Sarah Morgan
In which I take a Q&A that Benedict Cumberbatch did with The Guardian. And in which I am frequently lazy and cause you to click over to his answers, because I crib a lot of them, and not just because I’m lazy, but because they’re right.
When were you happiest? Halfway across a bridge on a partly sunny afternoon in mid-September.
What is your greatest fear? Falling from heights, being extraneous, and bananas.
What is your earliest memory? Sitting on my father’s shoulders in a dim hospital corridor, looking in at my newly born brother.
Which living person do you most admire, and why? Pope Francis, because he’s simultaneously a traditionalist and an iconoclast.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Same as BC.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Same as his.
What was your most embarrassing moment? I broke my arm at the age of 12 in front of the whole class by skipping across a wet floor. Awk.
What makes you unhappy? His is good, but to be honest is a bit forward-thinking compared to what usually makes me unhappy. Mine are normally quite petty, like: being cold. I’m frequently cold.
What do you most dislike about your appearance? My volume and its distribution. Also, he does look like Sid!
What is your guiltiest pleasure? Reddit.
What is your most unappealing habit? I should shut up more in the moment.
What would be your fancy dress costume of choice? I think I’d rock a Merida costume. Of ones I’ve already done, I loved Marilyn Monroe. Blonde curls and inflatable boobs were awesome. And it must be said: how could you talk to Benedict Cumberbatch in any costume for even a moment and not recognize his voice?
What is the worst thing anyone’s ever said to you? I plead the fifth on this one, but I’d prefer to have had his – better to be mocked by a stranger, even a nasty one.
What was the best kiss of your life? Also on a dancefloor, but alas, not with B.C.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Fantastic.” “Lovely.”
What has been your biggest disappointment? Roughly the same as his.
If you could edit your past, what would you change? I would have stayed.
What is the closest you’ve come to death? I’m sure we’ve all escaped death by inches and never known. I got T-boned by a school bus, though; that one was noticeable.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life? Same as his.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Same as his.
What keeps you awake at night? Not much. Though I agree that romantic foxes are the worst.
What song would you like played at your funeral? His is fantastic (edited to add: see? I do overuse that word. Many things are, though.) but I’d go with “Just One Person.”
How would you like to be remembered? His is perfect.
Tell us a secret. Dorothy Gale was right: the things worth having are the hardest to get – until you get them, and realize that they were there all along.
