The question
What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?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.
When I was about to embark on filming The Lord Of The Rings, prior to any kind of fame or notoriety, full of hope and dreams, and excitement of the adventures ahead.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 March 2021 source ↗
Now, with time and wisdom you know your happy places.
This may sound nauseating, but I am a very happy person. I love my work, I love my life and I'm told by those who know/love me that it's a bit like living with Tigger. Bloody annoying, I should think.
I don’t tend to rank happy times.
Any recent gathering with friends and family; yesterday, running by the ocean; anytime, solving a problem or creating something. Right now, in bed with news and popcorn.
At 20, I fell from a fourth-floor window and broke my back. For four days they said I’d never walk again, but I had a miraculous recovery.
An actor or stuntman: I loved Lee Majors in The Fall Guy.
I lost my poodle, Mighty. He was out of my sight for just seven minutes; he went out on an adventure and didn’t come back, and was taken by a coyote, I think. It was awful, really painful; he taught me about love and loyalty, and how the connection between living beings can be.
Sofia Helin, Sam Shepard, Michael Sheen, Patricia Hodge, Griff Rhys Jones, Sally Phillips
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