'The Lady In The Van' director Nicholas Hytner, producer Kevin Loader and writer Alan Bennett - on whose life the film is based - ponder over the excellence of leading lady Maggie Smith in the role of an educated yet poverty stricken old woman named Miss. Shepherd.
'If you think you know who Maggie Smith is, this film will astonish you', says Hytner. 'She entirely takes it over, she inhabits it and the part could not have been played by anyone else. In fact, it was written for her.' Meanwhile, Bennett insists there are some stark differences between Smith and the real lady herself. 'I couldn't imagine anyone doing Miss. Shepherd better, but Maggie has got a sense of humour whereas Miss. Shepherd didn't at all', he smiled.
Starring: Alan Bennett, Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings