JULIAN SCHNABEL

His pottery-shard paintings were a controversial symbol of the 80s art scene, and his more recent forays into music and moviemaking have stirred admiration and envy in equal measure. Julian Schnabel, long a bearlike fixture on New York’s downtown arts and dinner-party circuit, now strikes again with Before Night Falls, his second film. On the eve of its release, he pauses to reflect on the pleasures of sarongs, ordering everything on the menu, and feeling just a bit like Jesus Christ

PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE

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What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Swimming.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Jesus.

Which living person do you most admire?

Cesar Rincon.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Being too honest.

What is the trait you most deplore in others'

Fakeness.

What is your greatest extravagance/

Ordering everything on the menu.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

The ability to wear a skirt.

On what occasion do you lie?

My life is a mountain of lies.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

My ability to wear a skirt.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“The thing is this ...”

What is your greatest regret?

Yelling at my children.

When and where were you happiest?

In my head.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Being self-employed.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?

I ain’t coming back.

What is your most treasured possession?

My old bathrobe.

Where would you like to live?

Near a beach.

What is your favorite occupation?

Painting or making movies.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Charm.

What do you most value in your friends?

Honesty.

Who are your favorite writers?

William Gaddis, Patrick Siiskind, Dave Eggers.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Marlon Brando, Spartacus, Chris Rock.

How would you like to die?

Calmly.

What is your motto?

“I lost my purse, but I found my perch.”