Sir Derek Jacobi, one of Britain’s most respected stage and screen actors, has opened up about a lifelong belief that his appearance held him back from the kind of Hollywood stardom he once dreamed of. The 87-year-old, who has been a fixture in theatre and film since the 1960s and appeared in blockbusters including the 2000 film ‘Gladiator’ and its 2024 sequel, has spoken candidly about his complicated relationship with his own image and the ambitions he feels were never fully realised.In an interview with The Guardian, Jacobi was asked if he sees himself as ugly. “Oh yes. Oh, as a kid, yes. A ginger-haired, freckled-faced. Acne-ridden, east London kid. Yes, absolutely. I can’t look in the mirror,” he replied.
What Sir Derek Jacobi said about wanting to be a movie star
Jacobi was candid about the career he wished he had pursued. “If I were honest, I’d have liked to have been a movie star. I think I can act. But I didn’t have the looks to go with my acting. If I had had the looks as well as my acting ability, I think my world would have turned out differently. But I didn’t. And I never wanted to look at myself because I didn’t like what I saw.”When asked who he would have liked to look like, Jacobi had a clear answer. “Rock Hudson. When I was growing up, he was the film star,” he said. He also acknowledged with characteristic wit that stardom may not have suited him entirely. “Probably I would have been bored as a movie star, but I would have been rich. And, for an East End kid, that matters.”
Sir Derek Jacobi on a lifetime of insecurity
The actor also reflected on the insecurity that has shadowed him throughout his career, admitting it stretches back to his childhood. In a separate interview with The Telegraph, he said: “Always! Insecurity is the story of my life. It goes back to my youth as an only child. If I’d had brothers and sisters, I might not be so timid. In the big world of making your way, I’ve always felt I’ve just got to keep at it otherwise I’ll slip off the ladder.“Jacobi also spoke about being surrounded by high achievers and how it contributed to a persistent sense of underachievement. “I think I’ve always been in awe of achievement. When you are surrounded by a host of high achievers, I think that has an effect on you if, like me, you feel you’ve underachieved,” he said.Despite those feelings, Jacobi, who has been honoured with two Olivier Awards among other accolades, acknowledged that his trophy cabinet offers some reassurance on darker days. “These days I can always look in the cupboard and see an award or two if I need to,” he quipped.Jacobi was most recently seen in ‘Gladiator II’, which was released in 2024, reprising his role from the original film more than two decades later and reminding audiences once again why he has remained one of the most enduring presences in British acting for over six decades.
