The Belfast-born actress who played Magenta in the cult-hit film The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been back home this week to shoot a new movie.

Patricia Quinn plays the role of death-obsessed Bernie in the low-budget flick Your Number Is Up, penned by local writer Jonson Wilkinson.

It’s the first time in 10 years Patricia has been back in Belfast and the flame-haired actress, who also starred in Fortunes of War with her late husband Sir Robert Stephens, described the comedy as “a riot”.

“My character Bernie is based on Jonson’s mother’s friend, a woman whose hobby is to look through the death notices in the local newspaper and turn up at various funerals,” she said.

“We’ve been filming in Turf Lodge and Divis and everyone we’ve met has been so friendly and welcoming.

“However, the other night we had helicopters flying overhead, keeping a close eye on us. They probably had no idea what we were up to and there was a large crowd of us. I’ve known Jonson for a long time and agreed to play this part because the script was so hilarious.”

Patricia, whose famous lips appeared in the opening song of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, said there were similarities between that movie and the new one.

“Well, let’s just say both are pretty surreal and you don’t know what’s going to happen next,” she said.

But she said there were no comparisons between herself and Bernie. “God, I’ve just been to three funerals, I’ve no wish to go to any more,” she said.

The former Playboy Bunny, who is the aunt of Snow Patrol’s drummer Jonny Quinn, said she enjoyed being back in Belfast to shoot the movie.

“I’ve had a great time and I even got a history lesson over the last five days, taking in all the sights and the murals in the city,” she said.

“This is only the second time I’ve played a character in my native accent. It’s usually English ones I do.

“The first time was in a movie called The Outsider, which was very political and so explosive that we had to film it in Dublin.

“But I’ve had a brilliant time filming this.”