Actress Joanna Lumley has told how she isn't buying into artificial intelligence.
The Absolutely Fabulous star, who this month dazzles on the Christmas cover of woman&home, spoke candidly to us about her skepticism towards AI programmes.
She said, "It’s a useful tool but I don’t use it. I don’t want to use it. I can write. I can do my own makeup. I can cook. I can act to a certain degree. I can learn lines. What would I need it for?”
And speaking about AI’s place in the entertainment industry, Joanna insisted that no algorithm can replace human brilliance.
She continued, "Artificial Intelligence must be changing the arts. We’ve always had computer-generated backdrops, and productions like Wednesday have loads of special effects. But show me a brilliant AI script – I don’t think we’ve seen one yet. AI will die away because it’s dull. People like people. That’s the truth.”
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Joanna’s career spans Bond films, travel documentaries and TV classics including Coronation Street, The New Avengers and Absolutely Fabulous, which became a cult hit from 1992 during its two decades on the small screen.
Criticising how AI can recreate stars after their death, including Virtually Parkinson - a groundbreaking podcast series celebrating the legacy of Sir Michael Parkinson, reimagined for the digital age - she added, “All of Michael Parkinson’s shows exist, so doing more of them now he’s dead is stupid. I exist in television shows and films. I exist already, so I literally can’t see the point. People are born to live and die. It’s a lovely shape. Live and die, don’t get cross about it.”
Beyond screen and stage, Joanna remains a tireless change maker. She has fought for Gurkha veterans, championed environmental issues and used her platform to advocate for fairness.
Responding to the question of what she would instantly do if she became Prime Minister tomorrow, Joanna told us, “I’d ban children from university. They waste three years, leave in debt with degrees nobody really wanted. I’d have apprenticeships and youngsters learning crafts again. And I’d put money beyond belief into education and young people – open all the youth centres, football fields, tennis courts, cricket pitches."
And speaking ahead of the release of her new book Book of Treasures, which she dedicates to her elder sister Aelene, 81, who as a child had an inspiring passion for literature, Joanna reflected on childhood Christmases gone by.
She recalled, “When I was young, I had a passion for Sandalwood soap. To feel it and smell it in my stocking was magic. Over the years, people have given me gorgeous and lavish presents. I'm a great lover of a Christmas hamper, both giving and receiving. When a creaking basket arrives, with all sorts of treats wrapped up inside, that's thrilling.
"All presents, no matter how big or small, should be wrapped and presented carefully. If a diamond necklace is thrown in with four other things into a carrier bag, it’s not as lovely as opening a box of chocolates in which two chocolates have been replaced by a pair of diamond earrings. That’s never happened to me. I’m just hinting.”
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Joanna, who has been married to her conductor husband, Stephen Barlow, 71, for almost four decades, offered a rare insight into their home life, including how they like to spend Christmas Day.
She said, “My husband's a good cook. I love cooking - not posh cooking, just assembling things. We have a mass of things on the Christmas table. I’m a vegetarian, so I obviously don't do turkey and chipolatas, but my husband and the people who come to stay do, so there's always traditional Christmas fare.
"I love Brussels sprouts and cook them al dente with sweet chestnuts. Then I chop up leftover, uncooked sprouts and mix with mayonnaise, spring onion and a few gherkins to make the most beautiful coleslaw.”
You can read Joanna's full exclusive interview with woman&home in the Christmas issue of the magazine, on shelves now.
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