It's an exciting time for Miriam Margolyes and director Lee Knight, whose movie, A Friend of Dorothy, has been shortlisted for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short Film category.
The short film follows the unexpected friendship between a teenage boy, JJ, played by Alistair Nwachukwu, and a widow, portrayed by Miriam. Stephen Fry also stars, alongside Oscar Lloyd.
HELLO! were lucky enough to sit down and chat with Miriam and Lee about their time working together, the upcoming Oscars, and a particular moment that caused Miriam to be "scared stiff."
© Getty ImagesBelieve it or not, the movie was impressively shot in just four days, and Miriam emphasized that doing a short film had a different set of rules and aspirations.
She revealed: "It's an extraordinary journey that we all take when we become actors and take on a role and when you do a short film, it's intensified. It's sharper and quicker and it has to be because – I was on it for four, no, three days. The whole film was four days [and], I had three days [on set]."
© A Friend of DorothyShe added: "And in that time, you have to create a believable world, believable for everybody that watches it and [make it] believable for yourself." The entertainer had one moment on set that made her "scared stiff."
"That last scene [a monologue] was terrifying for me because I knew that I would be overcome and I was scared. Even though I'm very experienced. But it doesn't stop you from feeling scared stiff, and I was. And that was the moment when I knew I loved [Lee.] And he just took me gently through it. And we made it. We made it together," she said.
© A Friend of DorothyLee replied: "I mean, my heart is so full right now. It's a tough thing acting. It's very scary and I've heard stories about a lot of very famous people that walk on set and they sometimes just think 'am I gonna get recast, or I can't do [it].' We're human. We have to be extremely vulnerable to show what Miriam shows and what Alistair shows. How can you not? You've gotta use the emotions you have at the time. If you're scared, use it."
He continued: "But if you've got a director that's saying, 'I hear you and I wanna know how you feel and that's where we're gonna work from…' You can't pressure someone and say, 'no, no, no, you've gotta get this done.' As an actor, I understand the sensibilities and that journey and it's useful to know that of your actor, and I went into Miriam's dressing room and I said, 'are you okay,' and she said, 'no, I'm worried about these lines' and a monologue is terrifying for anyone."
The director's encouraging words also helped: "I said to Miriam, 'first of all, you're Miriam [expletive] Margolyes, and secondly, it doesn't matter – why do you need to know them?' and Miriam said, 'well, of course I need to know them.' I said, 'I'm gonna be there with you.'"
He continued: "[I told her], 'we've been collaborating since before we met. We've been collaborating because I wrote this in your voice.' I said, 'so all you need to do is just trust me and we'll work together. I'm going to edit it. We can edit bits out.' If there was a moment when Miriam needed a line, I gave it to her and that's what it should be like…that's collaboration."
We'll definitely catch Lee at the Oscars, however, Miriam doesn't plan on going, although there is someone she would love to reunite with if she was.
Miriam shared: "I would so love to meet all the people that you meet when you go, you know, all these superstars. I would love to see Steve Buscemi again, whom I haven't worked with for years, but he's a darling man and I miss seeing those kind of people."
© A Friend of DorothyAnd what do they hope viewers will come away with after watching the movie?
"It's about the power of emotion and how people who seem to have nothing in common can come together and get close. It's the possibility of connection which is so important because lots and lots of old people are terribly lonely," Miriam said.
"I think it's about feeling seen amongst many other things - about being seen for who you are, despite any differences that we think we might have," Lee added.
