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Call The Midwife star Jenny Agutter shares health woe that made her stand out in Hollywood

Call The Midwife actress Jenny Agutter opened up about the health condition that she was encouraged to address in Hollywood


jenny agutter© Photo: Getty Images
Melanie Macleod
Wellness Editor
January 3, 2023
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Call The Midwife actress Jenny Agutter has been acting since her twenties, appearing in everything from epic Marvel film Avengers Assemble to The Railway Children Return, and during her time in Hollywood she was encouraged to address a health woe.

The star, who turned 70 in December, told Good Housekeeping that she felt pressure to amend her appearance when she was living in California, explaining: "People go on about it all the time in L.A. It's a normal discussion in the makeup trailer: Who's had work done?

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"I was in my twenties when someone first suggested it. My eyes would get puffy due to water retention and they said: 'You need to get rid of that.' Fortunately, I didn't do it. As an actor, you want to be able to use your face, not have it immobile!"

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Jenny went on to say that squeamishness and fear of what can go wrong are what has put her off undergoing surgery, before explaining that since turning 70, she has noticed some other ailments.

"Sometimes there's a bit of creaking and stiffness," she explained, before adding: "Physically, I don't feel much different."

Jenny Agutter laughing in a red dress on the red carpet© Photo: Getty Images

Jenny Agutter shared how she's feeling since turning 70

She went on to explain that she doesn't do her own stunts though, sharing that when she starred in Marvel film Captain America: Winter Soldier, they hired a stunt double.

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"I couldn't think of anything better than stepping out of Call The Midwife to work with a stunt team and beat up Robert Redford. Although admittedly they wouldn't let me stunt-punch him. They were worried I'd actually hit him, instead of missing him."

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