‘I can’t wait to be old and gentle and retrospective and utterly past it’: Diana Rigg’s 10 greatest quotes

‘James Bond’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ actor has died aged 82

Actor Diana Rigg has died aged 82 (AFP)

Fans are remembering James Bond and Game of Thrones star Diana Rigg, who died this morning aged 82.

Rigg was best known for playing Bond girl Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the sixth 007 film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, in 1969. She also appeared in the iconic Sixties series The Avengers as Emma Peel.

After training as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she went on to have a long and varied career on stage and screen.

Most recently, she was known for playing Tyrell family matriarch Olenna in HBO series Game of Thrones; she quickly became a fan-favourite.

Here are some of her most memorable quotes:

“The older you get, I have to say, the funnier you find life. That's the only way to go.” Closer

“Women of my age are still attractive. Men of my age aren't. They've got their cojones halfway to their knees, they have the same descent as tits." The Guardian, 2014

In ‘The Avengers' (Getty)

On fame: “I don’t think [I have changed], basically, no. I have many more accessories, I suppose I’ve got more money and more things, but the qualities that existed as a Yorkshire girl are still there.” Michael Parkinson, 1972

“Becoming a sex symbol overnight [in The Avengers] shocked me. I didn’t know how to handle it and I kept all the unopened fan mail in the boot of my car because I didn’t know how to respond and thought it was rude to throw it away. Then my mother became my secretary and replied to the really inappropriate ones saying: ‘My daughter’s far too old for you. Go take a cold shower!’” The Guardian, 2019

“I hope there's a tinge of disgrace about me. Hopefully, there's one good scandal left in me yet.” The Times, 1999

“I don’t go without make-up… I rather like that transformation in the morning from, ‘I don’t want to look in the mirror’, then you start pulling yourself together. It’s a rather nice present to yourself that you can still do that.” The Times, 2007

In 2019 (Rex Features)

On her Game of Thrones character Olenna Tyrell: “I was extremely grateful that I didn’t die on the lavatory or in some rather undignified manner. The fact that I’d been kept alive for far longer than the original author had intended seemed to me that I had a pretty good run for my money, and I was perfectly philosophical about being killed off.” Entertainment Weekly, 2019

“I'm not exactly all teeth and tits, am I?” The Times, 1972

“When I appeared nude in a play on Broadway in the early 70s, a nasty little critic said I was built like a brick mausoleum with insufficient flying buttresses. He should have seen me after the menopause, there was no shortfall then!” The Guardian, 2019

“I can’t wait to be old and gentle and retrospective, and utterly past it.” The Times, 2019