makes you very defensive.

I do think it’s important to live in the present because in that way you won’t be living in a state of regret.

Everything is about class in England, whether it’s upper, lower or middle. Why should that be?

I am not a fanatic about anything. I do what I can do when I’ve got the time.

In films people basically work for the camera, you know, and that’s why actors can hate each other and not be speaking to each other and still look as if they’re in love because really...

I was seen dancing at school by a director, who asked me to be in a TV play. And it had a huge impact. So I think that’s what really started me off.

The first thing you have to do is accept that decay sets in and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Each decade, I’ve lived in that decade, so I could easily shed the ’20s, the ’30s, the ’40s.

Sometimes sushi is just superb, and other times there’s nothing like a great big steak. It depends where your taste buds are at the time.

I don’t need a piece of paper to suggest that I can commit myself.

Fame and stardom sat very easily on Elizabeth Taylor’s shoulders.

I’m trying to learn to smoke, which is rather weird when everyone is trying to stop. I’m not a smoker. But my character only smokes as an affectation.

The biggest privilege I’ve had in my life is being able to make a choice. If you make a choice, it can’t be a wrong choice because it seemed like a good idea at the...

I’ll dance to anything: Bob Marley or rap.

The funny thing is I’m not bothered or sad about being on my own – after all I’ve never had a husband.

From one till seven, when we moved to England, I spoke only Portuguese. But I can’t speak a word of it now.

Everything has changed. An interview has become such a confrontational thing. It makes you very defensive.