Stockard Channing, best known for playing Betty Rizzo in the 1978 film Grease, has revealed she is 'happy to be a recluse' while living a quiet life in London. The 82-year-old actress discussed her move to the UK, which she said coincided with Donald Trump's election and the death of her longtime partner.
Life in the UK
Speaking to The Sunday Times Magazine, Channing said: 'I'm happy being a recluse.' She added that the political shift in the US influenced her decision to move overseas, saying: 'It vaguely coincided with Trump getting elected and the way politics has changed in the US. People look at The West Wing and go, "Wow, wasn't it great when politicians had an ounce of integrity?"'
Channing has lived alone since the death of producer Dan Gillham in 2014, her partner of 20 years. She reflected on not having children, saying: 'Children were thought about and, yeah, I think about them now because it'd be great to have someone taking care of me. But hey, children can be just as selfish as everybody else out there.'
Career and Directorial Debut
Despite her reclusive lifestyle, Channing remains active in her career. She is making her directorial debut at the Edinburgh Fringe with a production of Krapp's Last Tape. She will also reprise her role as Aunt Frances Owens in the upcoming Practical Magic 2.
Channing previously expressed mixed feelings about her success from Grease, noting that the film 'wasn't taken seriously at all' at the time, despite becoming the highest-grossing musical film and the second-highest-grossing movie for Paramount, behind The Godfather.
She told The Times: 'I gave Grease my all, and I'm proud of the performance and proud of the character. But at the time, it was not taken at all seriously. The money that it was making was resented. I was resented. It's a kid's movie — it was really p****d on.'
Channing also said she has 'absolutely no idea' why the film's popularity has endured across generations, adding: 'It's extraordinary. The depth of the impact is bizarre.'
