A 20-question interview with actress turned beauty writer and expert Eva Lewis
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Positivity and humour: My mother always saw the funny side of things; I can remember hating her humour when things went wrong but it was one of the best gifts she gave me.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Things happen when they’re meant to, not before and not after. There’s nothing you can do about it and everything comes out in the wash.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?
Poverty: There is no reason why anyone should be poor nowadays.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
I miss being creative but I’m getting back there now.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
I’d swap my wealth for anything that makes unconditional love continue coming my way. That way, one has more than financial wealth can ever give you.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
I cannot understand why the bankers have not been convicted. I never received a letter from my bank saying that your money is not safe. They adopted the mantra: “We will do what we like with it and if you all want your money at the same time then we cannot give it to you”. Mary Poppins was right as there was a run on the bank over tuppence.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“Failure”: I don’t believe in it.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
I have spent many years serving consumers. I was a member of the consumer panel for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which was chaired by the Minister of State for five years from 1995 and a member of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (Department of Health). For ten years from 1998, I served on and advised the Women’s Manifesto group for the Conservative Party with Theresa May and Caroline Spelman and I am currently a school governor of two of the Lord Harris Federation Academies.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
I am old enough to remember that when we only had landlines, if you were not at home then you were out. I don’t really like mobiles when socializing and I belong to Chelsea Arts Club. It’s great there as mobiles are banned and thus we talk to each other.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
A lover.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
Steak and chips and a good red wine in heaven so I wouldn’t have to be killed. I would prefer to just die naturally.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Each to his own: I feel you can’t dictate an answer to this if you want to keep your friends.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A glass of champagne.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
I don’t go to that many parties anymore.
Who is the most positive person you know?
Baroness Wilcox: She has been my mentor for years and is my son’s godmother.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
More champagne.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
A diamond.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
I think I would be my car. It is an old Volkswagen Golf V6 4Motion. I had it made to my own specification and it has six gears and is a four-wheel drive. It is fast and the right size for London and can give a Porsche a run for its money.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I have a great sense of humour and am not as mad as some people might think.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
A brand new Ferrari carburettor. It’s red and silver and it’s called a ‘Trombetta Collettore’. I was shopping in Rome with my son, Alex, when he was younger and he was complaining. We stumbled across the opening of a new Ferrari store and as we turned the corner we saw with forty-seven Ferraris in the car park and Michael Schumacher making a speech in front of his own racing car. My son has has never forgotten this and so we have a carburettor on the mantelpiece.
Monochrome Skin Care founder Eva Lewis first appeared in a West End musical aged 16. She has starred in 12 films and around 150 commercials and is now a beauty writer and expert and a school governor.
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A lovely set of answers from a plainly lovely lady.
In the 1970’s Lux Soap was branded the choice of the Hollywood Stars, the “word” celebrity was not used during that period. Lux also specialised in moistening creams and shower gel, it made absolute no difference to me pulling the birds. There is no evidence that it doing much for Theresa May either. The experts tell me, that the state of my skin is the result of alcohol abuse and excessive smoking, they have no evidence of that either, there excuses go to the extreme when you challenge the effectiveness of their products. Sorry, Eva, I am not a believer, I have even tried Violet Kuny’s skin products with no avail.