Matthew Broderick: 'I wish I'd made my West End debut when I was younger'

Matthew Broderick wishes he had made his West End debut earlier in life, but now he’s finally arrived the two-time Tony-winning actor plans to make his London stay a family affair.

He was joined by wife Sarah Jessica Parker at last night’s press night party for The Starry Messenger and will soon be joined by their three children.

The 57-year-old has been married to the Sex And The City star for 22 years and the couple have son James, 16, and twin daughters Marion and Tabitha, nine, back at home in Manhattan.

Broderick, who shot to fame age 23 in Eighties teen comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, said of his first West End performance: “It was really exciting. It was amazing to be in that theatre, a beautiful place.

“It is a dream to do a play on the West End — it’s a big spot in the acting pantheon.”

Kenneth Lonergan’s play was written 10 years ago with his long-time friend in mind, and Broderick said he “never really had a chance” to appear on the London stage before.

He said: “There were a couple of times where it almost happened. It’s hard to have the time with children. It’s hard to be away from the family.

“I’m living in a nice flat here and everybody is so nice but I wish I’d done it younger when I didn’t have kids. They’re coming over in a couple of weeks, though, so I’m really looking forward to that.”

Asked if his children understood their parents’ fame, he replied: “My son certainly realises. The girls, they know. They’re not incredibly interested in it. They have sent me notes wishing me a happy opening, and have made drawings for my dressing room. Now they’re old enough, they’ll come see this play.” Broderick has been acclimatising to London on public transport: “I’ve taken the Tube a lot. I don’t get recognised at all. I also take Boris bikes a lot, although everybody keeps telling me, ‘Don’t do that!’ because it’s dangerous, so maybe I shouldn’t.”

At the after party at Browns in Covent Garden, co-star Elizabeth McGovern said: “My evening started off in a slightly wacky way when I realised I had left my bag in my Uber. Things could only go up from there.”

She said she had attempted to show Broderick around the West End. “We immediately got lost so he lost confidence in me,” she said. “I have a terrible sense of direction.”

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