Home is…
I live in California between Beverly Hills and Santa Monica in a small townhouse that has just enough rooms for my children and grandchildren. I’ve lived here for seven years and I intend to never leave. It feels like just the right home for me at this stage in my life. I’m 86, I’m happily single and I live alone… happily.
Where do you stay in London?
I love choosing hotels that are surrounded by a lot of greenery and are in walkable areas of the city because walking is the best way to explore new places.
Where was your first London experience?
My first time in London was to make the film In the Cool of Day co-starring Peter Finch, who I adored, and Angela Lansbury. I lived in a small flat and in those days Londoners were still burning coal to heat their homes. I worked every day at a studio outside London so I can’t pretend that I got to know the city very well butI thought it was beautiful. I loved all the parks and gardens.
Where would you recommend for a first date?
I don’t date any more but I might see ashow with a friend, or walk around Richmond Park to see the deer, and end with a nice meal.
Which shops do you rely on?
Marks & Spencer for groceries, Greggs for a good sausage roll, and the boutiques in Notting Hill, Primrose Hill and Richmond for window shopping.
Best meal you’ve had in London?
The last time I invited someone out in London, it was Lily Collins — we went to Nobu. But I love roasts at British pubs. The Brits really know how to do roasts.
What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?
I would work with Parliament to ensure that climate is being prioritised across all legislation so that we can leave Earth better than we found it for our future generations.
Who is the most iconic Londoner?
Probably Winston Churchill because of his courage as a leader in getting England through the war. I never met him but he must’ve been extraordinary. He was also a very fine painter and I admire him for that.
What’s the best thing a London cabbie has ever said to you?
I prefer to walk.
Have you ever had a run-in with a London police officer?
No, but I love observing the changing of the guards outside Buckingham Palace.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
I’m not an extravagant person. I don’t like spending a lot of money on jewellery and have stopped buying clothes. So I guess my biggest extravagances are my donations to political causes. I give a lot of money away and it makes me happy to feel that I may have made a difference.
What’s your London secret?
The best way to get around London is on a red bus — and sitting up top at the front, you get the best view.
What are you up to at the moment for work?
I’m focusing 100 per cent on the climate crisis this year. I recently partnered with Canada Goose and their new creative director, Haider Ackermann, to raise awareness about the ways the climate crisis is impacting the Arctic, specifically polar bears and their habitat.
What do you collect?
The only things I truly collect are girlfriends. All my girlfriends are smarter, braver, more strategic… and younger than I am and they make me a better person. Some people think you don’t make new friends when you’re in your 80s but that’s not true for me. It seems like every week I make new girlfriends.
