You Ask… Tilly Keeper (Louise)
Poor Louise is having a tough time of it, but when Phil Mitchell is your on-screen dad, you’ve nothing to fear – so your questions proved easy-peasy for actress Tilly…
“What was it like growing up with older brothers?”
It was great being the youngest actually, because I was kind of treated like a princess – a bit like Louise! My brothers are a lot older than me, so luckily they were past picking on me while we were growing up.
“Who’s the most famous person that you’ve met so far?”
When I was 15 I met Will Smith at a Justin Bieber concert. It was really random! I only said hi, but he was really nice. I also recently met Mary Berry at the National TV Awards, and that meant a lot because I love baking! She told me my dress was pretty, and I think I managed to stutter, “Thank you” – then melted.
“Do you remember the first time that you were recognised out and about?”
I remember being recognised in Bluewater [shopping centre], in a shoe shop. Someone asked me if I was Phil’s daughter, and I was with my own dad at the time. So I was like, “No, I’m his daughter…”! I’m always surprised when people recognise me – I’m still trying to get used to it.
“What or who inspired you to be an actor?”
I was always singing and dancing when I was a child, and my cousin’s wife runs a dance school which I attended from the age of three. But my dad is really outgoing, and while he didn’t push me to do it, he was so encouraging. Growing up I loved the actresses Brittany Murphy and Billie Piper – I met Billie when I was 10, and I cried! She’s still one of my favourites.
“What social media site do you like to use the most?”
To be honest, I’m trying to ration my time using social media at the minute. But I do like Instagram – I’m very nosy and love to see what people are up to!
“What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?”
Probably to treat others the way you want to be treated – my mum always says that to me. Or try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand their point of view. Mums always know best – especially my mum!
“Do you enjoy red carpet events, and who’s your style icon?”
“If you could play another character in Eastenders, which one would you choose?”
I would have loved to play Ronnie or Roxy – they were strong Mitchell women, and I can’t get enough of the Mitchell family. Or possibly Fatboy. I just really like Ricky Norwood, who played him, and he always seemed as though he had a lot of fun while on set. “Would you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person?” I’m a dog person, 100 per cent – I’m obsessed with them! I don’t get cats. They know too much…
“What did you do to celebrate your most recent birthday?”
My last birthday was my 19th, and it was so boring! I was on set in the morning, and the only person who remembered was Shaheen [Jafargholi, who plays Shakil], so he bought me a raspberry-and-white-chocolate muffin. But I have a birthday ritual with my family where my parents and I go up to London and have breakfast, then walk round the department stores.
“Do you enjoy attending red carpet events, and who’s your style icon?”
I enjoy getting dressed up, but the red carpet bit can be quite nervewracking – it’s all very busy. For the British Soap Awards this year, Jasmine Armfield [Bex] and I got ready in my room, putting on fake tan and sorting out each other’s hair and make-up. I could go on for ages about my many style icons – but Kate Moss, Fearne Cotton and Sienna Miller are definitely my top three!
“What’s your favourite part of the Eastenders set to film in?”
It was Louise’s bedroom. It has blue walls, which I was miffed about, because Bex’s bedroom has pink walls, and Louise should have pink walls
[laughs]! I tried to sneak in a poster of Harry Styles, but it wasn’t allowed.
“Do you miss being at school, and what was your favourite subject?”
I don’t – I couldn’t wait to leave! But my favourite subject was either English Literature or Drama. I had a great English teacher – shout-out to Miss Winters! I also really enjoyed French when I did it at GCSE, but I hated it at A-level.
“Do you mind having to wear school uniform on screen?”
Well, I didn’t have a tie as part of my school uniform in real life, so on my first day as Louise, I had major anxiety about tying Louise’s school tie. I was really panicky – I thought they were going to have to put it on an elastic band! But I’m a pro at it now…
“What social media site do you like to use the most?”