Sarah Lancashire says the future is "looking very promising" for older actresses.
Sarah Lancashire
The 'Happy Valley' star - who started her TV career playing a barmaid in ITV soap 'Coronation Street' - feels very lucky to have "two of the best roles she's ever had", starting in her late 40s.
She told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Two of the best roles I've ever had have happened in my late 40s. I'm 53 this year. It started at 49 with Tango in Halifax and then Happy Valley. I can't complain at a time when most actors are disappearing. I seem to have become very visible.
"Age affects us all in the workplace. We all get a little less appealing as we get older, unfortunately. We should gather strength from the fact that the climate is looking very promising for women. But it's very early days, and too soon to celebrate."
However, it wasn't always that way as the 52-year-old actress recently admitted she felt she was "wrong for the role" in 'Happy Valley' for "the first four weeks".
She explained: "For the first four weeks I kept telling them, I am wrong for this role.I couldn't find a way to feel comfortable. I didn't feel comfortable with the uniform. I thought I'd just be an actor in a uniform.
"I was worried about the accent. I was scared the accent was coming across as too broad. But they told me to trust them and I did."
And Sarah revealed filming for a follow-up is all dependent on when the show's writer Sally Wainwright can fit it into her busy work schedule.
Sarah said: "It's been a pretty long time now. I know she wants to do a third series but she's so busy writing other stuff we're kind of in a queue.
"When she feels the time is right, we will do a third. Which I am looking forward to. I am ready to play her again."
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