Born in Worcestershire, Charles Dance, 78, appeared in the Bond film For Your Eyes Only in 1981. He had an award-winning role in the 2005 TV adaptation of Bleak House, played Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones and portrayed Lord Mountbatten in The Crown. His films include White Mischief, Gosford Park, The Imitation Game and Mank. Next month he plays Michelangelo in Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty on BBC2. He has three children and lives with his partner in London.
What is your greatest fear?
Never working again.
What trait do you deplore in yourself?
Pomposity.
What trait you most deplore in others?
Any form of bigotry.
Your most embarrassing moment?
I saw a woman I knew across the room and thought, “Oh she’s having another baby.” I congratulated her and, of course, she wasn’t pregnant.
What is your most treasured possession?
A pair of handmade Spanish boots. They’re 35 years old and still incredible.
Describe yourself in three words
He works hard.
What would your superpower be?
To cure baldness.
What makes you unhappy?
Lack of sleep.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Bags under my eyes.
What is your most unappealing habit?
Snoring, I gather!
What was the last lie that you told?
Telling a restaurateur that everything was fine.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
“You can’t play Maxim de Winter with ginger hair.”
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
My ex-wife, for the way I behaved towards the end of our marriage.
What does love feel like?
Comforting, uplifting, all consuming.
What was the best kiss of your life?
The first.
Have you ever said ‘I love you’ and not meant it?
No.
Which words do you most overuse?
However, ridiculous and darling.
What is the worst job you’ve done?
Treating a flock of sheep for foot rot when I was a farm labourer.
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If not yourself who would you like to be? Someone better.
When did you last cry, and why?
Frequently, especially now with what’s happening in the Middle East.
When did you last change your mind about something significant?
Often. I’m a Libran.
How often do you have sex?
Two or three times a week.
What’s the closest you’ve come to death?
I’m getting closer all the time.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
To still be working.
What keeps you awake at night?
My rational brain doing battle with my emotional brain.
Would you rather have more sex, money or fame?
A bit more money.
How would you like to be remembered?
As kind.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
It’s limited.
What happens when we die?
No idea.
