Dawn French tells all in candid interview
Dawn French spills all in her latest interview with 60 minutes.
The beloved British comedian revealed that being imperfect is perfect for her, in a world where unrealistic beauty standards are starting to dominate social media.
"I can't believe that we, especially women, have come this far to hand our daughters a life where they have to do selfies and be filtered to try to look perfect," she told 60 minutes reporter Tara Brown.
"I don't know how to connect to all those perfect people. I'm in the anti-perfection league frankly."
The comedian revealed that the secret to her happiness is finding joy in the simple things in life, an outlook that she gained following the devastating loss of her father when she was 18.
"I find joy in lots of tiny things. I'm the sort of person who doesn't need to be swimming with dolphins, I find happiness in the simple things," she added.
French said that losing her father to suicide at such a young age shaped who she was, and that she was grateful for the love he showed and the lessons he taught her.
"Now that I look back on it as an adult, I think he needed to give me some armour, he told me that I should value myself and that I deserved the very best," she said.
"As a little chubby girl I could have grown up with all kinds of insecurities, but because of him I have never doubted that I'm not worth something."
Her father's struggle with mental health gave her a deeper understanding of the complexity of depression and a greater appreciation for her own emotional stability.
"He kept his depression very well hidden, so most of the time dad was very cheerful but he also had these black dog moments where he just couldn't cope," she said.
"Then he would get stronger and he would be back on the horse again."
"I've had sadness, but I haven't sunk to depths like that. I have worried that it's inherited, but I don't seem to have that, I've got too much to live for I think," she added.
The French and Saunders actress is currently enjoying her life in a quaint village in the English countryside with her husband, therapist Mark Bignell.
"I've got a love for life, and I love and am loved back by a lot of people, so I can't ask for more than that," she said.
You can find the full episode here.
Image: 60 minutes