Cinema icon Jacqueline Bisset reflects on her career, modern stars and her first visit to Zaragoza

During her recent visit to the Saraqusta International History Film Festival in Zaragoza, she confessed to feeling "terrified" by the fans clamouring for photos and dropped a line that could serve as a universal mantra: "A woman never feels like she is enough." Neither, she admits, does she.

At 81, the Weybridge-born actress remains fiercely independent. She has never married, though she has loved deeply and learned from partners of all nationalities. Her mastery was forged alongside titans like François Truffaut, John Huston, George Cukor, Roman Polanski, and Claude Chabrol. From arthouse to historical epics, Bisset has navigated every genre, though she admits her most dignified work often lies in the independent films that escape the mainstream spotlight.

Her journey to Zaragoza was not without its drama. Flying from Los Angeles via London, Bisset arrived in Madrid to find her luggage lost - along with the address of her hotel. "It was a nightmare," she recalls. "Barajas airport is total chaos; you could die there and no one would notice." Her horror turned to gratitude when a local man stepped in to help. "That is Spain - it's different, it’s incredible. People here are so helpful."

Upon arriving in Zaragoza to collect her Golden Dragon award, Bisset proved she is far from a pampered star. She rejects professional hair and makeup, doing it all herself, and travels with her own food steamer to maintain her health. "I am not a person of luxury," she insists. "I’m practical. I’ll fix the roof of my own house. People have this concept of a 'star aura' that just doesn't match who I am."

Bisset has shared the screen with the ultimate icons: Steve McQueen in Bullitt, Paul Newman in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean and Frank Sinatra in The Detective. Yet, she is quick to defend the new generation.

"I see Timothée Chalamet as being just as talented as Paul Newman," she says, perhaps noting the shared French roots she has with the Marty Supreme star. "Paul Newman was very shy; Steve McQueen was too. Chalamet is so young, but he is a great actor - very self-assured and focused on the work. I feel for him because everyone focuses on his famous girlfriend (Kylie Jenner) rather than his talent."

Despite her poise, Bisset admits to being human. While filming with Marcello Mastroianni in Italy, she felt completely "intimidated" and "idiotic."

"He spoke Italian, I responded in French. I felt so out of place that I actually ran away halfway through filming," she confesses. "I couldn't sustain my own confidence. I liked Italy, but I just had to go home."

When asked if cinema is cruel to older women, Bisset takes a broader view. "The world is cruel in general, not just to women. In terms of gender, we’ve swung from one extreme to another. It has nothing to do with age."

Looking ahead, her goals are simple: to work with friends and on stories that matter. "In life, we have an immensity of things, but we have very few true friendships. I want to work with people who flow with me."

As she poses against the backdrop of Zaragoza’s La Seo Cathedral, Bisset remains a woman of the present - practical, autonomous, and eternally questioning if she has done enough, despite a legacy that suggests she has done more than most could dream of.