Nicest/Rude Actors

One story from many years of watching plays and autograph collecting was once at the Old Vic, I'd seen a play by Tom Stoppard and wanted the program signed by the cast. Whilst waiting I noticed someone approaching who looked rather like Sir Tom himself, to make sure I didn't make a fool of myself I glanced down at the program to Sir Tom's photo and up towards the approaching gentleman. Sir Tom had clocked what I was doing and said lightheartedly "Yes it is I, would you like me to sign it" I said "certainly great play, a real honour to meet you". He said £That's very kind" and went into the stage door.

Once at TRH Rachel Sterling was either in a play and Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) was meeting her as a guest or it was the other way around, Someone had a Tipping the Velvet DVD for Rachel to sign which she did and then told us all about a website she had found with stills of the series on it in case anyone wanted "Some good stills as they have got some really filthy ones on there" She was quite series almost encouraging people to print these photos for her to sign. Phyllida who was in her mid 70's at the time then said I bet Emma is featured on there too almost boasting.

Celinde Schoenmaker. She is just lovely. Always time for a chat, picture whatever, and she is always interested in her audience (did you like it? was it your first time seeing the show etc)
But to be fair, I've never met a particularly not nice person at SD.

Just don't recommend her for a role.

Nicest - Alex Hanson, Kate O''Mara, Stephanie Powers (when she was in Matador), John Barrowman and Caroline O'Connor.

Worst - Ruthie Henshall, David Greer (Michael Ball's understudy in Aspects).

Many many years ago a friend and I met Alun Armstrong during a lock-in at the Dirty Duck after a show. He was absolutely lovely and was genuinely interested in our lives - we lived abroad at the time. He loved the idea that we belonged to English speaking theatre companies, but also wanted to find out all about our day jobs and way of life. He honestly made us feel that our lives were more interesting than his. (They really weren't!)

I've never met anyone particularly horrible but Laura Pitt-Pulford was extra lovely when I met her after Flowers For Mrs Harris. Will Haswell lovely when I met him yesterday after Our House. Emily Howlett was very sweet who I met while she was here in Tribes and Lucie Jones was too who I met after Wedding Singer. Luke Baker is wonderful to meet at stage door - he's always willing to give so much time to you at stage door. Gavin McCaig is always a delight to speak to - he's a dancer for Northern Ballet. Justin-Lee Jones is always very lovely too and I loved meeting Charlie Bate and Rochenda Sandall too. I've been very lucky at stage door!

Harold was directing a Simon Gray play a number of years back at Birmingham Rep, I'd heard he could be elusive and when he came out the stage door, a couple of us asked him to sign. He held up his hand and said "Sorry" and walked off, Simon was happy to sign btw.

I heard years later that the trick with Harold was to get him talking about cricket as he became much friendlier then.

Patricia Routledge could be a bit brusque but one time I met her, I mentioned seeing a clip of when she was presented with a Tony Award by the great Groucho Marx and she spoke about meeting him for several minutes.

Martin Shaw is another famously elusive actor, will rarely stop at SD but happily signs through the post or if stuff is taken in. I know when the Professionals came out on Video years back people could not get him to sign the covers. When I met the late Lewis Collins years ago someone said to him, he was much nicer than Martin and he replied "I had to work with him for 5 years", so there may have been no love lost there.

I have heard a story but cannot verify it that many years ago someone asked the late great Gordon Jackson to sign a Professionals item which he was happy to do and noticed that it had already been signed by Martin and said something along the lines of "How did you get the ****ing miserable ******* to sign that".

Diana Rigg was well known to never be asked to sign anything Avengers related or even let her see it as she was likely to stop signing or meeting fans if she saw it or was asked. But she was always pleasant if nothing Avengers was mentioned or came into her eye-line. Ironically a few years back Patrick Macnee was visiting her after a show and they left the theatre together so for once she broke her "No Avengers" rule as Patrick was there.

Also. I bumped into Tamsin Carol outside of Miss Saigon after the show. She was walking away from the wild crowds and it was clear no one recognised her so I stopped her and said I loved her performance (I didn't but I'm a nice person) and we spoke about the new version of Ellen. She very politely said she loved the new song and the idea that Ellen would step aside if Chris wanted her to, I said I preferred "Now That I've Seen Her" and the idea that Ellen would slap a bitch for her man, Tamsin giggled and said she agreed. Absolute sweetheart!

I second that. I went to one of the last performances of Memphis she did as alternate before she took over full time for the last few weeks. The stage door was manic with Matt Cardle fans, but I was stood back and managed to catch her as she escaped the throng. I was the only person chatting to her and she seemed really surprised to be stopped - I just wanted to say thank you and tell her her performance was wonderful (it really was), and she was really lovely, and seemed shocked that I'd deliberately picked a night Beverley Knight wasn't on so I could see her as Felicia!

Hsve to say almost all the actors I have met have been lovely. Joe McFadden-lovely in many ways!!All the Strallens have been great. Special mention to Catherine Tate who was so patient with a group of girls and did her bothered line many times individually while they all filmed it.As I say have met many over the years and almost all have been polite, chatty and interesting.

Peter Bowles, Edward Fox, Simon Callow & Judi Dench. Gillian Anderson, Helen Mirren, Vanessa Redgrave are all unfriendly people

All the Strallens are lovely. Have met Scarlett, Summer, Zizi and Sasi and also Aunty Bonnie! All very chatty and polite and grateful that you have shown an interest in them.