Brenda Blethyn
Much-loved Vera actress, Brenda Blethyn, chats about family, fun and playing a detective
It is a testament to Brenda Blethyn’s talent as an actress that while she is able to portray undoubtedly dour and more-than-a-bit grumpy DCI Vera Stanhope to perfection, in real life she is, if not a laugh a minute, then something pretty close to it. There is great humour in her twinkly brown eyes and we’re not talking for more than a few minutes before we are laughing. “Laughter means everything to me and has always been a bit of a life-saver,” she smiles. “It’s in my genes and I feel, in a way, it’s like my mum and dad’s legacy to me. They taught me the importance of humour. My parents overcame such hardships, bringing up nine of us in what can only be described as poverty, and they did it with real humour. There was a lot of shouting in our house when I was growing up but lots and lots of laughter, too. If you can laugh, you can deal with any situation – even if the situation doesn’t change.” Brenda’s employed her liking for a laugh to good effect on the set of Vera. “Laughing is a great ice-breaker,” she explains. “In the last episode of this series, we had a lovely young lad of about 12 or 13 working with us. His character is questioned about a body that’s found on the moors. Anyway, he was very nervous to begin with so I started messing about and having a few laughs with him. During a break in filming, I suggested he climb up on Vera’s Land Rover. He needed a bit of encouragement but he finally did it. Once he was up there, I yelled, ‘Oy – what do you think you’re doing? Get off! Get off!’ and I started laughing. He did, too, and it immediately broke the ice. He completely relaxed with me and we started having a bit of banter. I’d say something and he’d go ‘Oh shut up, will yer!’ We had such a laugh together.
We generally do laugh a lot on set but not while we’re filming. That wastes time. We’re a very happy bunch on Vera and I feel very lucky to spend five months a year in the North East, making it. The people and the landscape are lovely and I’m also pleased that it provides employment to an area where the traditional industries of shipbuilding and coal mining are no more.” This is the seventh series of Vera and, for a while, Brenda says she thought it might be her last. “I love it, but it wears me out. The thing is, though, after a few months off, I think, ‘Yeah – let’s go back’. It’s like seeing an old friend again and I really enjoy making it. People seem to love it, too. When Vera is off-air, I’m constantly asked when it’s coming back on.” Does she like Vera? “I think an actor has to have empathy with their character,” she considers. “You’ve got to like playing that person – whether they’re nice or not – but I do like Vera. She’s decent and there’s no vanity or pretence about her. She demands respect and is a fair boss. I’d be happy to work for her. I’ve grown to like her more and more as time’s gone on but that’s the way it is, sometimes. You first meet some people and think, ‘Ooh I can’t stand them’ and then you get to know them and realise they’re OK. The opposite is just as true. You think someone is your best friend and you see them every day – and it ends up making you ill!” When she’s not in the North East, Brenda (71) lives in her native Ramsgate, on the Kent coast, with her husband, former National Theatre Art Director, Michael Mayhew and Jack, their 18-month-old Cockerpoo.
‘I do like Vera. She’s decent and there’s no vanity or pretence about her’
“Jack recently won his silver award in obedience at his dog-training class,” she says proudly. “Not that he’s bothered – we gave him the certificate and he just ate it! One of my favourite things to do is take long walks along the beach with him – Jack loves sand, so much so that he eats it! We originally got the dog for Michael, to be company for him while I’m away doing Vera, but Jack’s a bit fixated with me! I think he would be sewn to me if he could! Maybe we should teach him to watch Vera on TV, but I don’t think he’d understand what was going on. Knowing Jack, he might try to get into the TV!”
Vera is on ITV on Sunday evenings. You can catch previous episodes on the ITV hub at itv.com