The 5-minute Interview: Corey Johnson, Actor

'My mother once reminded me that it wasn't too late to apply to law school'

Corey Johnson, 46, is a New Orleans-born actor working mainly in the UK. He has appeared in films including 'United 93', 'The Bourne Ultimatum' and 'Hellboy', as well as BBC TV's 'Doctor Who' and the stage hit 'Frost/Nixon'. He is back in a US police thriller, 'A Prayer For My Daughter', at the Young Vic Theatre

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Eating lunch at the Young Vic. They make the best hamburger I've ever had.

A phrase I use too often...

It used to be "killer". Now it's "awesome". I use it far too much.

I wish people would take more notice of...

Me! Not just me, of other people in general. We need to learn to observe and listen to people more to get to know them.

The most surprising thing to happen to me was...

The birth of my daughter. If I wasn't her dad she would be shy but with me she's fearless. It's amazing to watch this little person develop.

A common misperception of me is...

That I'm a bit aloof, arrogant or confident. The word "arrogant" has a real distasteful ring to it over here, yet Americans love talking about how confident they are.

I am not a politician but...

I talk like one. Sometimes I hear myself and I look round and think "where did everybody go?"

I'm good at...

Being a father. When my daughter was born I said: "I feel like I know what I've been waiting my whole life to be."

I'm very bad at...

I sometimes let people down, especially when I was younger. I was cavalier about what people told me. Part of growing up is learning when to shut up.

The ideal night out is...

A night in with my daughter going to bed at 7pm with no problems, and having three hours to catch up with my wife.

In weak moments I...

Eat pizza. If I could eat without gaining weight or getting unhealthy, I would eat all the time.

You know me as an actor but in truer life I'd have been...

Early in my career, my mum said: "It's not too late to apply to Yale law school." So, in another life I'd have been a lawyer. Ideally though, given the choice, I would have been an IT programmer. I like the idea of taking things apart and putting them back together.

The best age to be is...

The one coming up.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this...

Whatever happens, happens. Accept things and move on.

Zarina Saley