10 quick questions
There are some questions in life that quickly reveal a lot about a person. First job? Best advice? Dogs or cats? We cut to the chase with these rapid fire interviews.
Nicky Friedman
- Tea or coffee – always and only tea
- What was your childhood career dream? To be an actress. The main hurdle was a complete lack of talent. My mother was fantastic about humouring me until year 12, when she suggested I put Plan B into effect and study a bit harder to get into Law.
- What's the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? A 20-minute meditation. I love it and it sets me up for the day. However many things go haywire during the day, I can look back on those moments and know it's possible to be quiet and focused.
- Which Hogwarts House are you in? Obviously Gryffindor. I find this question baffling because who would choose anything else?
- What three things could you never live without? My family, books and chocolate.
- If you didn't live in Australia, where would you live? Tel Aviv. A diverse, dynamic and beautiful city.
- What's the last film you watched? Hillbilly Elegy
- What's something you can't do? Anything music-related – play an instrument, dance, sing, remember lyrics.
- What's the best career advice you've ever received? From Tim Frost, former Allens partner, who said I should take the pro bono role because it would make sense of everything I'd done to that point.
- What are you afraid of? Snakes.
Dominie Banfield
- When do you feel happiest? When I am sitting listening to my family all bantering over each other about nonsense – it works even on Zoom.
- What are you afraid of? Too many things to list. But if there was a list, birds and revolving doors would be at the top.
- What's the best compliment you've ever received? That I am a good daughter.
- Who would compose the soundtrack to your life? Vince Guaraldi.
- What's the best thing that's happened this year? Summer holidays last January. My family rent the same beach house each year and devote ourselves to a big jigsaw puzzle.
- Who's your pop culture icon? Any woman who can look stylish with grey hair. Christine Lagarde and Emmylou Harris spring to mind.
- What's the most important thing you've learnt about being human? Everyone has had sadness in their life – we all deserve compassion.
- How do you practice self-care? Walk. Listen to podcasts. Try not to berate myself if I have a bad moment.
- What one thing do you do to offer kindness to others? Let people talk.
- What does being strong (or resilient) mean to you? Having the strength to stay positive in the face of challenges.