How did you get into acting? What age were you? What was your first job, was it frightening? When I was 7 years old, I started to go to speech and drama lessons at school. I did LAMDA examinations and entered local music festivals doing poetry recital. Apart from school plays, my first acting experience was when I played the part of Birgita in The Sound Of Music at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff-on-Sea with a local amateur drama society (that's when I met James – he played Kurt) After that, my first paid job was as one of the children in the pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the first time I appeared on television was as an extra in Eastenders. It wasn't really frightening because everybody was always so nice.
If you weren't an actress, what would you be doing? If I wasn't an actress, I would have gone to Art College.
If you could choose one soap to star in, what would it be and why? I don't love Eastenders at the moment, but have always watched it. I've recently really enjoyed Corrie because I crack up laughing at all the great characters. I've been for Hollyoaks a couple of times, so I'll say 'Emmerdale' because I like the countrified sets and its getting better and better.
What actress/actor would you most like to work with? In my dreams I would love to work with Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie. Oh, and also Jim Carey.
Can you tell us a bit about Gina Molliano, the character you play in Dream Team? Gina Molliano's parents are Italian and her brother Eddie used to be one of the main characters in the show. She met Karl Fletcher while in Spain working in a bar. They became friends and have been dating for a year when he comes back to Harchester.
Did you enjoy reinventing Gina to reintroduce her into Dream Team? Well, I was told that my characters is very strong and after being a tear away teenager has become an independent twenty-one year old who is mature beyond her years.
How was it on set? Did they all treat you well?! Everybody on Dream Team is so nice. I keep pinching myself to wake up. Its funny how you can be doing bits and bobs one minute, waiting for the phone to ring and then suddenly have a contract. I've never worked on such a friendly show (probably because I've never been a regular in anything before) but I love knowing that I am going into work everyday.
The Diamond car insurance ad was played quite a lot...how did you feel about seeing you on TV at every ad break? I did it about three years ago. I'd run out of money and had two auditions in one week for a McDonalds ad and the Diamond one. I didn't get either of them, but got a call a few days later asking if I would go that night and do the McDonalds because something had happened to the other girl, and then a few days later Diamond called because the girl who was supposed to do the part was ill and they needed me to stand by. I got there and she had lost her voice so I ended up doing it. It's so cheesy and I cringe whenver I see it but it gave me some money for Christmas. All the adverts are on white backgrounds and are pretty much the same.
Which of your previous projects did you most enjoy working on? My favorite job was probably Dinotopia, because I love those weird sci-fi things. It was filmed in Hungry and the sets were unbelievable. Teachers was also amazing. It was the first main job that I got after leaving school, and at that time I wasn't sure whether or not I should go to college. Getting the part in Teachers made my mind up. We all stayed in a hotel in Bristol. It was so much fun and I met some amazing people and still keep in touch with some of the people I met.
You've worked with Ray Kilby on More Than Love, Never Play With The Dead and Dream Team – do you enjoy working with him? Ray is an amazing director. He tells u the truth if your being crap and you end up doing better because of it. I have learnt so much working with him and I'm lucky he has cast me for those things. I always watch the jobs I get, but I still hacen't had a copy of Never Play With The Dead. I hope I am better now though. You learn so much the more you do.
Can you tell us anything about any projects you have lined up? At the moment I am enjoying working on Dream Team and would like to carry this on for a while if they keep me on.
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