10 Totally True Facts About… Eden Taylor-draper (Emmerdale’s Belle)
Inside soap YOUR BRIEFING ON THE WOMAN BEHIND EMMERDALE’S BELLE...
Eden Elenor Taylor-draper born on 28 October 1997 in Selby, Yorkshire. She began acting at the age of nine, and so studied alongside her work on Emmerdale.
Much of Eden’s childhood was spent in a very full house. “I grew up with four brothers and sisters,” she reveals. “So you can’t get up yourself about anything – you have to fight to the last chip!”
Eden joined the Emmerdale cast as Belle Dingle
in 2005. Belle is the daughter of Zak and Lisa Dingle, born on Christmas Day 1998, and has been through the wringer over the years! She’s been trapped down a mineshaft, accidentally killed her best friend, had an affair with the older village doctor, and even faked a pregnancy with him. Belle then romanced Lachlan White – before finding out he was a serial killer! Life in Emmerdale, eh?
After growing up on the show, Eden is incredibly close to her on-screen parents, Jane Cox
and Steve Halliwell. “Jane and Steve have taught me so much,” gushes Eden. “They’re like my real parents!” However, she says that her first scene with Jane wasn’t quite what she expected. “We were doing a scene and Jane had to make herself cry,” explains Eden. “I thought, ‘Who is this nutter crying in the corner?’ It was the weirdest thing.”
Eden’s been going out with boyfriend Ed Lewis for three
years. The two of them began dating in January 2016 and Eden recently shared a snap at his graduation. When Eden has breaks from filming, the pair enjoy going away together, and recently went travelling across Europe along with her co-star Isobel Steele (Liv).
If Eden hadn’t gone into acting, she believes she’d be earning her keep as a
writer. “A few years back, I wanted to be a travel journalist,” says the star. “Just travel the world and write. I’ve also liked the idea of being a foreign correspondent – I’d love to visit places like Thailand, Sri Lanka and
Malaysia.”
Despite being in the acting industry since childhood, Eden still finds herself getting
star-struck! “I was so excited about seeing Peter Andre when he came to visit,” she grins. “I squealed ‘Hi!’ then ran away. When I decided to go back and ask him for a picture, he was gone! I was so upset
with myself.”
They were rivals for several years in the Best Young Actor category at the Inside Soap Awards – but off screen Eden and Hollyoaks star Ellis Hollins (Tom) ended up bonding
for life. “I recall shaking his hand when we were six years old!” she says. “While everyone was drinking, we’d make up little dances! I love
Ellis, and I think that we’ll be friends for a long time…”
Unlike her alter ego, Eden loves clothes, and getting dressed
up to go out! “I’m the biggest hoarder,” she laughs. “I don’t think I’ve ever thrown anything out. I tend to go back and rediscover things, especially when I’m going on holiday. I’m not a handbag kind of girl. But
I am a massive trainer freak
– I have about nine pairs!”
Despite being close to her family, Eden says she doesn’t like her dad to watch her kissing scenes! “It’s not really the sort of thing I want my dad seeing,” grimaces Eden. “He texted me the other night to say it was really weird seeing me flirt on TV!” Luckily for Eden’s dad, Belle’s romances are usually pretty short-lived!
Eden is a big fan of actress Julia Roberts – and is a particular admirer of Julia’s 2010
movie Eat Pray Love. “I love that film,” reveals Eden. “It’s my favourite, because I love Julia Roberts. I think she’s very natural. There’s a lot of hidden meaning behind it – spirituality – and I really enjoy that. It always puts me in a good mood.”