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Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them?

407 answers answered between 1985 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's Q&A repeatedly uses this prompt, sometimes dropping 'living' while retaining the same comparative judgment.

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On the record

Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Read by field Everyone Science and medicine 2 Arts and letters 338 Politics and public life 27 Business and finance 15 Technology 3 Sport 22
Read by age Any age Before thirty 19 In their thirties 60 In their forties 77 In their fifties 68 In their sixties 50 Seventy and beyond 61
Order Earliest first Most recent Surprise me
Terry Wogan Irish-British radio and television broadcaster
The present Lady Wogan, for putting up with me for 46 years of marriage. The woman's a saint.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 December 2011 source ↗
Shirley Hughes English illustrator and author
My sons for their bravery, and my daughter and daughters-in-law for being working mothers and always being able to make me laugh.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 January 2012 source ↗
Ken Loach English retired filmmaker
Tony Benn, for moving to the left throughout his life rather than to the right.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 June 2012 source ↗
Tony Ross British writer of children's books
Sue Townsend, for creating Adrian Mole, her insight into people and for overcoming the problems she's had.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 April 2013 source ↗
Paul Theroux American travel writer and novelist
The Buddhist monk Tapa Snim I met in Burma in 2007, all of whose earthly possessions he carried in a small bundle slung on one shoulder.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 May 2013 source ↗
Ben Kingsley English actor
My wife, Daniela. She is the bringer of joy and clarity, and she is very beautiful.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 November 2013 source ↗
Mary Berry English food writer and television presenter
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They are inspirational. They are going to take on a great responsibility and are preparing themselves for it.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 November 2013 source ↗
Joan Collins English actress and writer
Bill Clinton, I think he was a great president (who cares about his indiscretions?).
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 31 May 2014 source ↗
Sam Shepard American playwright and actor
That's a hard one. All of the great writers whom I admire have died. I guess the most recent one would be Márquez.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 June 2014 source ↗
Maureen O'Hara Irish and American actress and singer
My grandson, for taking such wonderful care of me in my old age.
Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, July 2014 source ↗
Grace Coddington Welsh former model and creative director
All the people I work with, people like Anna Wintour and Bruce Weber.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 September 2015 source ↗
Burt Reynolds American actor
My son Quinton. He’s working behind the scenes in the picture biz and he’s done it all on his own.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 November 2015 source ↗
Richard Wilson Scottish actor and theatre director
Jeremy Corbyn – for his honesty and the possibilities he offers the Labour party. And he visited the refugees in Calais, so good on him.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 February 2016 source ↗
Sally Field Actor
Malala Yousafzai, Martina Navratilova, Misty Copeland, and Hillary Clinton.
Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, March 2016 source ↗

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