Doctor Who has always felt strongest when it reflects different corners of the UK
Jealous_Parfait_4967 on
Oh Doctor my doctor
Valaquen on
Most if not all of my favourite British bands and actors from way back when, from the 60’s to the middle 80’s or so, all had working class backgrounds. Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden… actors like John Hurt, Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins, all these guys came from small towns, dingy streets or schemes like my own. Their parents were bakers, handymen, cooks, porters. The ladder went up, the drama clubs closed down, third spaces tumbled, and there are fewer opportunities for poor kids to better themselves. A lot of actors now come from fancy schools or the middle classes specifically.
RoutineCloud5993 on
Patrick Stewart talks about this in his memoirs. That he and so many other Now-legendary actors leaned heavily on arts grants and funding that no longer exists.
Had they not had access to that money, there’s no way they could have afforded to pursue any acting beyond super local amateur productions
These days you need parents who can help fund you until you make it big. And ideally live in London
mattyclyro on
Basically a lot of actors and musicians these days come from families that can afford for them to fail/not make money until they make it, or have the industry connections to make them famous/successful. We are really damaging our own industries/culture by reducing the access of working class talent to this.
7 Comments
The UK really has just come right out with its hatred of the working class lately.
[McAvoy talked about this on Colbert](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDwRkzJPkSA&t=1s)
Doctor Who has always felt strongest when it reflects different corners of the UK
Oh Doctor my doctor
Most if not all of my favourite British bands and actors from way back when, from the 60’s to the middle 80’s or so, all had working class backgrounds. Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden… actors like John Hurt, Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins, all these guys came from small towns, dingy streets or schemes like my own. Their parents were bakers, handymen, cooks, porters. The ladder went up, the drama clubs closed down, third spaces tumbled, and there are fewer opportunities for poor kids to better themselves. A lot of actors now come from fancy schools or the middle classes specifically.
Patrick Stewart talks about this in his memoirs. That he and so many other Now-legendary actors leaned heavily on arts grants and funding that no longer exists.
Had they not had access to that money, there’s no way they could have afforded to pursue any acting beyond super local amateur productions
These days you need parents who can help fund you until you make it big. And ideally live in London
Basically a lot of actors and musicians these days come from families that can afford for them to fail/not make money until they make it, or have the industry connections to make them famous/successful. We are really damaging our own industries/culture by reducing the access of working class talent to this.