David Harewood on receiving life lessons from a Japanese monk and his perfect day in London
The actor on the most luxurious hotel in the Caribbean, late nights in Marrakech and life lessons from a Japanese monk.
I'm always jumping off planes
...as I travel all the time for my job. I’m shooting Supergirl in Canada at the moment so I’ve been shuttling between Vancouver and London and Los Angeles. But the last proper holiday I had was last year with my family, to Crete which was gorgeous.
I don't need adventure
I don’t need tours and I don’t need to go clubbing on a holiday. I’m very low maintenance - I just need sunshine on a beach and I’m as happy as Larry.
Vancouver is the best place in the world
...for the great outdoors. I’ve been snowboarding in Whistler and tried the longest zipline in North America while there too. It’s about 1,500 metres long and takes five minutes to get from one end to the other. You’re literally hanging by a wire between two mountains but it’s great fun.
I like venturing out to the middle of nowhere
...every now and then. But I’m a city dweller, so after a while I do get nervous.
For ultimate relaxation you can't beat Barbados
...give me a nice villa, some Cockspur Rum, spicy chicken and I’m in heaven.
I love Marrakech
...which I got to see while filming The Night Manager television series. My family joined me there and it was such a fabulous city. The souks were incredible, full of beautiful leather goods and all sorts of wonderful handmade crafts.
We would drink all night
...and then roll straight into work the next morning while we were shooting at the Es Saadi Marrakech Resort, as we also stayed there. It’s a stunningly beautiful hotel in the middle of Marrakech, featuring intricate handmade metalwork everywhere.
I've never experienced anything like
...the Jade Mountain Resort in St Lucia. It is out of this world. I’d also love to see the Six Senses Zighy Bay Hotel in Oman, which looks sensational. Closer to home, I love going to Coworth Park when I need a break from London.
I'll never forget that bar
…I visited in the outback in Mozambique. This guide took me right through the African bush in pitch black darkness for about half an hour, before we suddenly stumbled into this drinking den full of people in the middle of nowhere, with everyone speaking loads of different languages.
God only knows what I was drinking
...in there but it was bloody good. Myself and a guy from Birmingham ended up talking to some of the locals in there.
Mozambique is the most extraordinary place
...I’ve ever been, with the most generous wonderful, lovely people I’ve ever met.
I like American cities
...I got to explore quite a bit of America while filming the Homeland series. I was based in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is not the most architecturally stimulating place, certainly compared to London. But I enjoyed visiting Los Angeles, New York and then shooting in Cork, Ireland, which is such a beautiful place.
I met a monk in Tokyo whose job was to walk extremely slowly
...down the middle of the street while gently ringing a bell. I was there touring for Othello with the National Theatre and I remember rushing down the street at a million miles an hour outside our hotel when I spotted this monk.
19 incredible places where you'll find heaven on Earth
One shouldn't rush around in life
...I realised, watching this monk move an inch a second, up and down this same street every day. It was like he was in slow motion and it made me ask myself: ‘Why am I rushing?’. He was a constant reminder for me to slow down.
My perfect day in London
...which is my favourite city in the world, would include staying at The Savoy, having a browse in the Foyles bookshop, booking a table at the Berners Tavern then ending with a nightcap in The Groucho Club.
I'm not good at packing
...I always arrive and realise I’ve left several things at home. But luckily I’ve only once arrived at a destination to discover my luggage had been sent somewhere else - thank you easyJet.
I travel as light as possible
…usually bringing only my laptop, phone and one or too other accessories on my travels.
I'd love to explore more natural wonders
...such as the amazing national parks in Utah. I’d also love to see different parts of the Middle East too.
David Harewood is an ambassador for the Mental Health Foundation. Order a green ribbon badge to raise awareness and support good mental health at mentalhealth.org.uk/green-ribbon-pin-badges.
Interview by Nick McGrath
