ISLA FISHER
What character were you in your first school play?
When I was seven years old, I played the Grand High Witch in Roald Dahl’s The Witches.
I perfected a Russian accent for it, much to my parents’ delight. I do not know where I learned a Russian accent, but I do remember practising in front of my mirror. It was the most fun role I’ve ever played. I remember auditioning and the teacher said, “You’re only in second grade. You have to be in fourth or fifth to be in the play.” I think they saw my determined little face and thought they should just give this poor kid a shot. I was out the gate and ready to gallop.
Which film have you seen more than any other?
[This Is] Spinal Tap. I’m obsessed with Christopher Guest. Spinal Tap is one of those classics for me that will always make me laugh. And I don’t mean chuckle laughs. I will full belly laugh throughout that film, every time I see it.
When in your life were you most starstruck?
Probably this time Sacha [Baron Cohen, her husband] and I were new to Hollywood and we were going to someone’s house for dinner. We’d never been there before and we got lost. Finally, we came across this really big house, which we presumed was where they lived. Rang the doorbell and this big Balinese, heavy-wood door swung open. And standing there is Keanu Reeves. Wrong house. Turns out he’s the most lovely guy and he just directed us to the right house, like this was a regular occurrence. So that’s what it’s like living in Hollywood. You go to the wrong house, a massive movie star answers and gives you directions, then you move on with your day.
What’s the last TV show you binged?
Normal People. I thought both the actors in that were amazing. I’d read the book, but I felt like the show took the book even further. I was just so in that world with those characters. Obsessed.
How much is a pint of milk?
I’m in Australia right now and I just went out and bought milk this morning. I bought a litre and that was, I think, $2.39. So I guess milk in the UK would be about whatever that is in pounds? [After doing some currency conversion and division, it turns out this is roughly correct, but we would ask future interviewees not to make us do maths.]
When was the last time you were naked outdoors?
Outdoors? I don’t even like to be naked indoors! I think it would be when I was 19 and I was on a catamaran with a bunch of friends. We decided to go skinny dipping after some rosé. That’s the last time, thankfully for everyone else.
Have you ever had a nickname?
At school, I was called Whippy, because I was very slim, no matter what I ate, and apparently looked like one of those whippet dogs. I was also called Twisty, which is a kind of bright-orange chip in Australia. It’s cheese-flavoured.
Where is the strangest place you’ve ever thrown up?
This was not from alcohol. I was very sick once, in that way where you don’t get any warning that you’re going to throw up. I was in the car and threw up all over the dashboard. I probably could have tried to get the window down, but I’d decided that the dashboard would be much easier to wipe clean than the carpeted bit where your feet are.
What is your most irrational fear?
I am completely made up of irrational fears. I don’t think I have any rational fears. Most of them are to do with planning for the apocalypse.
What one thing do you do better than anyone else you know?
I am an armchair doctor. I can diagnose most illnesses. I have a medical encyclopaedia by my bed that I read for sport. I am obsessed with medicine... I am also incredibly good at packing suitcases. I use all the zippy pouches. OLLY RICHARDS