You're listening to Love Stories with me, Dolly Alderton, a series in which I talked

to guests about their most defining relationships, the passion, heartbreak, longing, familiarity

and fondness that has formed who they are.

My guest this week is the actress Vanessa Kirby.

On stage, she's played Masha in Chekov's Three Sisters, Isabella and Thomas Middleton's

Women, Beware Women and Stella, to Gillian Anderson's Blanche Dubois in a street car

named Desire, both in the West End and on Broadway.

On screen, she's appeared in BBC's Great Expectations as a Stella, as now rages a bit of

posh-totty and Richard Curtis' about time, and she's currently filming opposite Tom Cruise

for Mission Impossible 6.

Most recently, Vanessa has wooed the nation with her portrayal of a young Princess Margaret

in the Netflix series The Crown.

I never even wanted to marry you.

You were only ever an act of charity or desperation.

And now you insult me, you.

People like you don't get to insult people like me, you get to be turnily grateful.

I first met Vanessa nearly 12 years ago in the basement Lou of a dingy bar where we were

both students at Exeter Uni.

Two and a half years ago.

Over two and a half years ago.

Do you remember how you told me about the crown?

No.

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