Being an actor is inherently embarrassing. You have to embrace it.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 3 May 2025 source ↗
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When were you most embarrassed?Originally asked
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Being an actor is inherently embarrassing. You have to embrace it.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 3 May 2025 source ↗
Putting chocolate mousse in my agent’s face. Somebody had done it to me – that thing where they go, “Smell this, it smells funny”, and then they put it in your nose. A year later I was in this French restaurant with a very 1980s-style dessert trolley and, before I knew it, I had a bowl of chocolate mousse in front of me. And my agent went, “What’s that smell?”, and it felt impossible not to … I immediately felt awful and tried to apologise. He, of course, said that he found it funny. But I knew he didn’t.
At school, I got my head stuck in a balustrade on the stairs at lunchtime. I had pupils laughing at me, parents laughing at me, teachers laughing at me and eventually, at the end of the day, the fire brigade laughing at me.
Sending a text meant for my wife to Dara O'Briain by mistake, revealing myself to be a control freak.
Walking with Eric Clapton’s tour manager Mick to meet Eric backstage, and when I met Eric I said, “Hi Mick.” I wanted to die.
Probably watching some poor abandoned cat or dog being nursed back to life by a stranger on YouTube.
Lack of confidence masquerading as perfectionism.
Optimistic, creative, resilient.
In a rehearsal just after graduating from drama college, I say my lines to an older actor. He pauses, turns to the director and says: “I’m sorry, but is she going to do it like that?”
Like everything is in high definition, and life is on your side.
A business-class flight. Pure indulgence.
Rita Wilson, Clive Myrie, Neil Gaiman, Dervla Kirwan, Maggie O'Farrell, Naga Munchetty
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