Rory Kinnear, 39, is the son of actors Carmel Cryan and the late Roy Kinnear, who died in 1988 after falling from a horse on a film set. Raised in London, he was educated at Oxford University before joining the RSC. In 2014 he won an Olivier for his portrayal of Iago in Othello at the National Theatre. He plays Bill Tanner in the James Bond movies. His new BBC2 series, Quacks, starts this month. He has two children, Riley and Hope, with the actor Pandora Colin and lives in London.
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
My mother. Any child of a single parent, if they are in a relationship when they become a parent, thinks, “How the hell did you do it alone?”
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Feelings of superiority, which I’m well aware makes me sound like I feel superior to those people.
What is your most treasured possession?
On my first date with Pandora, we passed by some children holding a garage sale. I bought some kid’s Postman Pat wellies and I kept them, and both our children wore them. You could say I was keen.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I realised early in life that I’d have to concentrate on personality, but I’ve realised how liberating that was.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Wayne Rooney, if he was available.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A butcher.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
“I love how unthreatening your body is.” It was an ex-girlfriend.
What does love feel like?
Finding your place.
What do you owe your parents?
A sense of humour, perspective, and determination. I feel like we all become our parents in some ways, whether or not they are still alive. I have plenty of memories of my father and I was able to, in some ways, continue my relationship with him by watching the stuff he made.
What is the worst job you’ve done?
It’s a toss-up between organising a new filing system at Hammersmith & Fulham social services and relying on tips in the least popular restaurant in London to get through drama school.
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Finding cucumber in things is a continual disappointment.
When did you last cry, and why?
Last week I saw a moorhen feeding her chicks, and became overwhelmed by the miracle of parenthood and maternal sacrifice. And I hadn’t even been drinking.
How do you relax?
See the end of the previous answer.
What is the closest you’ve come to death?
I inadvertently rubbed the milky residue of a toxic cactus plant into my eye while filming Women In Love in the desert in Namibia, and my body went into anaphylactic shock as the producer sped me to a clinic 50 miles away.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
That will depend on when and how I die, but you couldn’t beat The Birdie Song to set the right tone.
How would you like to be remembered?
As the father of Celtic’s all-time top goalscorer (that’s either of my kids).
Where would you most like to be right now?
Anticipating a lovely long walk somewhere new.
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