My earliest memory is going to India when I was three to briefly meet my grandfather, before attending his funeral. My parents made a concerted effort to speak Gujarati around the house. I went back to India when I was 16 and then 24. Men walk down the street linking their pinkies. It would be nice if you could do that with your best mate here.
I was still working as a paperboy when I was in EastEnders. My parents ran a newsagent’s in Cambridgeshire. I started delivering papers when I was 14 and would drive around and help my dad. The villagers didn’t see me as that guy off the telly – I was just the son of the people who ran the shop.
My audition for EastEnders was on the day of my last GCSE exam. I did my exam in the morning, then my dad drove me to Borehamwood to audition. As I was waiting in a hallway, I was invited back to audition a week later – and got the job. My dad had gone to the loo and missed it all.
I first realised I was famous when people started asking for autographs and selfies, or taking photos without asking. As long as people don’t cross a line and aren’t rude, it’s fine. I have kids now and it hasn’t happened with them. I expect it will at some point – I’ll have to deal with that.
My two daughters are aged three and almost one. I’m hoping I get to do the same sort of things with my girls as I would’ve done with a son, like talking about football which is opening up much more to girls now anyway. If I’d had a son, I’d probably be more nervous thinking: “I have a direct masculine role, I hope I can live up to that.” You can still have a masculine role model to your daughter, but I know they’re surrounded by a lot of amazing female role models. I’m not saying I’m palming off that side of parenting on to them, but it certainly helps.
I’m not sure who else was up for the role in Yesterday, because there wasn’t a waiting room. They definitely weren’t specifically casting for a brown face. I’m glad I was the right guy for the role and, in a sense, broke a boundary. Originally, the role played by Ed Sheeran was going to be played by Chris Martin, so I had to audition with a Coldplay song. I sang We Never Change from their first album.
I’m no longer just being offered stereotypical South Asian roles – I’m in a much more privileged position. I’d love to be Bond, but I’ll bet you my mortgage that role is never going to be offered to me.
The last thing that made me cry? When I went to watch Billie Marten, the singer songwriter, a while ago. She played a track called Devil Swim from her last record, and me and my other half were weeping through the whole thing. It was gorgeous.
I struggle with self-belief. I still have impostor syndrome – sometimes I still can’t quite fathom my journey. The culmination was when I was invited to the Emmys [Patel was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor for 2022’s Station Eleven]. And when I was at the premiere for Don’t Look Up, I found myself in a room with co-stars Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio. I’d done a scene with DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, so was slowly melting inside. I thought: I was doing a paper round half an hour ago!
Himesh Patel’s new film, Good Grief, is available on Netflix now
