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Billie Piper interview - Radio Times, July 2006 |
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Actress Billie Piper tells Andrew Duncan she's ready for new challenges.
On leaving Doctor Who
"The longer I stayed the more scared I'd be
of leaving because it's so comfortable and
nice. I'm utterly grateful for the whole
experience, but you have to take care of
yourself and do what you feel is right."
On childhood ambition
I felt very frustrated, easily bored. I wasn't
starved of being a child. I was desperate to
be adult, to work. I was focused and
precocious. My dad's a real grafter who
instilled a great work ethic in me and my
two younger sisters and brother."
"I was obsessed with acting from the age of seven,
not because I'm running away from myself - I'm happy in my own skin. I like being other people as well."
On fame as a youngster
"At first I didn't change.
I was a little girl from Swindon, but
managers and others work you to death,
and you become exhausted and bitter. I was
young, green and taken advantage of. There
was a massive financial rip-off and,
although I was working twice as hard as
I am now, I was left with hardly any money."
"I'm not moaning because I chose to do it, but it was my downfall. I was high-maintenance
- not demanding, because I didn't have the balls, but stroppy, and
drinking too much. I never thought it
was a problem - it's only with hindsight
you realise you were a bit out of control."
"I had a very dark
moment at 16 when I didn't want to be here
any more, but I did nothing about it, thank
God. I had my head in
the clouds, was mad,
neurotic and self-destructive,
a very
different character to
the one you see today.
I was saved mostly by
my parents, friends
and boyfriends, but it
could have gone either
way."
Attitude to fame now
"Chris [Evans] taught me fame is a game and
unimportant. At times it's a bit f***ing
annoying, know what I mean? No,
embarrassing. It makes me blush when
I walk down the street and
there's a sea of photographers.
I won't go to premieres because
I hate walking up those bloody
red carpets. It stresses me
out massively. My hands get
really clammy."
On the future
"I'd like to do more gritty
plays like [care-home drama Bella and the Boys]. They teach you to be
compassionate and patient."
"I don't get that many offers. It's a slow
burn. When I started acting I'm sure people
wouldn't go near me
because I'd been a
singer, and that
preconceived idea you
can't do more than one
thing. It upset me for a
while, but I'd probably
be the same. Acting is
so much better. The
people are nicer, and
I feel I'm part of the
creative process. We're
like gypsies, travelling
from one family to the
next."
**
Now take a look at our full Doctor Who guide.
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