I’d never have got to play Lola without my fairy godfather Jamie
- Says EastEnder Danielle Harold
Care home kid ... Lola actress Danielle Harold
Published: 28th October 2012
The care home kid has stolen, schemed, crashed into the chippy, smashed up the garage, been arrested, and got pregnant after a one-night stand with killer Ben Mitchell.
For a first acting job, it has been a baptism of fire for Danielle Harold.
But she’s enjoying every minute and is thrilled with the direction her life has taken since joining the soap as Billy Mitchell’s long-lost granddaughter.
Two years ago, the pretty 20-year-old from Lewisham, south London, was searching for work with just one GCSE to her name. She feared she was going nowhere. Then she met Jamie Oliver while appearing in one of his Channel 4 documentaries.
Danielle tells The Sun: “I was in Jamie’s Dream School. At the end of it I got a scholarship and you could use it for education. So I got a drama mentor and did some private one-on-one work with him. Then he introduced me to an agent who got me my first audition for EastEnders — and I got it!
“Jamie sent me a bunch of flowers to say congratulations. I learned so much from him. He’s like my Fairy Godfather.”
In the sexy outfit we put together for our photoshoot, Danielle is barely recognisable as dressed-down Lola, who kicks about Albert Square in a tracksuit and trainers.
Although it’s not the most glamorous look, her ’Enders’ outfit has its advantages.
Danielle says: “Lola’s style is a typical look. And it’s so comfy. I’m all snuggled up in my tracksuit and I see everyone else walking around in heels and think, ‘Ha, I’m in my trainers!’”
That is not the only benefit of playing the wayward 16-year-old.
She adds: “It’s the most fun. Lola’s great. I’ve done so many things, I crashed a car, smashed up a Mercedes. It’s like being young again, having fun and making mistakes but not getting in trouble for it.”
Danielle, who joined the show in July 2011, is currently part of a controversial storyline in which her baby, Lexi, gets taken into care — a plot the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has condemned.
Bridget Robb of the BASW said: “Social workers have a difficult enough job as it is. They have to step through those front doors that no one else wants to step through. And they do it on a daily basis to protect children, not to target families.
“EastEnders’ shabby portrayal of an entire profession has made a tough job even tougher.”
But Danielle remains proud of her work and has studied hard to get things right.
She explains: “When I first started I did a lot of research into care and people who’d been in care. I wanted to see how people felt about it because I couldn’t imagine growing up without my family.
“When it came to Lola’s baby getting taken away I could easily imagine how horrible that is. It’s the same sort of pain as someone dying. The worst pain you could possibly feel as a young girl would be having your baby taken away. So I just let it play out and the emotions came.”
Despite the relentless misery of her character’s predicament, Danielle couldn’t be happier. She says: “It is my dream storyline, it’s got so many different levels. There are happy bits, sad bits, angry bits, it’s got everything you want. It’s a great storyline to play and fun to act out.
“Weirdly, I’ve found I’m good at crying. Sometimes I’m not supposed to cry and the tears just come, or one eye cries and the other doesn’t. I end up with half a happy face and half a sad face.”
It has been a steep learning curve for Danielle. And when she discovered Lola was to give birth during the live Olympics episode, she was both scared and excited.
She says: “Everyone kept asking me if I was nervous about the live episode and I kept saying no because I just thought I’d be in the Vic having a Coke. Then they told me I’d be giving birth and I was absolutely terrified. It took me a while to think, ‘Wow, what an amazing opportunity’.”
To prepare, Danielle met with midwives and watched Channel 4’s One Born Every Minute to study women in labour. It’s a good job she did — 7.9million viewers tuned in to see baby Lexi arrive while her great-grandad Billy (Perry Fenwick) carried the Olympic torch through Walford.
Danielle admits: “I found it really difficult. I’ve never had a baby so I couldn’t imagine what that pain would feel like. I just kept thinking it would be the worst pain imaginable.
“I love playing a mum now and working with the two babies who play Lexi, they are so cute.
“Playing someone who was pregnant did make me a bit broody. I found myself walking around the canteen rubbing my bump. Then I’d get on the train and think, ‘Aren’t you gonna let a pregnant woman sit down?’ because I’d forget I wasn’t really pregnant.
