A renowned thespian Patricia Hodge has mesmerized audiences for the last 50 years. From the stage performing Shakespearean classics to the screen performing their own stories on contemporary television, she’s done it all. At 79, she fearlessly traverses the intersections between life and art. She’s a powerful advocate, sharing the lessons learned from her long career and deep personal journey.
The multi-talented Hodge first drew widespread attention for her exceptional theatre artistry. There, she developed her artistry and made her mark, becoming a powerful force to be reckoned with. She is equally at home in drama and comedy, as well as in stage and screen roles. Her breakthrough small-screen role came in 1978, as the fearsome Phyllida Trant, in “Rumpole of the Bailey.” This role was only the beginning of her extraordinary television career that would soon bring her into millions of homes.
Most will be familiar with Hodge as Penny, the intimidating processional mom from the hit Miranda, one of my favorite sitcoms. Her talent is much deeper than this one iconic role. As the title character in the ITV mystery series “Jemima Shore Investigates,” she captivated viewers from 1983 onward. Hodge starred as the title character in the BBC’s 1986 miniseries version of Fay Weldon’s The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. This portrayal completed her transformation from heartthrob to serious artist.
From concerts and workshops to community forums and exhibitions, Hodge has long looked beyond the stage across her career. From radio performances to cabaret, her versatility has been matched by her dedication to the craft. Over the next few years she worked alongside bohemian iconoclast-dramaturg Sheridan Morley, mounting productions that echoed her decisive, iconoclastic artistry.
Hodge’s personal story closely parallels her professional path. Now, after years of infertility, she gave birth to two healthy sons in her 40s, entering motherhood full-force and full-heartedly. She lived for over 40 years with her husband, Peter Owen, a music publisher. The two shared a sacred love that continued to thrive up until Owen’s diagnosis of dementia. Hodge navigated these difficulties with incredible poise, until Owen died in 2016.
On reflecting on her life and career, Hodge said that what she loved most about theatre was collaboration. “I love company work, and [this play] is the essence of it,” she stated. “Something is only ever as good as the sum of its parts, and you have to fit into the mechanism.” This commitment to collaboration has marked all of her success in the field.
Hodge’s impressive body of work includes roles in various productions, such as Mrs. Pumphrey in “All Creatures Great and Small” and a small role in Ben Travers’ farce “Rookery Nook,” where she served as understudy for the lead. She joined in on the two-night West End debut concert of the Pippin 50th anniversary concert. She considers this moment her most fulfilling experience as a human, ever!
Even though Hodge has found inspiring success, she is the first to admit that success brings challenges of its own. In moments of vulnerability, she admitted, “I didn’t know what I was doing. I was so ill.” Though even at her lowest emotional valleys, she had a reprieve, an expression of herself, a refuge in the raw truth of acting.
The actress refuses to let paralysis stop her from experiencing life to the fullest. “I think we just challenge ourselves, just keep, every day, doing something that makes you uncomfortable,” she said. This ethos fuels her run in the world, as she pursues further horizons in what promises to be a slowly skyrocketing career.
In discussing her relationship with people, Hodge reflected on a remark made by her mother: “Actually, my mother said that once – ‘Patricia collects people’ – and I don’t think I’ve thought of it, but yes, I just enjoy people a lot.” Her skill at bridging divides and building relationships has, without question, played a huge role in her successful two-decade career—and counting—in public service.
Hodge’s reflections on aging are both penetrating and frank. “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple,” she announced. This statement embodies her energetic demeanor, something she has no doubt maintained while adjusting to the concept of getting older.