Jessica Hynes
British actress and writer
Last week, lying under a hat on Folkestone beach.
When were you happiest?
Question
If you had only one day left to live, how would you spend it — and what would you deliberately avoid doing?
Death & what remains
Question
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
Values & belief
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Right now. It's a beautiful thing to find yourself "the wrong side of 40" and more in love with life than ever. I never tell people this publicly as they wrongly assume the only valid creative state is that of the cliche of the tubercular, tortured artist coughing up blood in his garret.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 September 2011 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 577 →Probably during my childhood growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Philip Glass
American composer
There are many moments of happiness for me. I swim in a sea of them. They are related to my family and work.
On stage with my band.
More from Brett Anderson
View profile →Drinking green tea with my wife and listening to Eno’s ‘Music For Airports’.
My wife. She is the most beautiful person I know in every way and has an endless energy for other people that a vinegary old misanthrope like myself can only marvel at.
More on time & hindsight
- What is the most important lesson life has taught you? 137 answers
- What advice would you give your twenty-year-old self, and what should they ignore? 78 answers
- What scares you about getting older? 61 answers
- What is the best advice you have ever received? 28 answers
- If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere, what would it say and why? 24 answers
- What is something you were told by a parent, teacher, or mentor that you still repeat to yourself? 23 answers
Also answered this
Peter Gabriel, Gavin Rossdale, Sheridan Smith, Philip Glass, Simon Le Bon, Annie Lennox
Search the directory for somebody in particular.
Explore further
- All time & hindsight questions
- The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
- Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject