The remarkable British actress Diana Rigg, who was awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1994, is the subject of this biography. Her reputation as being ‘tough’ and a long career as the star of plays, movies, and the TV show The Avengers, where she excelled from 1965 to 1968, are at the center of the book.
The 15 chapters, divided into four parts, highlight significant events and the most important years in Diana Rigg’s life (1938-2020).
A first milestone she achieved in 1959, when she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). There, she was recognized for her performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, and The Taming of the Shrew. Although she enjoyed being there, Rigg realized that the “…trouble with staying with a classical company is that you get to be known as a ‘lady actress.’” So, in 1965 she auditioned for the British TV series The Avengers after Honor Blackman, the female lead, had recently left; the show had been running since 1961.
Rigg’s role as agent Emma Peel made her famous almost immediately. She brought her own style to the character, making Emma Peel a beloved icon of the 1960s: smart, fearless, independent, hard-hitting, and fashionably dressed. She had a profound impact on the show’s audience, particularly young women who saw in Emma Peel a representation of independence and strength; she was a highly educated, self-sufficient woman at a time when such role models were rare. Peel was a milestone for actresses and their roles.
Chapter five highlights Peel’s impact on broader pop culture. She was not simply a pretty but somewhat weak sidekick to her male protagonist; on the contrary, she was his equal, both in intellect and action. Peel was a character like no other on television at the time: capable and unafraid to challenge traditional gender roles. And she—as well as Rigg herself—quickly became a feminist icon. In that role, Rigg was widely recognized as one of the leading figures of British television.
This section of the book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges Rigg faced on set, as the pressures of constant filming and issues such as the initial pay disparity (she was earning significantly less than her male co-star Patrick Macnee) began to weigh on her. One key element for the show’s success was the chemistry between Rigg and Macnee. The playful banter, mutual respect, and subtle romantic tension between Peel and Steed set the tone for the series. Her recurring negotiations for fairer pay, how this set a precedent for other actresses, the pros and cons of the role, sexualization, stereotypical routines, and other limitations she grew bored of, inform chapters four to seven. (In 2015 she said “I don’t understand women getting angry about men opening doors for them, but obviously I’m a feminist if feminism is about economic equality. You have to have the same power to lead the life you want as a man does, and that means earning the same amount of money. We still have a battle on our hands with that.”)
In 1968, she departed from Thames Television, the company that produced the show. The publicity she gained by starring in The Avengers brought her intense media scrutiny, and she found herself increasingly uncomfortable with the celebrity aspect of her career. “Why wait till I was stale if I could leave on a high note?” was one of her comments when she left.
A year later, she became the only woman to marry James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), where she demonstrated her ability to transition seamlessly from television to film. Rigg’s portrayal of Tracy di Vicenzo was markedly different from previous female roles in the Bond franchise. She was not simply “just another Bond girl.” Like Emma Peel, Tracy was portrayed as Bond’s equal, endowed with her own distinct strengths, agency, and independence. This depth was largely due to Rigg’s insistence on developing Tracy as a fully realized character in the script, rather than relegating her to the role of a mere love interest or sidekick.
She spent the 1970s and 1980s performing on stage and playing classical roles. The book continues into the 1990s, discussing her choice to portray complex women. She was determined not to be pigeonholed by her earlier work as a glamorous leading lady and was comfortable with getting older, both on stage and in real life, as she performed in London and on Broadway. She embraced roles that highlighted her maturity and experience, often portraying older women who wielded power and influence. Her later career was also marked by her role in the TV show Game of Thrones (2013-2019) as Lady Olenna Tyrell. The last chapter delves deeply into Rigg’s views on acting, her approach to her craft, and her philosophies regarding performance and fame.
American author Herbie Pilato highlights Diana Rigg’s appeal and reputation, noting that she was held in high regard by both US and British audiences, albeit with some distinct nuances between the two.
For British audiences, Diana Rigg was first and foremost an iconic television figure and a respected classical actress who gained her initial fame in the UK with her portrayal of Emma Peel. Domestic viewers were drawn to her charisma, wit, and charm, and she became a symbol of female empowerment at a time when societal norms were beginning to change, and traditional gender roles were being questioned. Beyond the show, she was recognized in Britain for her extensive work with prestigious theater productions. Rigg was not just a television star, but an actress of the highest caliber, someone capable of delivering nuanced and powerful performances in Shakespearean and other classical roles. She became known as someone who was unafraid to speak her mind, which further added to her status as a “tough dame,” earning her the respect of fans and fellow actors alike.
For American fans, she was primarily known for her television and film work, particularly The Avengers, which began airing in the US in 1966, at a time when strong female action characters were equally rare in TV shows broadcast there. Her role in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service also bolstered her popularity in the United States. It took some time until she was back with her impressive performance in Game of Thrones, which was extremely popular there.
As a classically trained actress, she took her craft seriously and always spoke of the importance of continually learning and growing as an artist. Her last role was that of Mother Dorothea in the UK miniseries Black Narcissus, which aired in 2020 – that same year Diana Rigg, mother and versatile actress, died of cancer.
Author Herbie J. Pilato is a Los Angeles-based writer, producer, director, actor, TV personality, and singer/songwriter who has published several critically acclaimed books on musicians and actors. His fine portrait of Diana Rigg features 59 black-and-white illustrations and comes with a foreword by television producer Rupert Macnee (son of actor Patrick Macnee, who played John Steed). The introduction is written by Ray Austin (aka the Baron of Delvin), director, producer, screenwriter, novelist, and former stunt director for The Avengers show.
Review by Dr. A. Ebert © 2024
Herbie J. Pilato.One Tough Dame, The Life and Career of Diana Rigg. Foreword by Rupert Macnee. Introduction by Ray Austin. University of Mississippi Press (Hollywood Legends Series), 2024, 256 p.
