Published: 27 July 2013
Actor and singer Jason Donovan:
Jason Donovan: ‘As much as I love doing musical theatre, I long to be cast in a serious TV drama or thriller movie. I spent too long in a loincloth to be taken seriously!’
We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: actor and singer Jason Donovan…
The prized possession you value above all others...My Georgian home in west London, which my wife, Angela, and I bought five years ago. It represents my life’s work.
The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not spending time with my gran Joan during her last months in Australia before she died from cancer in 1995. I was living in England and drugs had taken over my life, so I never went back to see her. She played a huge part in bringing me up after my parents divorced when I was a kid.
The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up with Ange and the kids – Jemma, 13, Zac, 12, and Molly, two – in a private villa in Bali. I’d have a platter of exotic fruits for breakfast, then hang out on the beach with the kids. I’d then have a massage, followed by a glass of champagne at around 11.30am, just to help me ease into the day! We’d have a Balinese lunch with spicy chicken and rice, then we’d board a private jet to take us to Bronte beach in Sydney where I’d go surfing. We’d chill there all day, then have a big fish paella dinner by the beach. I’d end the day back home in London watching a film with Ange and a bottle of Pomerol red wine.
The temptation you wish you could resist...Spending too much money on holidays. I don’t do economy well.
The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The play Equus by Peter Shaffer [about a young man’s obsession with horses] which I studied at school. It’s full of sex and violence and opened my eyes to a lot of stuff.
The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d listen to what Ange says about me to her friends.
The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Petrol pumps that keep stopping as you fill up your car drive me nuts.
The film you can watch time and time again...Being There with Peter Sellers because of its message that fame does not equal success.
The person who has influenced you most... My dad [actor Terence Donovan]. He got custody of me when mum left. I wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for him. I admire his work ethic.
The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d hang out with Andy Warhol at Studio 54 in New York in the 80s. He’s responsible for so much popular culture.
The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail.
The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Mowing the lawn at our house in Oxfordshire. I have a sit-on mower and I can get pretty fastidious about the lines and edges.
The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The carefree spirit of youth that gave me the freedom to do anything I wanted.
The unending quest that drives you on...For my children to grow into well-balanced human beings.
The poem that touches your soul...I don’t really do poetry.
The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I speak to Kylie Minogue every day and that we’re still an item! I’m constantly asked how she is. We’ll always be friends, but we have different lives and I might speak to her once a year – if that!
The event that altered the course of your life and character...The birth of Jemma in 2000. At the time, I was still dabbling in cocaine and Ange and I weren’t together because I was reluctant to commit. Jemma was the trigger that made me change my life.
The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d hunt down all the terrorists and ensure they die slow, miserable deaths.
The song that means most to you...It’s My Life by the British pop group Talk Talk. It reminds me of the innocent days of my late teens in Australia when anything seemed possible.
The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Marrying Ange in Bali in 2008. We’d been together for ten years and finally committing formally to my best friend was a special moment. The saddest time that shook your world...Getting asthma. It came on two years ago and, although I have it relatively mildly, it’s incurable. As a singer, it’s disorientating and upsetting to have to deal with it.
The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...As much as I love doing musical theatre, I long to be cast in a serious TV drama or thriller movie. I’m confident I could do a great job, but I’m not on the radar for casting directors.
The philosophy that underpins your life...Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.
The order of service at your funeral...I haven’t given it any thought. I’m not religious, so I definitely don’t want any religious stuff at all. All I hope is that it can happen at a nice venue by the sea with a big party and some decent red wine for everyone. After all, that’s what my life has been about.
The way you want to be remembered...As a good husband, a great dad, a hard-working, honest and passionate bloke who lived life to the full.
The Plug...Jason Donovan stars as Tick in the national tour of the musical Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. www.priscillathemusical.com.
Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved