Exclusive In-Depth Interview (From Official Site), June 2001

BY Karthi Gnanasegaram

Justine was born in Johannesburg South Africa in 1976. She went to a day school, Francis Holland, in London, before going to Cambridge University to read Politics

Q: Did you act much at University?
A: I was really excited to get in to Cambridge because of its long tradition of amateur dramatics. I auditioned for Footlights but they rejected me which I find slightly upsetting (laughs). When I was at Cambridge I started doing a lot of student drama, a lot of bad student drama, but then I went up to Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the end of my first year with a play and I won a Guardian award. An agent came to see the play and I got representation from that so I got lucky.

Q: What was it like doing your first film?
A: Anna Karenina was my first job and I got flown out to St.Petersburg for it. It was very glamorous but it was one of the most frightening experiences of my life because I just did not know how things worked. I kept bumping into cameras and falling over tracking etc. etc. (laughs).

Q: What did you go on to do after that?
A: I did a Chekhov play at the Almeida (Ivanov, with Ralph Fiennes). Then I worked for the BBC a couple of times. Like I did Great Expectations and Wives and Daughters. That was fantastic. My favourite job. Michael Gambon and Francesca Annis were so funny, I'd be working with them, and watching what they were doing, and just trying really hard not even to say my lines, but just to keep a straight face.

Q: Do you want to move away from costume dramas now?
A: I really want to do some modern work. That's why i was excited about doing Dracula. I learnt to kickbox, and got to swear and be in a car and do all these things i hadn't done beofre. It was also a chance to work again with Johnny Lee Miller , i'd played his little sister in Mansfield Park.

Q: What kind of roles would you like to play?
A: Hmm. Hmm. I'd like to do a modern play or a big action movie.
I dunno, if its a good script then I'm like please just cast me, I'll play whatever part you want.

Q: Is it strange meeting famous people?
A: In the beginning I was really shy about the whole thing, it's quite intimidating, but they're just normal people.

Q: How are you coping with being recognised?
A: It's pretty easy really because when people recognise you it's usually because they want to say nice things so it doesn't bother me. My family are also really honest critics so they keep me grounded.

Q: How would you spend your ideal weekend?
A: I think I'd cook dinner for friends on the Friday night. On Saturday the weather would be amazing and I'd go to yoga in the morning. Then I'd go out with friends in the evening. I wouldn't get up on Sunday morning and I'd spend the afternoon in bed with the papers and some coffee.

Q: What is your favourite place in London?
A: That's an easy one - The National Portrait Gallery on a Monday afternoon.

Q: What is your favourite shop in London?
A: Ooh, I'm a sucker for Harvey Nicholls. If I'm bankrupt, the stretch of stalls between Golborne and Portobello roads. My mum took me to Covent Garden flower market the other day, that was pretty great.

Q: Ooh, very Eliza. So what is your favourite flower?
A: Big stemmed roses, but it would have to be a big bunch of big stemmed roses.

Q: Talking of romance - who's your favourite actor?
A: I'm not sure how the two are linked…

Q: Well then, who are you going to work with next?
A: I'm working with Simon Cellan Jones and Richard Roxburgh on a comedy about mismatched couples and love at first sight. Its by the same team who made East is East and I'm really excited about it.

Q: Why? What's so special about it?
A: It's really, really funny, I laughed out loud when I read it. its a chance
for me to do a comedy and play someone glamorous. It'll just be a sweet way to spend the summer.