It's been almost 25 years since Absolutely Fabulous first hit our TV screens, with an array of "sweetie dahlings" and one of the best female line-ups a hit show has ever seen. Now Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is about to hit cinema screens and our favourite characters have been resurrected once more. So we thought it was about time we sat down with Julia Sawalha, aka Saffy, to find out all there is to know about the show and the cast. Here's what went down...
1. Who is most likely to laugh during takes?
Answer: Jennifer [Saunders].
2. Who is most likely to get caught taking a selfie?
Answer: Me.
3. Who’s the biggest clown?
Answer: Mo Gaffney [Bo Turtle].
JS: Because she's just nuts! [laughs]
4. How about the biggest troublemaker?
Answer: Me. [laughs]
5. Who is most likely to turn up to set late?
JS: Oh that's a really hard one because nobody, I mean truly, it would be rude. Erm...[laughing] she's going to kill me! [writes down director's name]
Answer: Mandie [Fletcher], director.
6. Who is the most likely to be hungover on set?
Answer: All of us.
7. Who is most likely to forget their lines?
Answer: Jennifer.
JS: [laughing after thinking for a while] I feel so awful! And she writes them! Because she always goes: "Is it me, or is it you? Do I speak now?"
8. Who’s most likely to show pictures of their cat or dog?
Answer: Jennifer.
JS: She's got a gorgeous dog.
9. Who is the best dancer?
Answer: Jane [Horrocks, who plays Bubble].
10. Who is most likely to randomly break out into song?
Answer: Jane.
11. Who is most likely to initiate a post-work hangout?
Answer: Jennifer.
JS: [bursts out laughing] I should just keep the same one going, shouldn't I?!
12. Who is the biggest flirt?
Answer: Me.
JS: Ooh. [looks flirtatiously, giggles, writes down her own name]
13. Who is most likely to try to put you off your lines?
Answer: Jennifer.
JS: Ooh dear!
14. If you could have picked any other celebrity cameo that you’ve not already had, who would it be?
JS: Gosh, I'm going to have to really think about that. That's really hard, so many people I love. [thinks] David Mitchell, I really want to work with him. I know it's not particularly glamorous but...
Answer: [Peep Show's] David Mitchell.
BuzzFeed: He would be very funny in it.
JS: Yeah, he would.
15. What’s been your funniest memory of filming the show or film ever?
Answer: Scene where Edina has to say "Bombay mix".
JS: It was my most painful scene moment. It took about half an hour, because she had to come up behind me and say [puts on accent] "Bombay mix". And for a week she did it and for a week in rehearsals I couldn't hold it together, and on the night it had that thing of I know it's coming, and it just went on and on and on. That's definitely my funniest ever.
You can watch the moment after she finally got it together here:
16. If you had to switch roles with anyone on the show, who would you want to be?
Answer: Mother [June Whitfield].
JS: Gran.
17. What has been your favourite offscreen moment during the entire run?
Answer: Video signing in New York. [Because we were] shocked at the huge crowds that showed up. Felt so loved! <3
18. Have you kept any outfits or props from the show?
Answer: A mug with "Saffy" written on it.
JS: And I've never used it.
Thanks for playing along, Julia! Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is out on Friday 1 July!
