Perfect Happiness and Regrets: A Conversation with [Name] On Happiness and Fulfillment What is your idea of perfect happiness? Creating something and
Perfect Happiness and Regrets: A Conversation with [Name]
On Happiness and Fulfillment
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Creating something and feeling proud of it.
What is your greatest extravagance?
A toss-up: my New York apartment or owning two horses, two extravagances that don’t sit well with each other.
Regrets and loved Ones
What is your greatest regret?
Je ne regrette rien, but there are a few star-making roles I turned down.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Lucky me: my wife, Mary.
Appearance and Self-Reflection
What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My posture. (I blame perpetual stooping out of courtesy.)
What is your greatest fear?
Climate change, duh.
Lying and Modesty
On what occasion do you lie?
Backstage visits.
Which living person do you most admire?
Bill Moyers.
Conflict and Trust
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Conflict aversion.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Three versions of the same trait: deceit, hypocrisy, and manipulativeness.
Travel and Joy
What is your favorite journey?
Driving from hill town to hill town in Tuscany and Umbria in the month of January.
When and where were you happiest?
Probably the curtain call of my final performance when I played King Lear.
Harm and Suffering
Which living person do you most despise?
Vlad the Terrible.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Losing a child or grandchild.
Career and Aspirations
What is your favorite occupation?
Hard to beat acting when you’re regularly employed by good people.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Optimism, I guess.
Heroes and Role Models
Who are your favorite writers?
Shakespeare, P.G. Wodehouse, Mark Twain, and the writing staff of 3rd Rock From the Sun.
Who are your heroes in real life?
At the moment, Tim Walz.
Family and Gratitude
What are your favorite names?
Ava, Archie, and Oona (by coincidence, my three grandchildren).
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Contentment in old age.
Conclusion: Modesty and Humor
If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
One of two ponderosa pine trees (the other would be Mary) on the banks of a lake in Montana.
How would you like to die?
In my sleep, in the middle of a happy dream.
FAQs:
What is your motto?
Cultivate humility: You never know when you’re going to need it.
What do you most value in your friends?
Openness, authenticity, and above all, humor.
About the Interviewee
John Lithgow is a renowned American actor, known for his versatile performances on stage and screen. This interview offers a glimpse into his thoughts on happiness, regret, and fulfillment, as well as his perspectives on life, love, and the human experience.
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