John Malkovich
Actor
Probably when our children were small, which is not to say I am unhappy now.
When were you happiest?
Question
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Money & investment
Question
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Craft & work
Question
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Daily life
Question
What is the worst job you have done?
Craft & work
Question
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
Values & belief
Question
What does love feel like?
Relationships
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. Ask me again when my children are grown, and I’ll sob, “When they loved me more than that woman/man they’ve shacked up with.”
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 February 2017 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 576 →
Richard Bacon
English television and radio presenter
About twice a week I think I’m having the best day of my life. When was I happiest? Er, Tuesday.
David Oyelowo
Actor, director and producer
Right now. I am a very blessed man.
There are different kinds of happiness, but the simplest was when I was 13 because what one had to do was so obvious.
More from Shappi Khorsandi
View profile →A walk-on part for my mum in Les Misérables. It was in a charity auction. She always dreamed of being in a West End show.
Getting an A for my English A-level. I’m dyslexic; it was never detected and I was written off as scatty and lazy. This proved everyone wrong, including me.
A miniature pet elephant, one that is no bigger than a guinea pig.
Life modelling for a woman who made me recite Shakespeare as I posed. I had a hangover, and it was all a bit much.
Teachers who recognise that each child is different.
Utterly relentless warmth and peace.
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