How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Cary Elwes

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Though originally from Britain, Cary Elwes feels like a true Los Angeleno. He grew up in London but moved to L.A. in 1990 after his brother suggested it. Soon after, he met his future wife, photographer Lisa Marie Kurbikoff, at a Malibu cookoff, and they married in 2000. They later welcomed a daughter, Dominique, in 2007.

Simon Elwes has built both a family and a career in California. He’s acted in a wide range of films and shows, including “Saw,” “Ella Enchanted,” and a couple of the “Mission Impossible” movies where he played a dishonest government official. Now, he stars as a retired police officer turned private investigator in the new Peacock crime thriller, “M.I.A.,” which is currently available to stream.

I’ve been thinking a lot about everything that happened with the fires in 2025. It was truly devastating, completely changing the landscape and people’s lives in ways nobody could have predicted. But honestly, I’m still hopeful. I really believe we’ll rebuild, and we’ll come back even stronger. Things get tough, and it can feel pretty bleak, but I still hold onto that little spark of optimism.

Hereā€™s how Elwes would spend his perfect, hopeful Sunday in Los Angeles.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

10 a.m.: Coffee and a chat

I usually wake up around 10 a.m., which is a bit later than Iā€™m used to. Then I make coffeeā€”I really enjoy Gelsonā€™s beans because of their unique flavor. Coffee is probably my only real habit!

I love starting my day with a cup of coffee, and then checking in with my family. I always ask my wife and daughter what they feel like doing. My daughterā€™s a wonderful 19-year-old, and I constantly tell my wife she’s the most amazing thing we’ve ever created together.

Food

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Noon: Leisurely lunch

My wife loves this Italian restaurant, CasalĆ©na, in Woodland Hills. Itā€™s conveniently located right off Ventura Boulevard and the food is fantastic ā€“ even the salads are amazing! It hasnā€™t been open long, but itā€™s already very popular, so you definitely need to make a reservation. Fortunately, my wife and daughter are good at planning ahead, so when they decide to go, theyā€™ve usually already booked a table.

2 p.m.: Head to the movies

We enjoy watching movies at the IMAX theater in Universal CityWalk. We really appreciate the high quality of that theater, and we love the experience of seeing films on the largest screen available.

My wife and I recently saw the movie ā€œMichaelā€ in IMAX, and it was incredible! The theater was packed, and the film itself was phenomenal. Antoine Fuqua directed beautifully, and our friend Colman Domingo gave a truly amazing performance as Joe Jackson. Michael Jacksonā€™s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, was also fantastic in the lead role. The movie is exceptional on its own, but seeing it with a sold-out crowd cheering and dancing along made it a truly special experience ā€“ people were really engaging with the film, which was remarkable.

If there’s nothing good on TV, we often go for a hike in Tapia Park. As a kid, I loved watching the show “MASH,” so I was really excited to discover it was filmed there. It felt amazing to live so close to where such a famous series was made!

The park is also really lovely. A longer hike will reward you with views of waterfalls and plenty of animals. And on a pleasant day, it’s the perfect place to take your dog for a walk ā€“ you couldn’t ask for a better outing.

Entertainment & Arts

Could the Universal Studios tram tour be the most influential theme park ride of all time? Originating in the days of silent movies, what began as a simple backlot tour has transformed into a model for modern theme parks.

This place is steeped in history. Iā€™ll never forget my first visit to L.A. and going on the Universal Studio Tour as a child. They used to select a few guests to appear on camera, putting them in front of a blue screen to recreate a movie scene. The tour also featured the famous shark from “Jaws” bursting out of the water and a charming old western town. Years later, I discovered a director friend of mine had actually filmed westerns there around the same time I was a kid ā€“ I had no idea at the time!

Wow, that studio tour was incredible! Seeing how they filmed the parting of the Red Sea for “The Ten Commandments” was just breathtaking, and then those massive boulders rolling down the hill for the rockslide scene? Seriously amazing. It was a truly spectacular experience.

5 p.m.: Pick a Getty, any Getty

We’re thinking of heading to the Getty Center after our movie, or if we decide to just go for a walk. We really enjoy it there! We usually visit in the afternoon, perhaps having a late lunch, but sometimes we go to the Getty Villa instead ā€“ thankfully, it wasn’t damaged in the Palisades fire.

We really enjoy spending time with art, whether it’s exploring a museum’s permanent collection or checking out temporary exhibits. We often visit places like LACMA and the Academy Museum to see what new displays they have.

We generally like to stay active and experience new things. While we sometimes enjoy relaxing at home with games or TV, I usually encourage my family and me to get out and explore our city, which has a fantastic and diverse cultural scene.

Entertainment & Arts

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7 p.m.: Taco time

I usually let my daughters decide where we eat, and they sometimes ask for tacos. We especially enjoy the fish tacos at Escuela. It’s conveniently located near the New Beverly Cinema, which is a favorite movie theater of ours. I recently took my daughter to see “Jaws” there, and she really loved it.

9 p.m.: More movies

I’m sharing the movies and TV shows I loved as a child with my daughter. She’s studying film history in school and wants to be an actor, so I’m hoping to give her a background in both film and performance history. I show her performances that inspired me when I was young to encourage her passion.

Growing up in England, we only had two television channels, and they were both in black and white. Itā€™s hard for younger generations to imagine now, but it meant you really had to focus and be present when something you wanted to watch was on, because you couldnā€™t just record it or stream it later.

Awards

As we wait to find out who’s nominated for the 98th Academy Awards, check out our list of the 101 best movies set in Los Angeles.

Growing up in England, I have fond memories of the BBC showing classic movies, especially on weekends. We had good television, but a lot of it featured British films from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s ā€“ things like post-war dramas and the Ealing comedies. Watching films with actors like David Lean, Laurence Olivier, and Ralph Richardson ā€“ either starring in them or directing ā€“ had a huge impact on my development and who I became.

Growing up, Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers were huge influences on me, and Iā€™m eager to share with my daughter why I loved their movies so much.

10:30 p.m.: Books in bed

I don’t stay up late much these days. When I was younger, I did, but now my wife and I mostly prefer to relax at home, unless we have a special night out.

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2026-05-29 13:35