Mrs. Patmore’s Bears: Lesley Nicol Has Hugs For Sichuan’s Furry victims

Lesley Nicol is famous for playing Mrs. Patmore, a snippy, cantankerous cook on the lauded British TV drama Downton Abbey. But lately, her most fulfilling project wasn’t delivering lines while dicing up ingredients – instead, it involved clipping the claws of a hulking, wild animal.

That creature was a Chinese moon bear, which Nicol helped tend to at a sanctuary in Chengdu. She visited the southern Chinese city in late May to take part in a campaign with non-governmental organization (NGO) Animals Asia. Together they hope to raise awareness about the plight of these bears – how they are captured with limb-mangling traps, shoved into tiny cages that scrape their fur and compress their spines, and jabbed in the bladder by farmers who siphon the bears’ bile for use in various traditional Chinese medicinal products.

Nicol describes how the bears captured her heart and what compelled her to fight for them.

You live in London – how did it feel to see these bears up close?
I arrived and Jill (Robinson, Animals Asia founder and CEO) said, “Sorry, but we’re going to get you to dive right in.” So I watched a bear have her annual health check, and they showed me how to trim her claws and give her her injections. One of her legs was a stump because she’d been caught in a trap. She had arthritis in her knees, but so do I, so I can relate to that. It was all a bit surreal. They needed to keep her warm for some of the treatments. So there she was, lying on the table with knitted socks on, covered in hot water bottles, her tongue hanging out (because of the sedation). And they had me touch her tongue to take her pulse. I’ve never dreamed of being that close, I mean who has?

The other bears you met weren’t sedated. Was that intimidating?
Some were docile. There were two ancient ones named Chu Chu and Crystal, they must be nearly 100 years old. I could hand them apples. They had these big soppy mouths. But I had to be more careful with the younger ones and use a spoon to feed them through the bars. One was named Barry, he’d often cover himself with leaves before lying down, and it looked like he was tucking himself in. It really felt like I got to see their personalities.

How did you bond with some of the other bears?
We watched one named Frodo. She was euthanized, because she had all these spinal problems from being crushed in a cage by bear bile farmers for so long. There was a funeral for her at the Chengdu sanctuary. But as devastating as that was, what moved me even more was the group of young Chinese fellows who had worked with Frodo before she died. They were visibly upset, but stood very strong and kept it together.

When you experience something like this, how does it inform your performances? Can you draw on these feelings or memories on set?
I’m not sure. For me, acting and charity work are two completely different worlds. I know as a person I have been changed. It’s another layer in my psyche, because it moved and humbled me so deeply. But I’ll be going back to work on Monday, and I expect I’ll be shouting at one of my castmates in no time.

Mrs. Patmore can be peevish, to say the least. How do you think she would fare, trimming the claws of such big furry animals?
Oh, if she saw these bears she’d run a mile. Actually, she’d likely not be scared, they’d probably bring her to tears. I like to think of her as a real animal lover.

Really? The dishes she prepares on Downton Abbey seem far from vegetarian…
You’re right, that meat does look quite grisly. What I mean is she’s a sensitive woman, underneath all that shouting. It’s a question of how well you get on with bullying and cruelty. I don’t think Mrs. Patmore agrees with either of those things, and I know these bears have been through both in spades.

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So what would you say to traditional Chinese medicine vendors that insist their industry relies on the bear bile trade?
It can be made synthetically. Sure, it’s used in popular hangover cures and face creams. But if this bile is coming from diseased bears on dirty illegal farms, would you put that kind of cream on your face?

What about the economic argument – are campaigns like yours putting these farmers’ livelihoods at risk?
That’s a good point. Of course this is a business that employs people, it’s not as simple as saying “they’re bad, get rid of them.” Animals Asia wants to educate and help these farmers take a different direction.

Can celebrity campaigns like yours inspire that change?
No, outreach with the farmers is all low-key, behind the scenes and with our experts, I wouldn’t be of any help.

That’s a pretty humble answer. Skeptics say celebrity activists are more overbearing and grandiose than that.
Let them think what they like. I’m lucky to be on Downton, and grateful that it gives me a chance to raise awareness about these kinds of issues. I see this as a way to give back.

Photos: Animals in Asia