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Emmerdale soap debut for actress

22/ 7/2008

A PRESTWICH actress who has just landed a role in a top TV soap returned to her old school to pass on tips to budding drama students.

Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi has just begun filming her role as factory worker Leyla Harding in ITV’s Emmerdale.

After bagging the six-month contract Rokhsaneh was invited back to St Monica’s RC High School in Bury Old Road where she is being used as a case study for pupils’ coursework.

The 24-year-old, who left school with just one GCSE in drama, has no formal acting training and got onto the stage through working behind the bar at the Contact Theatre in Manchester.

By meeting fellow actors at the bar she was invited to workshops and her talent was eventually spotted by casting directors and she won starring roles in London’s prestigious National Theatre, Salford’s Lowry Theatre and most recently back-to-back productions at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre.

Rokhsaneh said: "I’ve been filming for two weeks now and it’s great.

"My character is very down to earth, very lovable but also really ballsy so I’m looking forward to playing her.

"I’ve done a lot of theatre but not much TV work up to now so it’s great for me to work on such a popular and well established show.

"It’s a dream come true in fact."

Her former drama teacher Eddie Brierley said her acting talent was obvious when she was a pupil.

He added: "Right from the start we could see that Rokhsaneh had potential.

"She really is a class act and we could see that from when she was a youngster.

"She has the ability to fill whatever space she is in with her engaging personality.

"It’s been great for the students to hear from Rokhsaneh about her experiences, particularly when you consider that she’s had no drama school training whatsoever."