National icon Felicity Kendal, known for her warmth on screen in classics like *The Good Life*, recently became a real-life hero in her Chelsea neighborhood. A surge in brazen phone thefts ignited a fierce determination within the 79-year-old actress, transforming her into an unexpected defender of her community.
The escalating crime wave – three phone snatchings in just three days – proved to be the breaking point. Kendal witnessed a terrifying scene unfold before her eyes: a woman targeted by a gang of thieves on bikes, her phone ripped away in a flash. It was a moment that sparked an immediate, visceral reaction.
Driving along Draycott Avenue the following day, Kendal found herself facing a similar situation. As a young woman was surrounded by thieves, a surge of adrenaline propelled her into action. Without hesitation, she unleashed a powerful blast from her car horn, accompanied by a determined shout.
The sudden noise startled the thieves, causing one of them to fumble and drop the stolen phone. The victim, stunned but relieved, quickly retrieved her device. Kendal described the act as pure instinct, a natural response to witnessing such a violation.
Kendal’s life in Chelsea stretches back to the 1960s, a period she reflects on with fondness, even as she contemplates a potential move from the four-story house she shared with her late husband, Michael Rudman. Despite considering a change, she admits a deep connection to the area.
Her relationship with theatre director Michael Rudman was a complex and enduring one, marked by both separation and reconciliation. He initially admitted not feeling immediate love upon meeting her, but recognized a distinct difference in his feelings compared to her co-stars.
Their connection blossomed through a shared passion for the theatre, leading to a secret romance and eventual marriage in 1983. Rudman’s memoir reveals a deliberate attempt to keep their relationship hidden from public view in its early stages.
The recent years of their life together were shadowed by Rudman’s battle with Coronavirus. Kendal vividly recalls the agonizing fear and frustration of being unable to visit him during his fortnight in intensive care, sustained by a ventilator.
Though he recovered, Rudman required full-time care for the last two years of his life. Kendal has spoken with raw honesty about the profound grief of his passing, describing it with unflinching directness and a refusal to sugarcoat the pain.
She advocates for open conversation about loss, rejecting platitudes and acknowledging the devastating reality of death. “I haven’t lost Michael; he is dead,” she stated, urging others to confront the subject with honesty and vulnerability.
