Observer archive: Billie Whitelaw, 28 March 1969

Jane Bown photographed the award-winning actor and John Gale asked her about her life.Miss Billie Whitelaw, who last week won the British Film Academy award as the best supporting actress of 1968 for her performances in Charlie Bubbles and The Twisted Nerve, is 35, and looks it, in the best way.She has a strong chin, good mouth and fine wrinkles round the eyes; she is blondish, with a touch of ash or silver birch, and she leans forward as she talks. We met her in a small side room of Thames Tele