“But I don’t think I’m ready for one yet. It’s nice to give the baby back when she cries.”
Other scenes she has found tricky involve kissing her co-stars — especially Jamie Borthwick, who plays Jay and is a good friend.
She says: “Jamie’s lovely. We’re like brother and sister. We have loads of banter and loads of fun. With kissing scenes we just have to laugh about it.
“No, I’m not going to say if he’s a good kisser! Write this, ‘He is a very good kisser... jokin!’ I could never see Jamie like that, ever. He’s like a little brother and we just have a laugh.”
Recent scenes have seen Lola trying to persuade Phil and Sharon to help her fight for Lexi. Danielle says: “The baby has been taken by social services. Lola’s working with Phil and Sharon to get her back. But they get a bit controlling and Lola doesn’t like being told what to do. It will be interesting to see her reaction.”
She found working with two such big-name EastEnders stars intimidating at first.
She admits: “When I started I was too scared to speak to Steve McFadden. To me he was Phil Mitchell. He’s such a legend. But once you get past the fact that he is not Phil you realise he’s brilliant.
“I’d been there a year when Letitia Dean started back as Sharon and it felt like my first day all over again. I was like, ‘Oh my God, Sharon’s back!’ because I remember her from years ago. I’ve got to know her well, too.”
Danielle has been relieved by the positive reaction to her trouble-maker character.
She says: “I was worried people wouldn’t see the good in Lola. Luckily, people like her attitude and her cheekiness.
“But I don’t want Lola to get a boyfriend. She’s still very young and not very relationshippy. Until she can mature a bit, maybe she should just hang out with Billy.
“Her and her Pops are all right on their own — well, unless they bring in Brad Pitt, then I’d change my mind.”
Many actors see EastEnders as a springboard to bigger things, but not Danielle.
She says: “I’ve no plans to leave. Everybody is lovely, I get to do cool stuff and it’s a really good place to work.
“EastEnders has turned my life around. I couldn’t be happier.”
For a first acting job, it has been a baptism of fire for Danielle Harold.
Scholarship ... Jamie Oliver
But she’s enjoying every minute and is thrilled with the direction her life has taken since joining the soap as Billy Mitchell’s long-lost granddaughter.
Two years ago, the pretty 20-year-old from Lewisham, south London, was searching for work with just one GCSE to her name. She feared she was going nowhere. Then she met Jamie Oliver while appearing in one of his Channel 4 documentaries.
Danielle tells The Sun: “I was in Jamie’s Dream School. At the end of it I got a scholarship and you could use it for education. So I got a drama mentor and did some private one-on-one work with him. Then he introduced me to an agent who got me my first audition for EastEnders — and I got it!
“Jamie sent me a bunch of flowers to say congratulations. I learned so much from him. He’s like my Fairy Godfather.”
In the sexy outfit we put together for our photoshoot, Danielle is barely recognisable as dressed-down Lola, who kicks about Albert Square in a tracksuit and trainers.
Although it’s not the most glamorous look, her ’Enders’ outfit has its advantages.
Danielle says: “Lola’s style is a typical look. And it’s so comfy. I’m all snuggled up in my tracksuit and I see everyone else walking around in heels and think, ‘Ha, I’m in my trainers!’”
That is not the only benefit of playing the wayward 16-year-old.
She adds: “It’s the most fun. Lola’s great. I’ve done so many things, I crashed a car, smashed up a Mercedes. It’s like being young again, having fun and making mistakes but not getting in trouble for it.”
Crash ... Lola drives one of Fatboy's cars straight into the chippy
Danielle, who joined the show in July 2011, is currently part of a controversial storyline in which her baby, Lexi, gets taken into care — a plot the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has condemned.
Bridget Robb of the BASW said: “Social workers have a difficult enough job as it is. They have to step through those front doors that no one else wants to step through. And they do it on a daily basis to protect children, not to target families.
“EastEnders’ shabby portrayal of an entire profession has made a tough job even tougher.”
But Danielle remains proud of her work and has studied hard to get things right.
Close ... Lola with killer Ben, who gets her pregnant after a one-night-stand
She explains: “When I first started I did a lot of research into care and people who’d been in care. I wanted to see how people felt about it because I couldn’t imagine growing up without my family.
