My favourite things celia imrie talks about what she treasures the most
The award-winning actress tells Nathalie Whittle about the moments, memories and possessions she treasures the most...
Celia, 65, lives in London and has a grown-up son, angus. her latest novel, Sail Away (Bloomsbury), is out now.
fideLiS morgan’S BookS she’s written a series of four, which are about the Countess ashby De la Zouche, a former mistress to King Charles ii, who ends up working as a journalist for a scandal sheet. i’m desperate to get them made into a film.
my Lucky charm, “doggy” He’s a toy dog that my nanny gave to me when i was about five and he’s come to every dressing room on every first night with me. He’s covered in lipstick now because i always kiss him before i go on stage.
gian Lorenzo Bernini’S ScuLptureS
i went to see “The ecstasy of Saint Teresa” at rome’s Santa maria della Vittoria when i was filming my latest movie, Finding Your
Feet, and it was breathtaking. Joanna lumley [Celia’s co-star] came too and she felt the same. my “wonder” cream Every year, i go to the Roscoff onion Festival in France where they sell these lovely natural cosmetics, including my favourite, thalado Crème Régénerante. believe it or not, it’s made from seaweed. Who knows if it really does anything, but you have to have a certain amount of belief in something if it’s going to work miracles, don’t you?
dancing the night away My son bought me tickets to a burns Night ceilidh at battersea arts Centre and i’ll never forget it. there were 80 of us dancing around with a brilliant live band. a freShLy Baked Baguette i have a little apartment in France and there’s something wonderful about buying a warm baguette and not being allowed to bite the top off until i get home – because the French never eat walking along the road.
Swimming in the Sea
i don’t mind where or when it is, i’ll always dare myself to go in. i’ve even been known to go in the sea in england in the middle of January before... wearing all my clothes! my oLd BLue cardigan i remember being in a rehearsal room with Hugh bonneville not so long ago when he turned to me and said, “Celia, i think you were wearing that same cardigan when i last saw you 15 years ago.” i didn’t think there was anything wrong in it, but he thought it was highly amusing.