Pushing Daisies

I love this interview with David Thewlis, Anna Friel’s significant other.

The actor talked a lot about Anna, the birth of baby Gracie and their lives together. One year or so after many of us have come to know this lovely actress from Pushing Daisies, this is perhaps the first time her significant other has talked about her at length. And you know what? It’s nice to imagine a picture of Anna as a mom and partner, it’s nice to get a glimpse of who she is, as told by the person she is most intimate with.

Excerpts from The Daily Mail…

On Meeting Anna Friel: ‘The attraction was something simple really in that we were from the same part of the world, from Lancashire. There was something very familiar about her. She was like the girls I’d grown up with. Before Anna, I’d had a few relationships and I’m glad I’ve been around a bit. I know where it’s gone wrong or know who are the wrong people for me and who I might be wrong for. I’d had a relationship with a French girl, a Japanese girl, an American girl, a Filipina and she was there all the time  -  a Lancashire girl. I thought: “It’s a Lancashire girl I was looking for. Why didn’t I realise it?”

On Learning Anna was Pregnant With Gracie (now 2 years old): ‘We were living in a cottage in Cornwall where Anna was making a film. She was in the bath and was being picked up in the next five minutes so I was reading the test thing. I double took about 20 times and kept checking the packaging. I said: ‘According to this you’re pregnant.’ She said: ‘Stop kidding.’ Then: ‘Oh my God.’ But, she had to go to work and I couldn’t go with her because I had a meeting. So, within five minutes of finding out this news we were separated. She was taken off in this car and I was left in the cottage saying, ‘I can’t believe this.’ It didn’t sink in for ages.’

On Gracie’s Birth: ‘Gracie’s birth wasn’t very beautiful or spiritual. It was a difficult birth  -  traumatic for everybody. Anna went through a lot of pain. It was long and tiring. She was having a hard time passing in and out of consciousness. It nearly came to an emergency Caesarean, but at the last minute the baby turned. ‘When Gracie eventually came out they laid her down, the cord was cut, they wrapped her on a towel and put her on the scales, but it was three minutes before either I or Anna asked: “What sex is it?” ‘You always think you’ll say: “Is it a boy or a girl?” But I found myself asking: “Is Anna OK? Is Anna OK?” I was really worried about her.’

On Anna: ‘I am a changed man because of Anna and Gracie. Anna changed me for the better, from a rather wild, restless character into a gentle soul. Gracie has changed me, too. I look at her and am filled with love. I cannot bare to be parted from either of them. I suppose you could say Anna and I are yin and yang. She’s gregarious, very vivacious, very social, very tactile, very outgoing. She’s also a big worrier. She worries about her parents’ health. She’ll worry that she’s not doing a good job. She’ll worry that we’ve just bought a house in Los Angeles but haven’t got enough time to spend there. ‘She worries about Gracie. She worries about me. She worries she’ll get too tired and not be able to do the job. She’ll worry if the job is right, isn’t right. If it goes into two series she’ll worry about being in Los Angeles for two years.