EMOTIONAL TIES Arabella Weir reveals the little things that mean the most - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Celebrity EMOTIONAL TIES Arabella Weir reveals the little things that mean the most By You Magazine - April 28, 2019 Actress and writer Arabella Weir on rebellious reading, sentimental scents and what she has in common with Obama. Gemma Day Gemma Day Archie, my 19-year-old son, is a very exuberant person. When he was one and a half and throwing a tantrum, someone said, ‘I think you’ve got an Italian footballer here.’ He painted this picture when he was five – it’s so evocative of who he is. Gemma Day We were living in Cairo where my father [the late Sir Michael Weir] was posted in the British Embassy. My mother Alison was very bohemian, so was the last person to set up a shot like this. It’s poignant for me as it shows what she was trying to, but couldn’t, be. Gemma Day My granny was the most wonderful, unconditionally loving Christian. She used to say, ‘When I go, you’ll have this.’ It was a huge ruby surrounded by diamonds. I couldn’t carry it off so I had it reset by the jeweller Daphne Krinos – now I wear it every day. Gemma Day I bought this portrait of Obama from my friend Nicola Green [married to MP David Lammy]. In this shot, he’s just walking but his pose looks the same as John Wayne’s in the True Grit poster. Obama has a copy too, so he and I have the same picture. Gemma Day This Mother’s Day box was made for me by my daughter Isabella [21] when she was seven – it sits in my office in pride of place. She is contemplative and hard-working. I’m delighted to say that she has not the smallest interest in becoming a performer like me. Gemma Day My mother was an English teacher. One of her sweeping statements was that I was a moron because I never read. I rebelled by reading in secret, but I was so blown away by George Eliot’s Middlemarch that I couldn’t pretend I didn’t like reading any more. Gemma Day The first time I got properly drunk I was staying with a friend at her elder sister’s house in Provence. I was 15 and lay about all day thinking I was dying as her sister’s husband brought me water in this duck jug. I kept it as a memento of my first hangover. Gemma Day My best friend Helen [Scott Lidgett] died in 2012 before her grandson, Arthur, was born, so I said I’d be grandmother for him. His parents got this Le Labo Vetiver 46 to thank me for looking after him. I’m called ‘SG’ – ‘Surrogate Granny’. Words: Emily Hill Arabella is starring in The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson, premiering at London’s Park Theatre on 9 May. Visit parktheatre.co.uk for tickets RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR 50 of the best celebrity Halloween costumes of all time Shirley Ballas ‘ Strictly gave me back my hope’ Davina McCall discusses how men can help women going through the menopause Popular in Celebrity Beauty vlogger Nic Chapman opens up about her diagnosis and troubled August 22, 2017 Quickfire with Strictly veteran Anton Du Beke December 5, 2017 Yolanda Kettle reveals what it’ s like playing the other woman February 12, 2018 The billion-dollar baby club The celebrity children living it large April 15, 2018 Tom and Giovanna Fletcher talk married life and working with your June 3, 2018 Jacqueline Gold ‘ I want to give women confidence’ July 15, 2018 Quickfire Comedian Alex Horne on Gary The Gorilla losing his trousers August 26, 2018 ‘ I’ m probably overindulgent with him’ Elizabeth Hurley reveals the most important September 30, 2018 One s best friends The Queen’ s corgis and their doggy dynasty October 28, 2018 Ruth Wilson will play her own grandmother in this new BBC November 21, 2018 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved