Billy Crudup: Which moment embarrassed you most?

Originally asked

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

A verbatim recurring question in The Guardian's Q&A series.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Billy Crudup said elsewhere, not written here

Giving a speech in high school at a pep rally that wasn’t going so well and the dean unplugged the mic. Apparently, I was rambling and the spirit of the cafeteria was being weighed down.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 February 2026 source ↗

Others on this question

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Ciarán Hinds

Falling off the stage and on to the pianist during the opening number in the Mother Goose pantomime at the Citizens theatre in Glasgow.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 July 2025 source ↗

Lee Child

Appearing on US breakfast radio. I heard the DJ say that after the news we would hear from the author Lincoln Child. I had to choose between making a guy with a mixed-up PR release look like an idiot or pretending to be Lincoln. I pretended.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 June 2025 source ↗

Sam Ryder

I once did a record store signing in LA, which I had no business doing. No one was there – just staff. They were getting ready to close the shop and sweeping up.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 August 2023 source ↗

Frank Bowling

In the 1950s I went to the Chelsea Arts Club’s New Year’s Eve ball at the Royal Albert Hall dressed as a Christmas pudding, with swimming trunks under my costume and holly in my hair.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 June 2026 source ↗