The 5-Minute Interview: Natasha Wood, Actress

Wood, 36, worked as an actress before launching a career behind the camera at the BBC including stints in news, entertainment, children's shows and documentaries. She has SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), and has been a wheelchair user since birth. Her autobiographical one-person show 'Natasha Wood: Rolling With Laughter' is at the Edinburgh Festival Pleasance Dome until 27 August

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

Checking my emails, and about to start another chapter of my book. I wish it could be more exciting, but...

A phrase I use far too often...

I'm tired! Or, what's for dinner?

I wish people would take more notice of...

Happiness, and smiling. I'm fed up with people looking glum. Cute guys smiling is particularly nice!

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

Being asked to perform at Her Majesty's Theatre. It just seemed unbelievable. There's me with my little DVD player, no show, and barely any experience, being accepted by the biggest venue in London.

A common misperception of me is...

That I'm a quiet little, sweet girl in a wheelchair, and not the bawdy, silly, sassy, crazy chick I really am.

I am not a politician but...

I would change things to a four-day national working week. Preferably three.

I'm good at...

Sex. Talking. Preferably in that order.

I'm very bad at...

Cooking. I really am a terrible cook. And reading, not in that I can't read but as in I don't have enough time for it. At the moment I'm bad at sleeping.

The ideal night out is...

Having dinner, with friends. I like fish or Italian food. I don't have a favourite restaurant in London yet.

In moments of weakness...

I ring a close friend for a chat.

You know me as a actress but I may also have been...

An air traffic controller, definitely. I love control while living on the edge, one step away from disaster. The closest I've got to it is working in the BBC. I absolutely hated working outside on-set, but as soon as I was moved into the studio I felt in my element. As physically I can't move about quickly, I love using my mind fast instead. I can only describe myself in that scenario as shit hot.

The best age to be is...

I'm hoping 40. I would like to think that I'm not there yet.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:

To be happy and content, and to smile. As pathetic as it sounds, I hate misery. Although I believe that maybe a certain amount of it is necessary, and we all have to go through it, I try to focus on the laughter and happiness in my life.

Natale Labia