I had heart surgery when I was 17. The other time was when I fell off my piano. My head was an inch away from a metal step.

On a plane with Meryl Streep in 1984: the engines blew and we had to make an emergency landing.

Doing a compulsory standup routine in my first week of drama school.

I have more than once in my time woken up feeling like death. But nothing prepared me for the early morning last June when I came to consciousness feeling as if I were actually shackled to my own corpse. The whole cave of my chest and thorax seemed to have been hollowed out and then refilled with slow-drying cement. I could faintly hear myself breathe but could not manage to inflate my lungs. My heart was beating either much too much or much too little. Any movement, however slight, required forethought and planning.

I don’t know about perfect, but a creamy scoop of green-tea ice cream comes fairly close.

As someone who loved the ideals of American democracy and made my small contribution to it.

When Brad and I got married. We had to struggle for it. It involved a nationwide speaking tour, lobbying Congress and campaigning intensely. We were the first couple to get our marriage licence in West Hollywood.

I went overboard on the money I invested in the production of Allegiance. It did not return, but it was fulfilling that I was able to tell a story that’s dear.

Impatience and temper. Enough already!

Pope Francis, who left the Vatican to wash the feet of non-believers.