Connie Britton on 'Dirty John,' the Zombie Apocalypse, and More

On the other hand, what is your idea of hell on Earth?

People being oppressed and being in a situation where people have no power and have no voice.

What’s the greatest invention of all time?

The wheel!

And the worst?

The freeway.

If you could be anyone, real or fictional, who would it be?

I would be interested in what it would be like to be Mother Theresa, because she seemed to be able to have such a completely generous life in a way where it felt completely authentic and her selflessness didn’t seem to take a toll on her. I would be fascinated to get into her skin and know exactly how her heart and her brain worked.

When the zombie apocalypse comes, what skill will you contribute to the new society?

I’m doing Dirty John right now and there’s a character in our show that is basically obsessed with the zombie apocalypse, so it’s put the concept in a whole new light for me. I’d be a really good Lead Hugger. I’d be really good at giving hugs, and that would remind people like, “Hey, take it down a notch. You don’t need to be so aggro. Let’s all connect with each other as we’re rebuilding society.”

What’s something you wish you’d written?

Thelma & Louise, but I got to do the second-best thing and work with the film’s writer, Callie Khouri [on Nashville].

You’re stuck on a desert island and can bring only three things. What are they?

I’d want to have a man there, a knife, and a memoir called To Shake the Sleeping Self that my friend Jedidiah Jenkins wrote. I can give him a shameless plug. He’s the most beautiful writer. It’s an incredible book about his travels. He took a bike journey for a year, and in the course of doing that he really learned a lot about himself.

Would you rather be able to stop time or speed it up?

Definitely stop time. I don’t even know what the speeding of time means. It just causes me immediate stress to think about it! As far as I’m concerned, the idea of stopping time sounds fantastic. You can stop at a particular moment and hang out there for awhile? Great news.

If you could phone a friend right now, who would it be?

My phone-a-friend is really always my friend Carla. We’ve been friends for a very long time. She always has amazing insight. She’s one of those friends that I feel like she can see me so clearly even when I can’t see myself. And so she can always give me really wonderful insight when I need it and can’t find it.

What chapter of your own life would be most fascinating to read?

This one! I know more now than I ever have.

This story appeared in Glamour's November issue.