Brenda Blethyn Advocates for Female Representation in Gritty Roles

Brenda Blethyn, the 80-year-old star of the ITV crime drama "Vera," has voiced her strong support for increased female representation in television roles. Blethyn, who portrayed Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope for 14 years, stated that she takes significant pride in observing women step into characters that were traditionally assigned to men.

Blethyn specifically mentioned watching Vicky McClure in the series "Trigger Point," noting that such a role likely would have gone to a male actor a decade ago. She described McClure as "terrific" and reflected on how characters like DCI Stanhope herself would have been played by men in earlier eras.

"My word, I was thinking last night when I was watching it, 'My goodness, this would've been a bloke playing this role'," Blethyn commented. "Even Vera, 20 years ago, would have been a bloke – Victor or Vern."

Blethyn believes that television should reflect its audience, observing that a significant portion of viewers are middle-aged and older women. She also highlighted a shift away from focusing on glamour in her own portrayal of DCI Stanhope, stating, "What I've noticed over the years is there's less focus on glamour. That's why I loved Vera. She wasn't reliant on lipstick or a love interest."

The actress, who received Oscar nominations for "Secrets And Lies" (1997) and "Little Voice" (1998), became closely associated with DCI Stanhope's distinctive look, including her signature raincoat and bucket hat. Playing the role required her to be away from her home in Kent for six months each year.

In addition to "Vera," Blethyn has taken on other notable roles, including Elsie in the 2025 film "Dragonfly" and the older Emma Harte in the television adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's "A Woman of Substance." She is also an ambassador for Shooting Star Children's Hospices and will appear on their new podcast, "Shooting Star Unwrapped."