Sharon Horgan Was A Squatter In London | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

it would be inspiring for people to know. a lot of artists actors writers struggle. but you were really living on the edge. for a while when you were starting out. meaning more or less squatting in places. to kind of because you didn't. necessarily couldn't make rent is that. true yeah I mean I squatted for about. um. I was about three and a half years. um good God but you know it might have.

been longer I think I was in one place. three and a half years and then I sort. of squatted in a few other areas around. London so it was probably a bit longer. than that but it was a bit of a. lifestyle thing as well you know I mean. I I I I had a job and you know I just. wasn't. um you know clearly I wasn't I wasn't in. in the industry at that point I was. working in in Kilburn actually the most. Irish place in London that I could.

possibly find and and I was working in a. job surgery so I didn't earn very much. but I definitely aren't enough for rent. it was it was kind of a. I think it was a bit of a Bohemian. Choice like I arrived arrived in London. with um like 90 quid. so I I couldn't afford rent when I came. over first but then you know I got a job. and but at that point I was you know. just part of this. um. this sort of yeah lifestyle uh I guess.

loads of Irish people and you would sort. of there was a lot of um we we lived in. a high-rise flat and we occupied a a an. apartment. on the on the 18th floor that was. furnished with. um stuff that we found on the street. you know. um it was just it was kind of fun I mean. the the the when I stopped doing it like. I I squatted this sort of um disused. um shop in in Camden and and we got like.

you know the Heavies came round because. really it was it was legal at the time. as long as you got into the. um the building and you didn't cause any. damage or if you did you know if you it. wasn't a big deal it wasn't a big deal. you had like squatters rights. um but then if you squatted a property. that was private and. um you know the landlord knew a few Lads. with baseball bats then it wasn't. um great so that that's what happened. they kind of like rushed rushed us. please tell me you're staying at a hotel. here in New York I love the idea that.

you would win the bafta give a speech. leave the the theater the theater or the. auditorium with the with all the flash. bulbs and the cheers and good and then. we'll go out to an alley and lie down. old habits die hard I have a home now. and yeah oh I just want to determine. that that's good I just was worried. about you okay I do worry. you're such a. and I'll use the word impeccable I think.

your writing is impeccable you're such a. great terrific writer and uh I know I. started as a writer and struggled with. this transition into. um. performing it's new I knew it's what I. wanted to do but had trouble figuring. out what's my path right you said that. initially you thought of yourself as. someone who would be in front of the. camera but at what point do you realize. I'm I'm I can write I'm a this is I have. a superpower here God I don't know like. really really recently because I think.

um I I really do think if you start out. as a performer you sort of. see you continue to see yourself as that. and uh you feel a bit cheeky calling. yourself a writer. um so you'd be like I'm an actor and I. do a bit of writing and because I. um. you know because it was something I sort. of learned on on the job you know and I. had a lot of great. um people along the way who who you know. taught me.

um. um how to be better. um I felt like I was kind of. you know I kind of felt it was down to. them and I kind of felt like if I if I. was sort of. um just Cast Away on my own I I wouldn't. be able to do it like I just sort of. built this thing in my head and and so I. really just had to start. um. you know. um I really just had to start doing it. on my own before I even remotely. considered myself to be a writer and.

and then I just had to build up. confidence with that and and do it a few. times and and then realize that you know. that the shows I make you know the. people like them and it's not a fluke if. I go you know you just can convince. yourself it was a fluke we said your. initial show you have the success. um and then it's not followed up right. away is that right oh yeah with pulling. it's just yeah it was it was which maybe. rattles the confidence a little bit was.

that was that just a one-off was that. just all I had in the tank I absolutely. thought that was. um that was a one-off and and I got. really really lucky with pulling because. um I mean I started in sketch comedy and. um you know there was kind of a team of. us and and I really enjoyed that but. then once I started writing sitcom once. I started writing characters and. narrative I thought well no this is. everything this is all I want to do now. yeah and but I got really lucky with. with Dennis we were we were really close.

friends at the time anyway and we both. had these really similar life experience. and and and and sort of Take On The. World and. um for Dennis's. you know Dennis is probably a Bonafide. genius and. um and I kind of relied on him quite a. lot you know Dennis Kelly Dennis Kelly. who who wrote Matilda the Musical and. Utopia and. um yeah he's a brilliant thing yeah he's.

absolutely brilliant and um. so. well and and you know we we couldn't. have done it without each other but. right I did feel like. I relied on him very heavily and uh and. then you know we parted ways because we. were we were. um you know he didn't want to be just. writing for me for the rest of his life. right he had stuff to do and um so I I. started out. um you know just trying to go it alone. and uh. so you know you I wrote loads of.

um pilots and. um yeah you know just got on this. um just got on this conveyor belt of. making part over here like in in La like. so oh well I've I've made my fortune. over here and. and there was this thing that I'd never. experienced in the UK of of of it being. like a success to to get to get a pilot. to make a pilot and you know that whole. thing of you. you know everyone gets on the phone and. they tell you they're gonna pick up your. Pilots everyone loves it yeah and then.

and then you know it doesn't get made. into anything but that's not considered. failing really like you you come over. the next year and you have another girl. and you've got another pilot and. everyone's like hey and whereas I just. felt like I was kind of going around in. circles for I mean five years at least. just uh and also I had this thing where. I was kind of making Pilots that were. ending up as something that I didn't. even if they got picked up I would have. been like I don't want to make that yeah.

you know because it changes you get your. notes you get to change things a little. bit and then especially if you're if. you're new if you're a bit of a rookie. you're kind of going you know they do. that thing where they say um. um well if you make this change it's. just it's just for the sales tool it's. just you know we'll make this change. we'll add the voice over it won't be. like that in the series we'll just add a. voiceover across the whole thing right. and um and then in series we you know. and so you kind of get you kind of get. um. caught up in that a bit and you make all.

these changes and you end up with. something that isn't remotely like you. know the thing you sort of hoped it. would be.