'Last Night In Soho' director Edgar Wright recalls his beautiful farewell with Diana Rigg
Edgar Wright has penned a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to legendary actress Diana Rigg, who died at the age of 82 on the 10th September.
Wright recently worked with Rigg on his upcoming psychological horror film Last Night In Soho. Around a month ago, Rigg’s daughter Rachael Stirling called up the writer and director to say that she “wanted to do her final ADR for the movie,” but they’d need to come to her and “do it soon.”
Read More: British actress Diana Rigg, who portrayed spy Emma Peel and murderer Medea, dies aged 82
“I didn’t want to admit it, but I knew what that meant,” wrote Wright. “This led to a quickly-arranged trip to her bedside the following week where myself and my dialogue editor Dan were to record her final lines.”
Watch: 'Game of Thrones' castmates lead tributes to Dame Diana Rigg
Wright says he was very “anxious about going” to see Rigg, particularly because of Covid, while they didn’t want to tire her out, too. But it turns out that Rigg immediately put Wright’s concerns to bed as he walked up to see her.
“I heard her cry out ‘I know that voice!’ and was already glad I came.”
“When I saw her, infirm in bed, I said: ‘Dame D, I’ve been so bold as to bring some Campari.’ She replied, sippy cup in hand, ‘Darling, I’m having one right now. Will you have one?’ I said: ‘It would be rude not to.’ She shouted to her daughter, ‘Rachie, could you make two Campari and sodas for Edgar and his friend?'”
What made Wright and Rigg’s consumption of this drink all the more sentimental was that she had originally agreed to star in Last Night In Soho after meeting him at London’s Berners Tavern, where they drank Campari and discussed the project.
Read More: Remembering the versatile Diana Rigg: The first lady of Bond, Broadway and The Muppets
Unfortunately, Rigg was too ill to take part in the recent pick-up shots for Last Night In Soho, which is why the recording of additional dialogue was required. After his visit to her house, Wright called Rigg one final time, where they said their goodbyes. When “the line went dead,” Wright admits that he “started crying.”
“When I stepped back into the office, my colleagues asked ‘What’s wrong?’ I replied: ‘I think Diana just said goodbye.’ It was indeed the last time we spoke. Just two weeks ago. I miss her so much already.”
You can read Wright’s full tribute to Rigg at The Guardian.