The Herald - The Herald Magazine
ON THE ROAD
FIRST CAR?
My first ever car was a ’64 Dodge Rambler, which I got for $150 while I was still in high school. It was so cool but it only lasted two weeks. My first proper car was a Triumph Spitfire. I loved that car – it lasted all the way through high school into my first acting school days.
CURRENT CAR?
It’s a Mini Cooper! I love the new Minis. Ever since BMW took it over, these little cars have been like sports cars. I love leaving everybody else in the dust when I drive between LA and Vegas. We have a house in each place so we do a lot of travelling between them. I love zipping in and out of the lanes on the freeway in it.
DREAM CAR?
A 427 Ford Cobra. It’s pure muscle. I got the chance to drive one while I was working on Grease 2. One of the producers had an original and it was like straddling an engine. It’s a good-looking, hot, fast car.
FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRIVE?
I’ve loved driving in the UK since I’ve been here touring with La Cage Aux Folles – it’s been a blast. But my favourite of all is the Malibu Canyon road, in Southern California. Just me in the sports car, hugging the curves, admiring the views. The Pacific Coast Highway is probably the most beautiful drive in the world – you’re up high above the ocean, watching the waves crashing below.
LEAST FAVOURITE PLACE TO DRIVE?
Living in LA, I never really bothered about driving on the freeways but since I have spent time outside the city, now I really, really despise it. It’s just crazy – no-one signals. If they want in to your lane, they just come right on into it. It’s really dangerous. I also went to Paris on holiday and said to myself beforehand I would never drive in the centre of the city. We got lost, and sure enough, ended up driving in the city. It was horrible.
ROAD TRIP SOUNDTRACK?
I’m a big classic rock fan – The Who, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath…If it’s just me in the car, I crank up the sound and drive.
IDEAL PASSENGERS?
Not my wife. She is the worst kind of back seat driver. I’d like to take a road trip with Laurence Olivier. I trained as a classical actor and I kind of wish I’d been able to meet him and ask him all about his career, and his working processes and what his early days in the theatre had been like.
Adrian Zmed is appearing in La Cage aux Folles at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow from July 25 to 29.
Adrian was talking to Ann Wallace