Lauren Cornelius shares her Gavin and Stacey expertise

Rising star Lauren Cornelius is a power to be reckoned with.

The multi-faceted actress and producer has an infectious ardour for storytelling, which is clear throughout the number of tasks she’s been concerned with throughout her profession up to now. With a wealthy background in theatre, movie, and radio, her early profession foundations have been set via her work with the Nationwide Youth Theatre and as a member of Hampstead Theatre’s ‘Warmth&Gentle Younger Firm’.

This result in Lauren embarking on quite a few voice performing alternatives, together with Maggy in BBC Radio 4’s Little Dorrit in addition to enjoying a fan-favourite companion in Physician Who Audio Adventures. Plus, she not too long ago appeared in Name the Midwife and has taken on her first producing position which will likely be launched later this 12 months.

Most not too long ago, Lauren was a part of Christmas Day tv historical past, starring within the Gavin and Stacey finale, which premiered to 12.3 million viewers on BBC One. Considered some of the extremely anticipated sitcom finales, Lauren performed Anna, considered one of bubbly bridesmaids at Sonia’s hen social gathering. Within the episode, Anna and the bridesmaids play a recreation of ‘Mr & Mrs’ to check Sonia’s data of Smithy, with some eye-opening outcomes.

We caught up with Lauren to get the lowdown on her superb Gavin and Stacey expertise, in addition to her voice performing roles, producing, and objectives for 2025.

Congratulations on being part of Christmas Day historical past! Are you able to inform us just a little bit about your Gavin and Stacey expertise and the audition course of?

I’m a extremely huge Gavin and Stacey fan so for me, this was genuinely a dream come true. It was one thing that, as an actor type of working their manner up and, you understand, growing in my profession and tasks that I tackle, it was simply one thing that I by no means ever thought could possibly be attainable as a result of it’s such a small solid and it’s fairly a good knit factor.

I simply acquired an availability and a self-tape request, which is fairly commonplace from my agent, again in July and it was only for a BBC comedy, no different particulars. So I did the tape, didn’t actually assume something of it after which came upon that I acquired a recall, which was going to be early August. It was solely on the recall stage that I realised it was for Gavin and Stacey. So I auditioned for it with out understanding what the venture was or what something was! All the things up till the learn via was simply all dummy scripts. I feel I used to be studying for a birthday celebration or one thing, so it was very, very completely different to what ended up on air.

Then I went into the recall. I knew that Ruth Jones and Chris Gernon the director have been going to be on the recall however I didn’t know that James Corden was going to be there in order that was an enormous shock once I walked in and was like, “oh my goodness, it’s Smithy, Nessa and the director”! I did the second audition with them within the room and from the second I walked in, it was so heat and so welcoming. You can simply inform how a lot love everybody had for it, together with the casting administrators, Lauren and Melissa. Everybody was so excited to be there, together with me – I used to be bouncing off the partitions! 

I feel I did the audition on a Monday after which needed to have a extremely agonising wait till the remainder of the week earlier than I acquired the decision on the Friday to say that I acquired the a part of Anna and I used to be going to be considered one of Secret Sonia’s Hens, which was so unimaginable. However then clearly I needed to preserve it a secret from the start of August, up till the twenty fifth of December, which was, for me, an enormous problem. I’m such a blabbermouth and likewise being a fan, I used to be so enthusiastic about it.

It took each inch of my being to not say it. I saved panicking anytime anybody would speak about it, I felt like I used to be enjoying an actual life recreation of The Traitors! Clearly I knew about Sonia so I used to be guarding a extremely huge secret. So with the burden of that, I used to be simply so relieved when she was revealed within the episode. I used to be like, “proper, that’s it, I can, I can simply let go of this secret now” as a result of it’s been the largest secret I’ve ever needed to preserve in my life by far.

Everybody was very, very enthusiastic about this and I can’t recover from how tough it should have been for all of you to must preserve the key particularly understanding that followers have been coming as much as try to catch glimpses of individuals being filmed and issues. Did you fake that you just have been engaged on a unique job or how did you go about form of protecting the key that you just have been concerned?

By way of protecting the key, I simply wouldn’t say something about it. I might simply actively keep away from any dialog about Gavin and Stacey, which is bizarre as a result of each time I see one thing in regards to the present on social media, my intuition is to share it. I used to be attempting to essentially lay off sharing something about it and it wouldn’t have been out of character however I used to be so paranoid that somebody was going to clock one thing. So sure, I used to be actively not attempting to attract consideration to something Gavin and Stacey associated within the lead up, actively ignoring something to do with it, which works fully towards my love and fervour for it as a present.

You have been additionally actually concerned through the desk learn – what was that have like?

After I acquired the half, I went to the learn via which was superb. James and Ruth did a speech welcoming everybody in and so they have been so heat and pleasant. They acknowledged the brand new members of solid, all of us hens, and I simply thought that was so beautiful as a result of, you understand, we’re in a room filled with BBC huge wigs and a solid which have identified one another for nearly 20 years so it was extremely thrilling for me to be there, but in addition massively overwhelming as a result of I’m coming into one thing the place they’re a household. It’s that cliché factor, however that they’re a complete tight knit household, they’re all very shut and have such real love and heat in the direction of one another. So to be welcomed in and acknowledged as part of this learn via of TV historical past was simply such an incredible day.

I used to be sitting reverse Pam Ferris. I used to be like, “oh my god, I’m reverse Ms. Trunchbull. What the heck? That is loopy”. In order that was actually, actually cool. I’ve been an enormous fan of hers for a lot of, a few years, what an incredible actor. Sadly Sheridan Smith couldn’t be on the learn via so I learn for Rudi. That was a really, very cool expertise as a result of once more, I’ve grown up with the present successfully so I do know her very properly and acquired to do my finest Rudi impression!

