Vanessa Redgrave went well beyond the call of duty last night when she accepted the BAFTA Fellowship from its new President, Prince William. Not just a nod of the head, but a sweeping courtsey...  

 

For some of us, knowledge of the political leanings of an actor can get in the way of a performance. I recall James Delingpole once commenting that he could not watch Sean Connery as Bond any more without thinking "that horrible Scottish nationalist". While I understand this completely, I think one should try to resist it. Vanessa Redgrave is still one of the greatest instinctive actresses of our time; I love watching her despite, well, everything.