Actress Jane Horrocks on crime dramas, clubbing and getting carried away at charity auctions.
Actress Jane Horrocks stars in the new comedy Swimming with Men, in cinemas from Friday
Guilty pleasure? Disco dancing, which I seem to do in places beginning with ‘b’, including Bognor, Brighton and Berlin. I go with a friend and we have a lot of fun.
Where is home? A semidetached house in Twickenham, where I’ve lived for 20 years.
Career plan B? I would like to be a musician. I wish I had learnt to play the guitar years ago.
Biggest bugbear? Crime dramas on television, which usually involve violence against some unfortunate girl, even the Scandinavian ones. I think they’ve had their time.
As a child you wanted to be… Validated, by which I mean accepted and acknowledged. I had two elder brothers and felt rather ignored.
Earliest memory? Being cosy in my pram, looking up at the world.
Secret to a happy relationship? Fun.
Your best quality? My fun side.
And your worst? Impatience.
Most romantic thing you’ve ever done? Send a CD of ‘I Miss You’ by Björk to someone in Australia. It didn’t have the desired effect, which I’m glad about as he wasn’t right for me.
Last meal on earth? Lancashire hotpot.
Dream dinner-party guests? Timothy Spall and my son Dylan [21] and daughter Molly [19]. Any more would involve too much cooking.
Advice to teenage self? Be more confident with boys.
On a day off we’d find you… I usually end up going to Tesco.
Starstruck moment? Meeting New Order at last year’s Manchester International Festival, where I was also doing a show.
Big break? Appearing in Life Is Sweet in 1990.
Career highlight? Little Voice, which was a good reflection of me when I was young. I was shy and gained confidence through emulating singers such as Judy Garland.
Favourite tipple? A glass of rosé wine.
Hangover cure? I don’t drink enough these days to get hangovers.
What did you have for breakfast today? Bran flakes and a mango smoothie.
One thing that would make your life better? More sleep – I go through phases of insomnia.
Philosophy? Only choose things that make you feel good, although I realise that is hard to do.
Biggest lesson you have learnt about money? Don’t think about it.
Last film that made you cry? The Notebook. I found it affecting because my mum has Alzheimer’s, like one of the characters in the film.
Where would you time-travel to? A nightclub in Blackburn called the Lodestar where I used to go in the early 80s. It attracted an array of weird and wonderful people.
First record you bought? ‘Stardust’ by David Essex.
Most extravagant purchase? A Harley-Davidson motorcycle that I bought at a charity auction for Unicef. I returned it as soon as I realised that I didn’t actually want it, but I gave them a very large donation.
Best present? The Sound of Music album, which my parents bought me when I was nine.
Biggest fear? Old age.
Celebrity crush? Morrissey.
Happiness is… Laughing so much that you burst a blood vessel in your eye, which happened to me earlier this year when I was having a great time in a pub with friends. I only realised when I got home.
Jane stars in the comedy Swimming with Men, which will be in cinemas nationwide on Friday
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