You're becoming quite the frequent traveller to Jamaica.

Yes, it's my fourth time here and second time at Round Hill. I visited Jamaica twice as a child and I must say it is a very gorgeous place.

What are some of your favourite places in Jamaica?

Round Hill Resort &Villa is definitely a favourite. I mean, Josef Forstmayr and his staff are incredible. I like Ocho Rios and in fact enjoy Jamaica Inn and its formidable general manager Mary Phillips. I've climbed the Dunn's River waterfalls -- it's just the most unbelievable waterfalls. The National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) in Kingston is also a great place to visit; and the Ward Theatre, too. I'll also be visiting Portland and St Mary before I leave.

What is your most memorable meal in Kingston?

I haven't had a lot of meals in Kingston, but I recently had lunch on The Terrace at Devon House — pasta and lobster — and it was splendid.

What advice would you give a first-time visitor to Kingston?

I am very interested in art so the National Gallery of Jamaica would be a must-visit. There are some amazing pieces from the beginning of the last century by Edna Manley, and Barrington Watson as well. If you take the time out to view the gallery properly, there are some amazing art pieces to be seen, especially from the '30s and '40s. I love them.

What is it about the Jamaican art scene that fascinates you?

The pictures and artist's perspective of what something looks like in the moment, and the possibility to see something new and different each time, make the Jamaican art scene quite intriguing. I love history, and so to see what the artists were thinking in years gone by is very interesting. That is one of the ways I learn about the history of Jamaica.

What other aspects of the Jamaican culture do you find fascinating?

In many cultures today, people have become avocado-like (plain and boring), but Jamaicans have a lot of attitude and character, which is great. Jamaica is truly a paradise.

What's your favourite movie?

The one that comes to memory immediately is A Taste of Honey, which is an old English movie. It's about two outcasts whose fate led them to each other. It's a great story.

And your favourite book?

Love In A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford.

What steered you into the direction of acting?

As a boy I was a terrible show-off and that developed into acting.

How did you transition from acting to writing?

I wrote a few books years ago — Hello Darling, Are you Working? and Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins — because my acting career wasn't very consistent, so when I wasn't acting I was writing. My first writing job was as a journalist with Vanity Fair when I was about 25 years old.

What was your last bit of retail therapy?

This holiday (laughs).

What are your favourite home comforts?

The television and books.

What's the last bit of music that stirred your soul?

The Bob Marley catalogue played by a band that I heard recently at Jamaica Inn.

Have any of your visits to Jamaica inspired any of your writing?

Well, I've always been a fan of the writer Noël Coward, since I've been in so many of his plays. I visited his home, in Firefly, St Mary, and it's an extraordinary place because it hasn't really changed. I read that he loved Jamaica and every time he came back to Jamaica he was recharged. There's a lot more energy in a place like this.

What is your preferred beverage in Jamaica?

Smith and Cross Jamaica Rum.

What is your preferred beverage in England?

I only drink red wine in England.

Share some places in your black book.

Well, I've been to Haiti a few times, the Dominican Republic, Australia, Russia, Africa and most of Europe.

What upsets you?

Fear of things going wrong and its ability to prevent you from achieving.

What's next for you?

I will hopefully be making a film called Sebastian Melnoth that I wrote and I will be directing and acting in it as well. It's about an Irish writer in the 19th century called Oscar Wilde, and the end of his life.

What inspired you to write this film?

It was playwright Noël Coward and being a huge fan of his work and being a part of many of his plays. He is a very interesting person.

What are some recommendations for Jamaicans making the trek to London for the Olympics?

I can make recommendations from my own area that I live in — Bloomsbury. There is a great restaurant called The Ciao Bella that is not too expensive. There is also the Spanish restaurant Cigala, located on Lambs Conduit Street. In terms of theatre, Singing In The Rain is a really good musical — not sure if it will still be on during the Olympics. Galleries such as White Cube Gallery, National Gallery, Portrait Gallery are superb. There is a very nice hotel called Hazlitts Hotel in Soho, London that would be ideal for persons to stay during the Olympics. I know two persons from Manchester, Mandeville, who actually work there now. If you were a first-time visitor to London I would recommend you bring money because it is really expensive. Everything costs a fortune, unfortunately.

Any plans to come back to The Rock soon?

Definitely! I can't wait to visit Negril and 'Little Germany' (Seaford Town).

What do you like the most about being here?

Nature, the birds, the flowers and the people are lovely.

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