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Colin Firth

Sue Lawley's castaway is actor Colin Firth.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the actor Colin Firth.
He created an iconic moment in British television history when, as Jane Austen's hero Mr Darcy, he emerged wet-shirted from his stately lake. To his surprise, he became a sex symbol, was dubbed the 'male Ursula Andress' and was voted Britain's Most Popular Actor in a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ poll. He went on to send up the role on the big screen - as the ironically-named Mark Darcy, the brooding boyfriend of Bridget Jones.

He always knew he wanted to act - from the moment when, as a five year old boy, he took on the role of Jack Frost at a school panto. He studied at the Drama Centre in London's Chalk Farm - where one of his teachers, Christopher Fettes, said he was by nature a poet and compared his acting to that of Paul Schofield. Married to an Italian woman and with two young sons, he now divides his time between life in London and in Italy.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Opening of the Kyrie from Mass in C Minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Book: Stories by Woody Allen
Luxury: His guitar

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 9 Dec 2005 09:00

Music Played

  • Curtis Mayfield

    We People Who are Darker Than Blue

    • Curtis: Curtis Mayfield.
    • Movieplay.
  • Fela Kuti

    Odoo

    • Best of the Black President: Fela Kuti.
    • Universal.
  • Tom Waits

    Heart Attack and Vine

    • Tom Waits: Used Songs 1973-1980.
    • Elektra.
  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

      Mass No. 18 in C minor 'Great' - Kyrie

      Choir: Monteverdi Choir with English Baroque soloists Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

      • Philips.
  • Beck

    Lost Cause

    • Sea Change.
    • Geffen.
  • Free

    The Stealer

    • Free: Molten Gold: The Anthology.
    • Island.
  • Little Feat

    Willin'

    • Sailin' Shoes.
    • Warner.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 3 in D minor - 4th movement

    Soloist: Maureen Forrester Orchestra: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Zubin Mehta

    • Symphonies No 1 & 3.
    • Decca.
  • Book Choice

    • Stories - Woody Allen

  • Luxury Choice

    • His guitar

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Colin Firth

Broadcasts

  • Sun 4 Dec 2005 11:15
  • Fri 9 Dec 2005 09:00

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