Alison Steadman: I wish I'd cracked the movies

Gavin and Stacey actress Alison Steadman has confessed she is disappointed that she hasn't had a big film career.

The 62-year-old British actress has had huge success on TV and stage and is much loved for her current role as Essex housewife Pam in the BBC sitcom.

But Alison told The Times: "If you want to talk about the disappointments in my life, it would be, I suppose, that I've never really had a decent film career. I've been in films, but apart from Life Is Sweet I've never really played a part that I've been proud of.

"I've never had the opportunity to be in - I mean, listen, I don't dwell on it, and I don't sit at home thinking I want to have been in a big movie - because I'm always busy and I'm doing theatre and television. I've never cracked that side of it."

But Alison objects to the way British actors must move to Hollywood to pursue a film career.

She said: "I just think it's ridiculous. Do you think American actors get asked why they didn't move to Britain? What is this great god Hollywood that everybody thinks that actors have to move there to achieve something in their careers?"

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