Is this little girl Britain's next big film star? Actress Raffey Cassidy becomes youngest ever to make influential UK Stars of Tomorrow list
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Watch this face: Star actress in the making, 11-year-old Raffey Cassidy
The closest most girls her age get to Hollywood is by sticking a poster of their favourite actor on their bedroom wall.
But at the tender age of 11, Raffey Cassidy not only mixes with the showbusiness elite - she has already been tipped for greatness herself.
The British actress has become the youngest child star ever to be included on an influential list of rising UK talents that previously picked the young Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Pattinson as names to watch.
Although she is still relatively unknown to UK cinema audiences, Miss Cassidy has already acted alongside Joan Collins and has just flown to Vancouver in Canada to film Disney sci-fi movie Tomorrowland alongside American star George Clooney.
And industry experts at respected film magazine Screen International have predicted she will soon become a household name.
The youngster from Worsley, near Manchester, has been included alongside 16 other young actors in their list of the UK Stars Of Tomorrow. Until now, Screen International had never listed an actor under the age of 13.
Its editor Wendy Mitchell spotted Miss Cassidy last autumn on the set of her latest film, Molly Moon: The Incredible Hypnotist, which is currently in production. She stars alongside Miss Collins, 80, and Celia Imrie, 60.
Miss Mitchell said: ‘I had heard that Raffey was extremely talented, and then I had the chance to meet her on the set of Molly Moon. She was extremely professional on the set and you could tell immediately what kind of charisma she has on screen.
‘Also, I was so charmed by her -- she’s a smart, sweet girl who’s down to earth not like some show-off child actors. She’s got the talent and the grounding to go so far.’
Miss Cassidy’s sister Grace, 20, has already appeared on TV in BBC children’s drama Grange Hill.
Her brother Mossie, 15, has appeared in Casualty spin off drama Casualty 1909.
Future blockbuster: Raffey Cassidy is currently filming Tomorrowland with George Clooney and Hugh Laurie
The youngster said her own big break came by accident when she was sitting outside one of his auditions.
She said: ‘My brother went into an audition. I was sitting outside and they said, “We need a little girl, can we see you?”’
She added: ‘It’s really good when you’re on set – you learn more than you would at school as your tutor is one-to-one, but sometimes you miss going to school. I want to carry on being an actor, but I want to do gymnastics and dancing as well.’
Christopher Rowley, the director of Molly Moon, said he was impressed by Miss Cassidy’s ability to work alongside adult stars.
Previous success: Raffey starring in Mr Selfridge alongside Jeremy Piven
He said: ‘There’s an adult living inside this wonderful little girl. She has such talent and such a love of the craft. I directed her as if she were grown up. She was able to digest her notes and deliver her best on each take.
‘We were filming hard for seven or eight weeks, and she never complained. She fitted her private tuition around her filming commitments.
‘The adults were all surprised at her quality. They really fed off her, and she wasn’t overawed at all. She and Joan got on great. Joan is normally quite self-contained, but she really opened up with Raffey.
‘She has a very strong, nurturing and supportive family which really helps. Raffey can do anything she wants. If she chooses to be a star, she will be a star. She can do serious acting and comedy. She does a brilliant trash Southern accent, which is remarkable for a 12-year-old, and she can do a great imitation of Beyonce.’
Talent spotted: Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey, left, and Carey Mulligan who has starred in blockbusters including The Great Gatsby, right, were both tipped for great things on the same list
The annual Screen International list first tipped Sherlock Holmes star Cumberbatch for stardom in 2004. Then aged 28, he was about to make a late breakthrough playing physicist Stephen Hawking in an acclaimed BBC biopic.
The following year, it spotted Robert Pattinson, three years before he became an international star in the Twilight franchise.
In 2007, it predicted Matt Smith would become a star. Three years later, he was cast as Dr Who.
In 2008, a 26-year-old Michelle Dockery and 23-year-old Carey Mulligan made the list.
In 2008, a 26-year-old Michelle Dockery and 23-year-old Carey Mulligan made the list.
Five years later, they are both household names – one for acting in Downton Abbey, the other for a string of blockbuster films including Shame and The Great Gatsby.
Dan Stevens made the list in 2006 and also went on to secure a leading role in Downton Abbey.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2347544/Is-little-girl-Britains-big-film-star-Actress-Raffey-Cassidy-youngest-make-influential-UK-Stars-Tomorrow-list.html#ixzz2XDdftsSR
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