Miriam Margolyes, the 85-year-old British-Australian actress, is starring in the new comedy film Holy Days, a road-trip movie about three nuns who must save their nunnery from developers. In an interview with Metro, she discussed the film, her career, and her philosophy of working for fun and doing good work.
A Comedy with a Message of Love
Margolyes plays Sister Luke in the film, alongside Judy Davies as Sister Agnes and Jacki Weaver as Sister Mary Clare. The movie is set in New Zealand and directed by Nat Boltt, known for her role in Riverdale. Margolyes praised Boltt, saying, 'We were lucky to have her.'
She explained what drew her to the project: 'Everybody is struggling one way or another, and this was a film about nice people winning, and all the s**ts are winning at the moment, so that's why I like the film.' The film leans into slapstick comedy, with recurring gags about falling-out dentures and off-piste jokes about prostitution.
Memorable Scenes and Working with Young Actors
One memorable scene involves Sister Luke running into the ocean. Margolyes recalled her initial nerves: 'I wasn't quite sure what that scene was going to turn out like because my body is ugly, and I didn't want to be on show as a fat old tart who'd taken off a habit and was revealing all.' She added, 'It was cold, and I was a little bit nervous in case I fell over... there was a bottom cheek visible, but there were no nipples, and that's the essential thing: keep the nipples out of it.' Ultimately, she dubbed the scene 'rather charming.'
She also expressed surprise at how much she enjoyed working with young actor Elijah Tamati, who plays Brian, a boy dealing with the loss of his mother. 'It's surprising because I'm not particularly fans [of] children. I mean, I like them up to a point, but I'm very glad to say goodbye to them. I thought he was a terrific kid [and] his mother was a terrific mum. It was a very happy movie, and you don't always get that, but I did.'
Faith and Personal Beliefs
Margolyes noted that the film offers deeper commentary on faith. She acknowledged that both Sister Luke and her Call the Midwife character share the 'same simple faith,' something she does not have but managed to draw from the text. She said, 'It's a very strange thing to be a nun. I've never quite fathomed how people can live so altruistically, because I certainly couldn't. I could never be a nun, quite definitely, and I could never be a midwife as well.'
She was clear that she 'doesn't laugh at Sister Luke' but 'feels with her,' even though in real life she considers those who believe in God 'are wrong.' She related to Sister Luke's choice of a way of life: 'It's not just a feel-good movie. It is about choosing a way of life and fighting for what you believe in, and that I passionately believe in.'
Career Reflections and Future Plans
Margolyes also reflected on her Oscar-nominated short film A Friend of Dorothy, saying, 'That was a film that I hardly got any money for. I would say almost none, but that didn't matter and look where it got me. Got me to the Oscars.' She hopes to reprise her role in a full-length version being written by filmmaker Lee Knight.
She recalled working with Annette Bening and Jeremy Irons on Being Julia (2004), praising Bening as 'a class act' and sharing a flattering anecdote about Warren Beatty: 'He was a hell of a naughty boy when I first met him... and she told me that he remembered me. He said: "Oh, she was a powerhouse". So that was rather flattering.'
Despite her age, Margolyes remains active: 'I'm 85, and I'm working harder than I've ever worked in my life. [I feel] pretty tired most of the time, but I manage, and I get great joy from people I meet and doing a show to an audience.' She added that she'll keep going 'as long as I keep my health.'
She concluded with a message of hope: 'Our film is about goodness and kindness and decency and honour and love, and that goes a long way.' Holy Days is available to watch in UK and Irish cinemas now.
