The Good Times Are Killing Me

In May 2008 my agent called and said: “You’re not going to believe this. Shaftesbury are looking for an actress who can play an alcoholic from Birmingham.” I said: “If I don’t get this part, shoot me. Just bloody shoot me.”

I was sent the original script by a fellow Brit and fantastic tv and film writer Cris Cole. After I’d read it I wanted the role more than anything I’d ever gone up for. I put on my best pikey tracksuit, shazzed my hair up and went to the screen test.

Luckily I did get the part and Fran didn’t go to jail.

Director John L’Ecuyer was a doll and I got to work with English and Scottish actors Rupert Graves and Ali Craig, who were flown over for the shoot, and dreamboat Vincent Walsh who has dual Canadian and Irish nationality. The group therapy scenes were a hoot to shoot. And working with Kelly was a real treat. Playing her scary roommate was super fun. As a first movie experience it was incredible.

As you can see, my character was a classy broad. With the frizzy home-dye-job hair and a fabulous range of bedazzled push-up bras, denim vests, hooker heels and muffin-top I looked like a million dollars.

The entire film is posted online at this CTV website page. It’s divided into 8 clips of around 15 minutes each and is worth watching in full.