Colin Firth Biography

“The English people, a lot of them, would not be able to understand a word of spoken Shakespeare. There are people who do and I'm not denying they exist. But it's a far more philistine country than people think.”

"And I always thought the biggest failing of Americans was their lack of irony. They are very serious there! Naturally, there are exceptions...the Jewish, Italian, and Irish humour of the East Coast."

“Forget "trying" to be sexy. That's just gruesome.”

On his first name: "Well it doesn't exactly have a ring to it, does it? It's more the sort of name you'd give to your goldfish for a joke."

“I have a kind of neutrality, physically, which has helped me. I have a face that can be made to look a lot better or a lot worse, depending on how I want it to look.”

“I like playing strange characters. Some people might say it has something to do with a hidden part of myself, but I think it's a lot simpler than that: normal people are just not very interesting.”

“Every single film since [Pride and Prejudice] there's been a scene where someone goes, 'Well I think you've just killed Mr Darcy'. But he is a figure that won't die. He is wandering somewhere. I can't control him. I tried to play with it in Bridget Jones. I've never resented it: if it wasn't for him I might be languishing, but part of me thinks I should do this postmodern thing, change my name by deed poll to Mr Darcy. Then people can come up to me and say, 'But you are not Mr Darcy' which would be different. I dare say it will be my saving grace when the only employment available to me is opening supermarkets dressed in breeches and a wig.”

“I find I'm increasingly lusted after by people beyond pensionable age. I was told of a woman in hospital, diagnosed with high blood pressure, who was told not to watch any more 'Pride and Prejudice'. She was 103.” Firth on the appeal he has to older female fans.

On the film version of ‘Mamma Mia’ (2008): “If you are the kind of person who always wanted to see middle aged men in tight spandex trying to sing, then this is the film for you.”