>>> THE NEW FILM, "VICTORIA &
ABDUL" TELLS THE TRUE STORY
BETWEEN QUEEN VICTORIA AND HER
SERVANT.
IT BECOMES A SOURCE OF TENSION
IN THE HOUSEOLD, ESPECIALLY FOR
HER SON, BIRDIE, PLAYED BY EDDIE
IZZARD.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE STARS AND
DIRECTOR TO TALK ABOUT THE
MOVIE.
>> AND LOOK AT ME.
A FAT, LAME, IMPOTENT, SILLY,
OLD WOMAN.
WHAT IS THE POINT, ABDUL?
WHAT IS THE POINT?
>> SERVICE.
>> SERVICE?
>> WE'RE NOT HERE TO WORRY ABOUT
OURSELVES.
WE ARE HERE FOR A GREATER
PURPOSE.
>> JOINING US NOW, DAME JUDI
DENCH, ALI FAZL, EDDIE IZZARD,
AND STEPHEN FREARS.
DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS STORY,
JUDI, BEFORE YOU PLAYED IT?
>> NO.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US KNEW
ABOUT THE STORY UNTIL ABOUT
2010.
SOME LETTERS AND DIARIES AND
THINGS WERE FOUND IN INDIA.
BERTIE WAS VERY THOROUGH IN HIS
DESTROYING EVERYTHING AND
EVERYTHING BEING BURNT AND NO
TRACE LEFT.
>> THE STORY IS FASCINATING.
WHEN I STARTED IT, I DO A LOT OF
RESEARCH BEFORE I WATCH IT.
THIS TIME, I WANTED THE STORY TO
UNFOLD ON ITS OWN AND GO WITH
EVERYBODY ELSE.
SHE IS FASCINATING.
TALK ABOUT BRINGING HER TO LIFE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE SHE WAS SO
LONELY AT TIMES.
AND HIS CHARACTER, ALMOST GIVES
YOU A SENSE OF PURPOSE AGAIN.
>> OH, YOU BET.
GIVES HER 13 YEARS MORE OF LIFE
PROBABLY.
AND WHY IS NOT?
>> YOU NEED TO REMEMBER HER
HUSBAND DIED IN 1861 AND SHE
DIED IN 1901.
THAT'S 40 YEARS ALIVE WITHOUT
YOUR HUSBAND.
>> SHE HAD FOUR YEARS WITH JOHN
BROWN.
QUITE A NICE TIME WITH JOHN
BROWN.
>> SURE, WHATEVER.
>> A LOVELY TIME, IN FACT.
>> ALI, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE
TRANSPORTED BACK TO THAT TIME?
IN A TIME WHEN THIS WAS SOMEWHAT
FORBIDDEN?
>> IT WAS SOMETHING.
AND THE COSTUMES, THEY REALLY
HELPED ME GO ALL THE WAY BACK.
AND THIS MAN WALKS IN AND
BEFRIENDS ONE OF THE MOST
POWERFUL WOMEN ON THE PLANET.
AND THEN, THIS REALLY WEIRD
RELATIONSHIP STARTS.
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
I WAS THINKING, HOW TIMELY IS
THIS FILM?
EVEN RIGHT NOW.
I THINK SO MANY OF US RELATE TO
IT AND THE FRIENDSHIP THAT COMES
OUT OF IT.
THERE'S A POINT THAT I THOUGHT
WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILM
AT THE OSBOURNE HOUSE, ONE OF
THE RESIDENCES OF QUEEN
VICTORIA.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO SHOOT THERE?
>> IT WAS GREAT.
VERY RESTRICTING.
PEOPLE LIKE STEPHEN HAD TO WHERE
HOSPITAL BOOTIES.
>> SHOCKING.
>> HE WASN'T WILD ABOUT THAT.
AND WE WERE -- THERE'S A POINT
WHEN I THINK JUDI WAS THERE, I
WAS THERE, STEPHEN WAS THERE.
AND TWO PEOPLE SAT ON THE CHAIR.
NO, ONE PERSON.
WE HAD TO NEGOTIATE TO SIT IN
CERTAIN CHAIRS.
AND THE PUBLIC WAS STILL COMING
IN, WHILE WE WERE THERE.
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE HOUSE
WHILE WE WERE FILMING IN ONE
BIT.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THIS.
AND THE CONVERSATIONS, THE
ARGUMENTS THEY HAD, QUEEN
VICTORIA DIED IN THAT HOUSE.
ALL THE SCENES WE SHOT IN THE
HOUSE, YEAH.
>> WE WERE ALL READY TO DO THE
SCENE AND EDDIE CAME ALONG AND
SAID TO ALI AND ME, COME ON,
QUICKLY.
COME ON.
WE'LL GO AND HAVE A LOOK.
AND SO, WE WENT IN, ALL
COMPLETELY DRESSED AND READY.
AND THERE WERE THE GENERAL
PUBLIC, LOOKING AROUND.
SO, THEY DID AN -- GOOD GRIEF,
ARE WE SEEING THINGS?
ARE THEY THE GHOSTS OF OSBOURNE
HOUSE?
>> IF I MAY, I DUD NOT REALIZE,
JUDI, THAT YOU WERE SUCH A GOOD
RAPPER.
>> OH.
I'M VERY, VERY SURPRISED YOU
DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY.
>> WHAT IS THAT?
>> POW.
>> OH.
>> POW.
*
>> WHAT IS THIS?
>> THAT'S YOU.
>> SHE'S A WOMAN OF MANY
TALENTS.
>> I LOVE IT.
>> IS THIS A NEW CAREER?
>> I HOPE SO.
I DO HOPE SO.
>> YOU'RE GOING ON TOUR?
>> I'M OFF ON TOUR WITH IT, YES.
WITH LETHAL BIZZLE.
>> IS THAT PART OF THE PROMOTION
FOR "VICTORIA & ABDUL."
IS THAT A TIE-IN?
THAT'S WHERE VICTORIA WOULD HAVE
GONE.
>> "VICTORIA & ABDUL" HITTING