Born in Surrey, Julia Ormond, 56, starred in Peter Greenaway’s 1993 film The Baby Of Mâcon. She went on to appear in Legends Of The Fall, First Knight and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; her latest film, Reunion, is available on digital platforms. She has a daughter and lives in Malibu, California.
What is your greatest fear?
Heights.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Being scatty and late.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Entitlement.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Asking thousands of people to stand to make a statement at a talk on ending slavery, and then flubbing what I was going to ask them to say.
What would your superpower be?
Granting wishes.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
That my career is at all dependent on it.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
Bluefin tuna: it’s not extinct, but it’s going that way. Companies are reportedly stockpiling frozen bluefin, waiting for them to go extinct so they can sell at astronomical prices.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Ryan Gosling, because he’s brilliant.
What is your most unappealing habit?
Nail-biting.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
“I’m afraid there’s nothing more we can do” about a dying dog.
What is your favourite smell?
Wet dog, post walk.
What is your favourite word?
Yes.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A mum, an airline stewardess or an artist.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Playing mindless, stupid games on my phone.
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
To Sophie, for not being a better parent.
What does love feel like?
A blurred, warm state of total acceptance and joy.
Have you ever said ‘I love you’ and not meant it?
When I was younger.
Which living person do you most despise, and why?
I have parts of myself that I despise because, at 56, it just feels that I should have learned to be better.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I wouldn’t have hurt as many people, and I would have thought more before speaking.
How often do you have sex?
Not as much as I used to.
What is the closest you’ve come to death?
A trip to a Macedonian refugee camp that I switched out of, to go at a later date. Those who took my place were killed in a horrific car accident.
How would you like to be remembered?
As having been loving and fun.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Never give up.
