Firth pining for lost youth

Colin Firth is having a 20-year-long midlife crisis.

The British actor – who recently portrayed gay college professor George Falconer in a 60s-set film ‘A Single Man’ – can relate to his character’s depressed state of mind because he has spent the past two decades pining over his youth.

He said: "I could relate to George's midlife crisis because mine has been going on since I was about 30. I have been in one for at least 20 years. I guess as long as midlife is there, the crisis will be there. I find it very hard not to be 19. I miss that time.”

The 49-year-old actor – who has two sons, Luca, eight, and six-year-old Matteo with his wife Livia Guiggiolo as well as 19-year-old son Will from a previous relationship - also revealed he felt his most poignant life experience was becoming a father.

He explained: “I think probably the biggest moment when you face growing up is just becoming a parent. You cannot cling to being a kid at that point. It's your children's turn."