My London: Dev Patel

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Mid-city Los Angeles — I have a little Spanish house that has touches of London in it, such as a street sign of Rayners Lane where I grew up, and pieces from Kenya where my family are from.

Where do you stay in London?

The Soho Hotel. It’s one of the many cool hotels in the city but I like it because it’s super central and it’s close to Taro, my favourite ramen place on Brewer Street. They do a chicken teriyaki dish for under a tenner and it’s incredible.

Best place for a first date?

I like Notting Hill. There’s nothing cooler than browsing the antiques at Portobello Market, eating a crepe or popping into E&O for some Asian food.

If you had to be locked in a building overnight which would it be?

The top of The Gherkin — I’m not scared of heights and that would be a pretty amazing view of the city at night.

Best thing a cabbie has said to you?

A driver, who was getting very existential on one journey, told me: ‘If you add another ‘o’ in ‘god’, it makes ‘good’. I think people should do things in the name of good, not god, and the world would be a better place.’ His name was John.

Your biggest extravagance?

Art. The most important (and personal) piece I have is a vintage Enter the Dragon poster. I’m the biggest Bruce Lee fan and he’s the reason I got into the industry. This was the film I would watch through the bannisters, past my bedtime, as a child.

Where do you go to let your hair down?

If you see my hair right now, you’d know that a hairdresser is a very foreign notion for me.

Best piece of advice you’ve been given?

The Indian philosopher Vivekananda once said: ‘We are what our thoughts have made us’ and I think that’s a beautiful quote.

The last album you downloaded?

I stream a lot of Ben Howard on Spotify. His voice is very raw but still has a worshipful quality to it. There’s a song I listened to on repeat before filming Lion called ‘Promise’.

What would you do as Mayor for the day?

Free Nando’s for everyone for the day, with a dispensary at every street corner.

Your earliest London memory?

Going with the entire Patel family — all the uncles and aunties, there were about 20 of us — down to the cinema in Harrow to watch Titanic. It was the first time I saw my dad cry. I guess the old ‘hand on the glass’ scene also adds to the memory. It was a coming-of-age moment.

Who is your hero?

Will Smith. I used to rush home from school to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air every day and I had the same pop-out ears and haircut as he did.