“When it came to Lola’s baby getting taken away I could easily imagine how horrible that is. It’s the same sort of pain as someone dying. The worst pain you could possibly feel as a young girl would be having your baby taken away. So I just let it play out and the emotions came.”
Despite the relentless misery of her character’s predicament, Danielle couldn’t be happier. She says: “It is my dream storyline, it’s got so many different levels. There are happy bits, sad bits, angry bits, it’s got everything you want. It’s a great storyline to play and fun to act out.
Birth ... live EastEnders episode
“Weirdly, I’ve found I’m good at crying. Sometimes I’m not supposed to cry and the tears just come, or one eye cries and the other doesn’t. I end up with half a happy face and half a sad face.”
It has been a steep learning curve for Danielle. And when she discovered Lola was to give birth during the live Olympics episode, she was both scared and excited.
She says: “Everyone kept asking me if I was nervous about the live episode and I kept saying no because I just thought I’d be in the Vic having a Coke. Then they told me I’d be giving birth and I was absolutely terrified. It took me a while to think, ‘Wow, what an amazing opportunity’.”
To prepare, Danielle met with midwives and watched Channel 4’s One Born Every Minute to study women in labour. It’s a good job she did — 7.9million viewers tuned in to see baby Lexi arrive while her great-grandad Billy (Perry Fenwick) carried the Olympic torch through Walford.
Row ... Lola and Jay confront Phil Mitchell
Danielle admits: “I found it really difficult. I’ve never had a baby so I couldn’t imagine what that pain would feel like. I just kept thinking it would be the worst pain imaginable.
“I love playing a mum now and working with the two babies who play Lexi, they are so cute.
“Playing someone who was pregnant did make me a bit broody. I found myself walking around the canteen rubbing my bump. Then I’d get on the train and think, ‘Aren’t you gonna let a pregnant woman sit down?’ because I’d forget I wasn’t really pregnant.
“But I don’t think I’m ready for one yet. It’s nice to give the baby back when she cries.”
Tears ... Lola cuddling baby Lexi
Other scenes she has found tricky involve kissing her co-stars — especially Jamie Borthwick, who plays Jay and is a good friend.
She says: “Jamie’s lovely. We’re like brother and sister. We have loads of banter and loads of fun. With kissing scenes we just have to laugh about it.
“No, I’m not going to say if he’s a good kisser! Write this, ‘He is a very good kisser... jokin!’ I could never see Jamie like that, ever. He’s like a little brother and we just have a laugh.”
Recent scenes have seen Lola trying to persuade Phil and Sharon to help her fight for Lexi. Danielle says: “The baby has been taken by social services. Lola’s working with Phil and Sharon to get her back. But they get a bit controlling and Lola doesn’t like being told what to do. It will be interesting to see her reaction.”
Smile ... Phil and Sharon leaving court
ISOIMAGES
She found working with two such big-name EastEnders stars intimidating at first.
She admits: “When I started I was too scared to speak to Steve McFadden. To me he was Phil Mitchell. He’s such a legend. But once you get past the fact that he is not Phil you realise he’s brilliant.
“I’d been there a year when Letitia Dean started back as Sharon and it felt like my first day all over again. I was like, ‘Oh my God, Sharon’s back!’ because I remember her from years ago. I’ve got to know her well, too.”
Danielle has been relieved by the positive reaction to her trouble-maker character.
She says: “I was worried people wouldn’t see the good in Lola. Luckily, people like her attitude and her cheekiness.
“But I don’t want Lola to get a boyfriend. She’s still very young and not very relationshippy. Until she can mature a bit, maybe she should just hang out with Billy.
“Her and her Pops are all right on their own — well, unless they bring in Brad Pitt, then I’d change my mind.”
Many actors see EastEnders as a springboard to bigger things, but not Danielle.
She says: “I’ve no plans to leave. Everybody is lovely, I get to do cool stuff and it’s a really good place to work.
“EastEnders has turned my life around. I couldn’t be happier.”
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/4613928/id-never-played-lola-without-fairy-godfather-jamie.html#ixzz2Agt5BPfF