Stockard Channing: ‘I cried at the election of Joe Biden, thinking we were out of the woods. Wrong!’

Born in New York City, Stockard Channing, 82, played Rizzo in the 1978 film Grease. In 1985, she received a Tony for her performance in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, and in 1994 was Oscar-nominated for her role in the film Six Degrees of Separation. She has three Emmys for her TV work, which includes The West Wing. She makes her directorial debut at the Edinburgh festival with Krapp’s Last Tape, in aid of the Wembley to Soweto Foundation, Upstairs at the Roxy until 31 August. Her latest film is Practical Magic 2. She lives in London.What is your greatest fear?

Climate change.What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Pedantry.What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Ignorance.What was your most embarrassing moment?

Fifteen years ago, I totally forgot my lines on stage and was mortified. We skipped two pages of dialogue and took three minutes off the play – to the delight of the audience!What makes you unhappy?