‘It was really sad’ Mollie Gallagher admitted on This Morning, during an interview with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd.
First setting foot on the Cobbles back in 2019, Nina Lucas instantly won a place in our hearts simply by being the long lost niece of Weatherfield king Roy Cropper (David Neilson). What really cemented Nina’s place on the street was her unique identity as a happy-go-lucky-Victorian Goth, which precipitated a shocking murder. She and her boyfriend Seb Franklin (Harry Visinoni), were viciously ambushed and assaulted at the hands of Corey Brent (Maximus Evans) and his gang simply because of Nina’s alternative goth style.
With the sun setting on her time on the Cobbles, Nina’s departure sadly dashes fans hopes of a romantic reunion with bestie and former flame Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey). Sorry, Nasha fans!
‘I don’t like change.’ Mollie admitted. ‘ I struggle with change It was really sad. Three days before I started rehearsal. In a way,it was helpful because it was so quick. That kind of helps because you have to kind of put things into compartments.’
‘I believe it’s not the end of Nina’s story. I love Corrie so much. I really hope it’s not the end. I don’t feel like it is.’
While it may not be the end of Nina’s story forever, Mollie is taking a new role that’s a million miles from the Cobbles as she joins the cast ofa stage production of classic horror movie Silence of The Lambs. She will have the challenge of taking on a truly iconic part – agent Clarice Starling, the brilliant but troubled FBI agent tasked with interviewing serial killing cannbial Hannibal Lecter to bring another murderer to justice.
The role of Lecter will be played by Johnny Partridge, who played Christian Clarke on EastEnders, best known for his affair with Syed Masood (Marc Elliot), while Clarice’s mentor Jack Crawford will be played by Oliver Farnworth, who in a brilliant twist of fate, played Emmerdale’s own legendary serial killer John Sugden.
The play is directed by Nikolai Foster, adapted for the stage by writer Gina Gionfriddo and will be touring the UK from August.
During her appearance on This Morning, Mollie also spoke about the challenge of taking on such a famous role played by an international star like Jodie Foster.
‘It’s been absolutely amazing. I love theatre. I think something so iconic as Silence of the Lambs, people have these expectations about what they are going to be seeing. Obviously with the film, you get Jodie (Foster) and Anthony Hopkins, and the amazing director and the close-ups. We have the live audience onstage. It’s telling the story a lot more throughout the body and through the voice. It’s different and it’s exciting.”
‘She’s an icon. Obviously you have to make it your own. You will get some some theatre goers will expect to see Jodie Foster but unfortunately, you have me!’
‘It’s about what I can relate to with Clarice and using that, and telling the story about what I have been through. Especially as women, and with Clarice is this underdog in this world dominated by men. Our writer is absolutely brilliant and the writing does it all for us.’
Mollie also shared insight about the process of trading her Mancunian brogue for a Southern American drawl.
‘I love Southern American accents. I am glad we are going down that route. Something that really helped me is watching Jodie. She has this way of speaking as using the side of her mouth a little bit. Imagine you are constanty chewing something! It’s quite broad. It’s about finding the process of making it a little bit softer. Also I am Mancunian and I speak from my head voice, and I need to bring it all much lower, She’s training FBI, she’s not using her head voice, she wants to be taken seriously’.
Swapping the Cobbles for treading the boards, Mollie heaped praise on her co-star John Partridge, of EastEnders fame.
‘I’ve never met John Partridge before. He’s lovely. He is the perfect Hannibal. He’s lovely. He’s terrifying at the same time. That’s what you want.’
‘He is in a cage. We cant actually hear each other. Johnny’s using a mic at the moment, which is helpful. How close can Clarice and Lecter get? We’re still working that out through the process of rehearsals. Our director is brilliant. You just trust everything he does , really.’
Silence of The Lambs will be touring the UK from August.
