‘I love fairy STORIES!'

Actor Zoë Wanamaker on going out of her comfort zone and why she loves living in the countryside

- VICKI POWER

Zoë Wanamaker seized the headlines recently by claiming she’s growing old disgracefully. ‘I do want to go out dancing and get sweaty and drink too much,’ proclaimed the 72-year-old My Family star proudly. ‘And go home at three in the morning, and I do want to have sex, and I do want to dress up how I want to, and I want to have a life and choose what I want to do.’

Award-winning actor Zoë is a poster girl for staying young at heart whatever your age. And it seems her youthful outlook is down to seizing every opportunity to move out of her comfort zone. She’s a feted stage and film star – she played Madam Hooch in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and was much-loved for her role as sassy Susan Harper in the long-running sitcom My Family. But at a time in life when Zoë could well afford to rest on her laurels, she’s still embracing big challenges.

‘I like being a little bit scared,’ muses Zoë. ‘So when people ask me to do something, if it’s a little scary and I’ve never done it before, I’ll say yes. I like to be challenged because you keep learning.’