EXCLUSIVE: Interview with actress Sapphire Elia

If you watched 2008 TV show Britannia High then we are officially best friends. That programme was EVERYTHING and were so gutted that a second series wasn’t made as we were such big fans of it. And, we’re not afraid to admit it, we still have the DVD boxsets and still watch them!

After talking to Sapphire Elia who played Claudine Cameron in Britannia High, we asked if we could interview her. She very kindly agreed and we asked her some questions.

You might also recognize Sapphire from Emmerdale, in which she played Mia Macey.

Sapphire is definitely one of our favourite actresses and we couldn’t be more excited. So without further ado….

Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. It’s an absolute pleasure. So, to start things off, do you still keep in contact with the Britannia High and Emmerdale cast?  

“Yes. Rana Roy (who played Lola Jonze in BH) is still one of my best friends, and am still in touch with the others too. Still keep in touch with quite a few of the Emmerdale cast too.”

 Do you miss playing Claudine and Mia?

“Not really. I feel both characters had their place in my life at the time and ran their course. I always look back fondly on all the parts I’ve played. Great memories.”

What experiences did you take from starring in the two programmes?

“I take something different from each role. When i landed my first regular role in Dream Team I didn’t understand a thing about anything technical or how to use the camera and so that was a huge learning experience, then Britannia High taught me resilience as it was a very tough schedule of long hours every day plus over coming the challenge of working so closely with other cast members day in day out. Emmerdale taught me the difference between drama and soap, very little time to nail the scenes and learn your lines as scripts and call times are given last minute, being able to be flexible and on the ball at all times is important. Soap actors should get more credit as its not at all easy!”

Do you prefer acting or singing? You have a great voice!

“Thank you. Acting is part of who I am, I’m an actor no matter what and singing is something I like to do. It relaxes me. I don’t have a preference, they are both so different to me” 

 In one of the Britannia High behind the scenes documentaries you mentioned that you weren’t really a dancer. Have you done any more dancing since the show? I thought you were brilliant!

“Thank you. I’ve taken about 5 lessons since I left BH, so no not really haha.”

You always look fantastic in your Instagram photos. What’s your secret to staying fit and healthy?

“Thanks again. First of all, When it comes to IG/social media posts, of course most of us always show ourselves looking our best and I’m no exception. I don’t claim to be perfect in any way and I have bad angles etc. So secret number one is knowing your angles ;) then after that I do my best to stay healthy by keeping sugars low mostly, getting enough protein and eating veggies plus keeping fit at the gym, I love  weight lifting. “

How often do you like to work out?

“If I had it my way I would train 5 days a week as I enjoy it so much but I cant these days so usually 3 times a week depending on schedule.” 

Do you think there is too much pressure on girls these days from society and fame and things?

“Yeah. Its hard, I feel the wrong women are being held in high esteem and they devalue inner beauty. Its sad and I could write a book on how I feel about it. Sometimes it makes me want to remove my social media sites because I hate the thought of being a contributing factor in any girl feeling bad about herself. I will promote values and beliefs over anything physical. I like to keep fit as its good for me physically and mentally but we should all be working on who we are as people. I find my identity in Jesus and my faith will always come first to me. Thankfully I have that to keep me grounded and away from self deprecation. “

What have you been up to since your time in Britannia High and Emmerdale ended? 

“I actually took a few years out of the industry after touring with a play and some time in LA. I lost my love for acting for a while as the industry can be so fickle and I’ve been in it since I was a baby, I needed a break. I recently came back from a years living in Dubai and have found my love for it again, it feels great to be back. :)”

 And finally, what have you got planned for the future?

“I plan to continue working as an actor for as long as God grants, don’t forget to catch me in ‘Undercover’ on Sky Movies and DVD. I will be a qualified life coach by the start of next year too so look forward to being able to help as many people as I can through coaching and see where that takes me. “

Remember to watch Sapphire in ‘Undercover’ which is a crime thriller. There is no release date as of yet but feel free to follow @movieundercover on Twitter for updates. The film also features Kris Johnson, Ali Bastian and Simon Cotton. It’s produced by actress Lucinda Rhodes and Picture Perfect Limited. Follow them on Twitter too @lucindarhodes and @picperfltd

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