ALISHA: I JESS LOVE NEW ROLE
Matilda Musical star’s delight at playing daughter of Irish actress
IRISH starlet Alisha Weir has told of her dream job playing Jessie Buckley’s daughter in Wicked Little Letters.
Getting to play Jessie’s daughter is incredible. It’s surreal to even say that
The 14-year-old actress said her character Nancy is unlike any role she’s played before.
Dubliner Alisha, who also starred in Matilda, told the Irish Mirror: “I love the character of Nancy. I’ve never played a character like her.
“Getting to play Jessie Buckley’s daughter, it’s just incredible. I mean, it’s so surreal even being able to say that.”
BAFTA winner Buckley, from Co Kerry, is now regarded as one of the hottest properties in cinema.
Wicked Little Letters follows the residents of a seaside town in 1920s England with a focus on two neighbours – conservative Edith (Olivia Colman) and Rose (Buckley) her rowdy, Irish-immigrant neighbour.
Edith and her pals begin to get anonymous letters, filled with profanities.
The missives spark nationwide uproar and Rose is charged with being the culprit.
Convinced she may be innocent, the women investigate the correspondences for themselves.
Alisha told how there were two scenes in particular that stand out to her as favourites.
She recalled: “One of my favourites was getting to play the guitar, because I loved to sing as well as act.
“And so getting to learn a new instrument was incredible.
“But I also loved the scene where I was smashing the guitar and I was shouting at Jessie.
“I mean, it looked crazy and it was crazy. It was a lot of fun as well.
“Before going into the movie, I didn’t know how to play the guitar. My dad actually knows, so he was able to teach me a lot.
“I’ve always wanted to learn a new instrument and I’ve always wanted to play the guitar.
“I’m still doing it now, because I loved it so much.”
Alisha told how she learned a lot from working alongside the cast of the film, which also features Timothy Spall, Joanna Scanlan, Hugh Skinner, Malachi Kirby, Gemma Jones, Lolly Adefope and Eileen Atkins.
She said: “Everyone was so amazing, kind and I learned so much from them – every day, it was so much fun on set.
“I was in awe of their talent.”
Alisa rose to fame after playing the title role in
Netflix’s Matilda
The Musical in 2022.
She added how her love of acting came from her two older sisters, who are her “inspirations” and “role models”.
Alisa said: “I’ve always looked up to Katie and Emma-jane and wanted to do what they’re doing. Since I was old enough to join a stage school, I was straight into the door.
“All of the three of the main roles I’ve played recently, they’ve all been so different to each other.
“That’s what I love about acting; getting to put myself into a completely different character; go through their lives and what they’d be thinking, or what they’d do.”
The actress will next be on the big screen in next month’s horror Abigail.
She added: “I’ve always wanted to be in a horror film.
“I was always intrigued to see what it would be like backstage and behind the scenes.”
Her advice to budding actors is not to give up and stay positive. Alisha said: “You’re definitely going to get no’s in this industry but if it’s what you love to do and what makes you happy, then keep fighting and doing what you love.”
Wicked Little Letters is in cinemas nationwide now.