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.
Fortunately, I’ve often been happy, which you wouldn’t necessarily guess from the roles I play. I’ve always been very happy to have my children with me, particularly on location. My daughter was in in London when I played Mary Stuart at the National Theatre.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 May 2018 source ↗
In Cyprus between 1994 and 1999. I was baking out there, the weather was fantastic, it was a great place to be and I met my wife Alex.
About 15 minutes ago: I'm on medication and it's starting to wear off.
On a beach, watching my girls do cartwheels, with a Goombay Smash with a floater on top.
Swimming down the Thames on a full moon night 10 years ago. It was dangerous, but extremely joyful.
I dreamed of being an artistic skater. And a nursery nurse.
At each of my theatre premieres.
A good film, a good book, a good script, a long phone call.
Willem Dafoe, Cuba Gooding Jr, Sue Perkins, Tim Robbins, Richard Wilson, Simon Russell Beale
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