I additionally acquired to learn in for Anna Maxwell Martin because the celebrant in order that was a very nice expertise to be totally immersed within the learn via. I assumed that was actually cool of them to offer me the chance to leap in and it simply massively helped that I used to be a fan of the present as a result of I simply acquired the humour, acquired the fashion and was in a position to simply form of run with it.

What would you say drew the largest gasp through the desk learn?

In fact, Sonia coming again was a extremely huge second in order that was an inevitable gasp. However one of many largest gasps was Gwen and Dave Coaches. That second when Dave is revealed and comes down the steps – everybody, together with me, gasped and screamed.

It was such an incredible second. I appeared over in the direction of James and Ruth and so they have been type of trying and laughing like college youngsters. They have been so delighted with the response. It was simply such a pleasure to be part of that second and watch that as a result of the entire room erupted. Clearly we didn’t wish to disrupt the circulation of the learn via, nevertheless it was such a notable form of gasp and only a huge ‘oh my god’ second. I don’t assume anybody noticed that coming. So yeah, that was an enormous, enormous second.

I might say it actually paid off on display as properly, as a result of as a viewer, I feel it was form of apparent that Gwen had a secret and I used to be speculating that she had a boyfriend however not as soon as did I feel Dave Coaches was going to return down the steps! I keep in mind being at house screaming as properly so I can simply think about what the response would have been like in that room. 

And once more, that was one other secret to maintain. I used to be like, oh my god, these preserve piling up, I’ve acquired this one now too! However yeah, that was simply an epic twist that we didn’t see coming, an enormous gasp second.

What was your favorite a part of the filming expertise?

The filming passed off in early September down in Cardiff and I keep in mind the evening earlier than I couldn’t sleep a wink, I used to be simply so excited. I set about six alarms, however I didn’t want any of them. I awakened at half 4 simply buzzing, simply able to go. We have been on set by six and straight into hair and make-up, which felt actually wild moving into faux tan and costume and hair at like six within the morning. It felt like I used to be genuinely preparing for an enormous wedding ceremony! 

I feel what was very nice about it was all of the backwards and forwards, the automotive journeys from the set and the trailer to the set, since you get to only have chats with these unimaginable characters, as the true individuals, after all, the actors, however that was simply actually enjoyable. Simply having early morning gossip and cups of tea within the automobiles with successfully like Stacey, Gwen, Daybreak, Pamela…attending to know everybody as an actor, you understand, having watched all of them for years. It was similar to a pinch me form of second, right here I’m simply coming to stay this unimaginable story with you all. That was only a actually, very nice spotlight of the day.

Everybody was having the most effective time and all of us had such amusing when Damien the stripper was taking pictures his scene. His entrance and his lap dance with Sonia… it was actually tough to maintain a straight face there as a result of clearly, us hens have been actually not meant to be having fun with it. Stacey, Pamela, Gwen, and Daybreak have been whooping away and dancing, I simply wished to be with them! Damien’s dancing was hilarious, it was a lot enjoyable.

It was a extremely lengthy day, however every part about it was simply unimaginable. From begin to end, we had a lot enjoyable, and you may inform that every one the actors have been having a good time. James Corden was there co-directing alongside Chris Gernon the lead director, and he was simply cracking up. He was having a whale of a time. He saved coming over and saying, “that’s good, preserve doing extra of that”. He was actually encouraging – as an actor, clearly you wish to keep true to the script and the dialogue, however you additionally wish to mess around with it and actually immerse your self on this planet.

I used to be attempting a couple of various things and he was simply so supportive like, “That’s good. Preserve that vitality up.” so I felt actually, actually supported by him. That’s one thing that I’ll keep in mind and treasure ceaselessly. It may be fairly an amazing expertise if you’ve been rehearsing this scene by yourself or along with your mum or somebody studying in, to then getting on set and it’s simply plenty of individuals each within the scene and on the opposite facet. Behind the cameras you’ve acquired so many individuals doing unimaginable jobs and also you simply must ship. It was fairly nerve-racking nevertheless it was a extremely beautiful heat environment.

While filming with the likes of Ruth Jones, Alison Steadman and Joanna Web page, did you get any phrases of knowledge or recommendation from them too?

They didn’t give me any phrases of knowledge, however what was good is that they form of simply welcomed me in as considered one of their very own. Though I used to be type of having a pinch me second, as a result of as you noticed we have been stood up in our little trio of doing the quiz for the hens, the entire room was watching us and that was fairly intimidating in itself. Clearly I used to be having the most effective time ever, nevertheless it was intimidating. And I feel the most effective factor takeaway from all these unimaginable actors that I’ve appeared as much as for years is that they welcomed me in.

Alison came to visit on the finish and simply stated, “you have been unbelievable”. I stated, “which means a lot coming from you”. It’s solely my third telly job that I’ve achieved in order somebody who’s fairly new to the TV world, this has been my huge second, my huge change over into TV. I keep in mind her saying, “properly, it received’t be your final”. I’ll maintain on to that for the remainder of my performing profession as a result of coming from Alison Steadman, that was simply the largest type of temper booster and confidence booster and it simply form of gave me that drive and fervour. It’s such a tough trade and it’s extra no’s than it’s yeses. Even for those who’re so proper for one thing, there’s a mess of the explanation why you received’t get one thing and it may be actually powerful auditioning. However to have that little vote of confidence from Alison Steadman, it’s simply protecting that fireside burning and it’s protecting me actually excited for what’s to return.