On the hit TV show Succession, she plays Logan Roy’s conniving second wife and mother of three, but in real life, Dame Harriet Walter has found happiness in the little things.
Walter, who plays Caroline Collingwood on the HBO series, has opened up about not having children, admitting she never felt like she was “made for it.”
She added that she has wondered if having children of her own would have made it easier for her to be a mother.
The actor also discussed how there are no rules to happiness, noting that some people can be childless and “happily happy,” and that people who are married with children can be unhappy.
writing on it sunday timeThe London-based actress also opened up about falling in love with her husband, Guy Paul, in his late 50s.
Dame Harriet Walter, 72, reflected on being childless and finding love at 60, writing in the Sunday Times (pictured from London in 2022)
Ms Walter pondered whether not being a mother should prevent her from playing one on screen.
‘I never had children, does that mean I can’t play Lady Caroline? Sometimes I wonder if she could bring something more to the role if she had. The fact is that I never felt made for it,’ wrote the actress.
He added that having children does not guarantee happiness and that there are no rules about what should make you happy in life.
‘I have friends with children who have been in long marriages and are not happy. I have friends without children, without a partner and they are happily happy. There are no rules,’ she said.
The actress has been married to the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them actor Guy Paul since 2011, when she was 60 years old.
The couple met five years after the death of Walter’s fiancé, actor Peter Blythe, from lung cancer in 2004.
The actress admitted that she didn’t know if she could love again after Blythe’s death, but she eventually fell for Paul while working on a play, their romance blossoming behind the scenes.
Walter also revealed that he likes to spend time hanging out with friends or going to the theater, but he still enjoys staying home for a quiet night, not going to bed before 2 am.
The actress has been married to actor Guy Paul (pictured) since 2011. She was previously engaged to actor Peter Blythe, who died of lung cancer in 2004. Pictured with Paul at 221 in London
The actress rarely gets out of bed before 8:30 am, but she likes to start her day with a brisk walk and some granola for breakfast.
She admitted that she is not interested in cooking and that she would rather spend her time reading, learning new languages, or playing the piano.
Known for having played male roles in Shakespeare’s plays, including Brutus in Julius Caesar and Prospero in The Tempest, as well as Henry IV, Walter added that people should be able to put themselves in other people’s shoes.
In Succession, Harriet plays Lady Caroline Collingwood, the second wife of Logan Roy and mother of Kendall, Roman and Shiv (pictured)
He also reflected on his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, saying that it felt surreal to film with Chewbacca.
Harriet added that she had hoped to take her costume home with her after becoming enthralled with the first Star Wars film in 1977, but was not allowed to.
He also discussed how it would be right if Sir Ben Kingsley was not asked to play Mahatma Gandhi, as he did in the 1982 film, which won him an Academy Award, and the film won a host of awards, including Best film.
Walter also reflected on aging, lamenting that women of a certain age are often typecast as mothers or evil aunts due to ageism in the acting world.
She added that while she tries to take care of herself, she also finds it comforting to see people age well.