Betty Lucas

"Vanessa is a mother, a grandmother and a mother-in-law. I think she is bossy. She has looked after Tom from when was a baby until he was 18 months old. She has become part of the household and she has taken over. Of course this woman is very efficient, she is a good housekeeper, but she is bossy. People develop habits you know, and unless some-one tells them they just keep going. She is lonely, and every time she leaves the place the audience sees she is unhappy. So you get the contrast of this woman who presents herself in this way, but she is not going to let them see that she is lonely. Claire and Vanessa are not exactly close, there is that feeling that Claire is trying so hard, but you feel they are never going to get together. I have been a working actress since I was six-teen, but you are never sure of yourself. No matter how old you get, you think, ‘Can I do it? Will I be able to do what he wants?’ We talked a little bit about my character, but not much. I eventually got a phone call from Ray. He said, ‘Betty, you have a natural sweetness. I want your character to have steel inside.’ He just said those words.”

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