You Ask… Mollie Winnard (Kayla)
MOLLIE WINNARD Corrie’s Kayla Clifton ...faces your questions!
“What’s best about having younger brothers?”
Kayla’s been leading a secret life while plotting revenge on Bethany and Craig! But there’s nowhere for Mollie to hide as she faces our readers’ questions…
“Were you worried about there being any kind of backlash against Kayla when Corrie viewers found out who she really was?”
I was a little bit concerned. But I think that with the power of social media now, the viewers see past the character, and they see you as a person. Me and Lucy [Fallon, who plays Bethany] get along
really well, and there’s been quite a few times where we’ve been on nights out in Manchester together, or we’ve been to an event together – so hopefully people will see that we do actually really like each other!
“What’s your earliest memory of Corrie?”
I grew up watching it with my mum, and my nana always recorded it. I can’t quite remember my earliest memory, but I would say that my favourite storyline was Tracy Barlow killing Charlie Stubbs. I think as a little girl I quite fancied Charlie Stubbs, so I was bit gutted when he got killed! I was only about eight or nine at the time, I was very young, so that’s probably the earliest thing I remember about Coronation Street.
“Who was the first cast member you met when you started at Coronation Street?”
The first person
I met was Lucy, because I had three different screen tests with her. She was great – she really helped settle the nerves in there! She actually messaged me once I was given the part to say congratulations, which I thought was a lovely thing to do. On set, Qasim Akhtar [who played Zeedan] was the first person I met. He was really nice, and he definitely helped me settle in during those first few days.
“What did you do to celebrate your first
Corrie episode airing?”
All my family came round and we had a little bit of a screening together, which was lovely. They cheered when I came on the screen! It was
emotional, and a bit embarrassing as well. The best thing for me – and he’ll probably kill me for saying this – was my uncle. He’s usually a bit cocky, but he cried!
He said, “I’m going home before anyone sees that
I’m crying!” I thought
I must have done all right if my uncle had a cry.
“You attended the Jennifer Ellison Fame Academy – did you meet her?”
I did, but I only went to that academy for a few weeks of summer school. I met her when she came in once, and she was really nice. Now I go to Mark Hudson’s Manchester School of Acting. That’s been my main training.
“What’s the best thing about having three younger brothers in real life?”
One of them doesn’t actually live with me, as he’s on my dad’s side, so I don’t see him as much. The best thing about the other two, who I see on a regular basis, is we’re really close. We’ll sit and have cuddles and watch a film and stuff. If I want a cup of tea, they’ll make me one! I like being close to them. At one point I lived with my grandma for a little bit – I was just being a moody teenager – and I missed them so much. We play-fight all the time, but I love them more than anything.
“I saw you tweeting about the Magic Mike stage show – have you arranged a trip to see it yet?”
No, I haven’t yet… but it’s definitely on my agenda! I think that would be a great girls’ weekend. I’m not sure what my boyfriend would think of it, but
I’m just going to go anyway! I love the movies – I mean, what’s not to like? Channing Tatum without his top on!
“How was working with Ashley Jensen on Love, Lies & Records?”
She’s one of the loveliest people ever! She’s so nice. I was really scared, because that was my first-ever job, and I thought that, because I was a smaller character, I would get there and no one would speak to me! I don’t know why. Ashley was just gorgeous, though, and so lovely and kind. She’s an amazing person, and an amazing actress.
“When you’re not busy working at Coronation Street, what’s your favourite thing to do on a day off?”
At the moment, I’ll go to the gym, or I’ll see my friends – my girls! We have quite an active social life, me and my friends. We’re very close with one another and we always will be. We have our little trips to Nando’s!
“Do you have a secret talent?”
I have a weirdly bendy back! Honestly, I can do a great dinosaur impression because of how bendy it is!
“Did you fear a backlash against Kayla?”