Bessie Carter has a dating non-negotiable — and it’s just as important to her as it is to her mom, Imelda Staunton, and dad, Jim Carter.
Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE in 10 about her new Britbox period drama Outrageous, the actress, 31, dished on the key trait any potential romantic partner needs in order to get along with her famous parents.
“I mean, if you’ve got a crackin’ sense of humor, you’re gonna be fine,” Bessie said.
“They got a crackin’ sense of humor,” she continued, referring to Staunton, 69, and Jim, 76. “Humor is one of the most important things to me in any kind of relationship, so, yeah, if you can crack a joke, you’ll be absolutely fine.”
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The Bridgerton actress admitted, however, that having famous parents generally doesn’t have much of an impact on any of her relationships.
“Most of my friends are so over it in the nicest way,” she explained. “As in, they’re just my parents to them. Which is really nice.”
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In addition to her upcoming Britbox show, Bessie is currently starring with her mother in the West End revival of Mrs. Warren’s Profession.
In a previous interview with PEOPLE, Bessie said she and Staunton had long wanted to work together, so they seized the opportunity when it arrived in the form of the George Bernard play.
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Imelda Staunton, Bessie Carter, Jim Carter.
She went on to describe their working relationship as “comfortable,” adding: “There’s so much understanding between us.”
“I feel like there is a comfort in the fact that I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s mom,’ ” continued Bessie. “We’ve always wanted to work together.”
“It’s a really good play. It was written in the 1800s, which we are making snappy and sharp with a very modern lens. But you hear it, and you think it’s written now. It’s shockingly modern,” Bessie further explained of the project.
Working with family has become somewhat of a tradition for the performers. Staunton previously starred alongside her husband in Downton Abbey. The two tied the knot in 1983.
Bessie opened up about pursuing the same career as her parents in a May interview with the British magazine Tatler, explaining that her mom and dad “know what life as an actor is” and respect her boundaries.
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“[They] know what a filming day is, so they know that when I’m on my way home, I might not have the energy to talk on the phone because they know how all-consuming it is. We just know the game,” she continued.
Outrageous is streaming now on BritBox.
Read the original article on People
