I'm a lion. I'm not tough, but I am strong. I'm definitely not a wallflower.

Cressida Bonas

Categorized in : I Am Lion Strong Tough

I'm a strong, independent woman.

independent-woman woman strong

I did a postgrad at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

did trinity music dance

I'm not really one of those people who's always out. I like being at home.

like always home people

I'll go out with my friends or if there's something really amazing I've been invited to, but I won't do that all the time because that's not who I am.

i-am amazing friends time

I have always loved creating and entertaining. It started with music, singing. I grew up in a household filled with music - not pop but old-school stuff, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong.

loved always singing music

Obviously, I do feel I'm scrutinised a bit too much and people are judging me. All I do is keep my head down and work, work, work.

feel me work people

I'm much more confident performing than I am in social situations.

confident than i-am more

I don't really understand it: in real life, I'm often so shy - paralysingly so - but when I'm performing, it's totally different. I feel free.

feel free understand life

I've lived in Shepherd's Bush for five years with my friend Georgia in a cosy, cluttered flat.

shepherd my-friend friend years

Martin Joyce is a beautiful dancer and an amazing choreographer. He choreographed the Mulberry dance film I was in, 'From London with Love.' A truly talented man.

man dance beautiful love

It was on a trip to Africa with my family - I was eight - and an angry baboon jumped through the window of our parked car. As my siblings escaped, my foot got stuck in the seat. I froze and watched it steal the whole contents of our car around me.

me angry car family

My older sisters and brother are all amazing beings and inspiring people. They are my best friends and have guided and taught me consistently throughout my life.

best me brother life

Dancing freely to Fleetwood Mac always makes me happy.

me always dancing happy

I think as you get older, you find out more and more about yourself and what you like and what you don't like.

find yourself think you

If I ever feel like, 'Oh, my life!' or get upset by silly things like a photographer, or if someone has written something nasty that's upset me, I just think, 'Worse things happen at sea.'

my-life me sea life

I just love being in the arts.

just being arts love

I love that theatre can be political. You can go watch a play; it sends out messages, and you can go away thinking differently to the way you thought about it before.

you political love thinking

I never got to know my grandparents, and I am envious of my friends who have a special relationship with theirs.

i-am never friends relationship