Caterina Murino's My London

Zen actress and Bond girl Caterina Murino sobs at the Donmar, gets her tea at Whittard and laughs at the misfortune of others...

Home is
Paris and Sardinia. I moved to Paris seven years ago for work and fell in love with the city, so I'm still there. I don't go back home to Sardinia as much as I would like, just for Christmas and family events. Both places are so different. Paris is a beautiful metropolis full of life and lights, while Sardinia is a calm place full of natural beauty.

Where do you stay in London?
I stay in one of The Athenaeum hotel's apartments, which are lovely, or at The Dorchester.

What was the last play you saw in London?

Othello, at the Donmar Warehouse. Ewan McGregor was great as Iago. Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance as Othello made me cry for an hour. Nobody usually cries for Othello.

What advice would you give a tourist coming to London?
Take a good pair of walking shoes, as London is a lovely city to walk around. I'll always remember a beautiful walk from Westminster Abbey to Dolphin Square in Pimlico.

What animal would you most like to be?
My favourite animal is the koala, but his life would be boring. I would rather be a giraffe, so that I could contemplate the beauty of Africa.

What's the best meal you've had in London?
I'm still looking for it no, that's a joke. One of the best meals I've ever had was at Nobu. The black cod was unforgettable.

What's your earliest London memory?
I used to live in Dolphin Square 12 years ago. I was so young and I lived alone. It was two months of complete freedom.

What would be on your tombstone?
Life is so short and precious. Live it the best way you can.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Dark orange chocolate.

What are you most afraid of?
I have a huge phobia of birds. But I think I would say death.

What's your life philosophy?
Give twice what you receive.

What would you save from a fire?
My family.

Which is your favourite area of London for shopping?
Covent Garden.

Who's your hero?
Too easy... James Bond.

What makes you laugh?
People falling over in the street.

What makes you cry?
The brutality of human nature.

Which London shops do you rely on?
Whittard of Chelsea, as tea is my drug. I love all the shoe shops in Covent Garden. Laura Lee Jewellery on Monmouth Street for delicate gold jewellery. Every time I get a part in an English movie I buy myself a piece of jewellery from there.

What are you up to at the moment?
I'm touring Italy with a production of Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands.

What do you most like wearing?
Tennis shoes, a white T-shirt and jeans.

What would you do if you were Mayor of London for the day?
I would ban cars, so everyone must travel by bicycle.