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Esther Freud: ‘My parents died within four days of each other. I was engulfed’

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July 4, 2026 · 1:21 PM
Esther Freud: ‘My parents died within four days of each other. I was engulfed’

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‘What is the most important lesson life has taught me? Life’s too short to take offence.’ Photograph: Stephen Chung/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

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‘What is the most important lesson life has taught me? Life’s too short to take offence.’ Photograph: Stephen Chung/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Live News.

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Esther Freud: ‘My parents died within four days of each other. I was engulfed’

Rosanna Greenstreet

The novelist on grief, being a terrible liar, and wanting to join the circus

Sat 4 Jul 2026 05.00 EDT

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B orn in London, Esther Freud, 63, is the daughter of Bernardine Coverley and Lucian Freud. She trained as an actor and, in 1992, released her debut novel, Hideous Kinky, which was made into a film starring Kate Winslet in 1998. Freud’s work has been translated into 13 languages, and her 10th adult novel, My Sister and Other Lovers, is out in paperback. She has three children with the actor David Morrissey, and lives between Suffolk and London with her current partner.

What is your greatest fear?

Decline.

What is your earliest memory?

Making Fanta with seawater and sand on the beach at Formentera with my sister Bella.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I can always see two points of view, which makes it hard to have a row.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

An inability to see the other side.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

I bumped into an old schoolteacher and her even more ancient and deaf sister, and she shouted to her, “Remember Esther? Now she writes books … ABOUT HERSELF.”

What is your most treasured possession?

A painting by my father of my baby son.

Describe yourself in three words

Small, determined, lucky.

What would your superpower be?

To speak before I thought.

What makes you unhappy?

Cruelty.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Carrie Mullan played me beautifully in the film Hideous Kinky.

Who is your celebrity crush?

Lily King – when I’m reading her books I love her so deeply.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

An acrobat.

What was the last lie that you told?

I’m a terrible liar – I start confessing halfway through.

What do you owe your parents?

Inspiration.

To whom would you****like to say sorry,and why?

Sorry is such an underrated word –I use it liberally.

Richard Eyre: ‘My biggest disappointment? At university in the 60s, I thought social justice was going to improve’ Read more

What does love feel like?

Safety or alarm, I can never decide which.

What has been your biggest disappointment?

Not joining the circus.

If not yourself, who would you****like to be?

Katherine Rundell.

When did you last cry****and why?

Talking about the hardships of my mother’s life – she would not approve.

When’s the last time you changed your mind about something significant?

Last week, when I decided to rewrite the children’s book I’ve been working on.

What is the closest you’ve****come to death?

My parents died within four days of each other. I was engulfed as I ran from one bedside to another.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

For the words to fly from my fingers as just occasionally they do.

What keeps you awake at night?

Did I behave in the right way?

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Life’s too short to take offence.

What happens when we die?

We watch over those we love.

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