10 totally true FACTS about... Maisie Smith

Inside soap YOUR BRIEFING ON THE WOMAN BEHIND EASTENDERS’ TIFF…

Maisie Louise Smith was born on 9 July 2001 in Westcliff-onsea, Essex, to Julia and Stephen Smith. Maisie still lives in the area with her parents and older sister, Scarlett. The star has been acting from a young age – in fact, before she was even born! “Technically I did an advert when I was in my mum’s tummy,” laughs Maisie. “But I don’t think that counts.” Maisie went to Belfairs Academy, and later went on to study musical theatre. At just four years of age, Maisie landed a part in the Hollywood film The Other Boleyn Girl. Maisie portrayed a young Queen Elizabeth I, alongside star Scarlett Johansson! “I’ve watched it a few times,” she says. “It’s strange, though, as I feel like a different person. My grandad still cries every time he sees it. I remember introducing myself to Scarlett [Johansson] and telling her my sister was also called Scarlett.”

In 2008 Maisie joined Eastenders as Tiffany Butcher, when her alter ego's mum Bianca Butcher returned to Walford with her kids, Whitney, Liam, Tiffany and Morgan. They moved in with Tiff’s great-grandmother, Pat Evans, and the youngster proved herself to be quite the troublemaker. Tiff left the Square in 2014 to live in Milton Keynes, and briefly returned for Whitney’s wedding two years later. In 2018, she made a comeback after running away from home. Not only does Maisie act, but she’s also a talented singer. The star released her first single Good Thing in 2016 and released the second, Where My Heart Is, the following year. “I was writing a lot of songs at that time,” explains Maisie. “And I found that a lot of them were about me, so I thought I wanted to write a song that inspired others rather than just being about myself – and I hope that got across. I always believe that everyone should just go out and do what they want to do, and I hope it manages to inspire those who listen.” Both Maisie and her sister Scarlett are managed by their mum Julia. When asked about the difference between Maisie and her character after the youngster first joined the Square, Julie said: “The role is an exaggeration of Maisie’s own personality – she’s a little madam, and a lively character. The difference is, she’s told to pronounce her

‘t’s at home!”

Maisie is incredibly close to her on-screen mum, Patsy

Palmer. “We spoke all the time [when she was in LA], but actually seeing her face to face was weird,” exclaimed Maisie, when she spoke to us about Patsy’s recent return. “She was my second mum. My mum would text Patsy because she spent the same amount of time with me as Mum did! She’s been a real role model to me. It was the weirdest experience of my life walking into the green room and seeing Patsy after five years. It was like a flashback.”

In a few years, Maisie might up sticks and move to America!

“I would love to live in LA one day, because it is the hive of showbusiness,” grins Maisie. “I’d love to continue acting for as long as I can because acting is my dream job, it’s what I love to do, and what I want to do for the rest of my life. I have always wanted to be in Hollywood movies.” Since her time on Eastenders, Maisie has scooped several awards. Her first came in 2009 at the British Soap Awards, where the talented star won ‘Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor or Actress’, and gave possibly one of the sweetest acceptance speeches. She was also given an Inside Soap award for

Best Young Actor in 2011. In an attempt to get some privacy from her fans, Maisie once painted her face as Spider-man at Thorpe Park. “We spent two days at the theme park,” says Maisie. “And the first day I got recognised a lot, so I wondered if it would make a difference to paint my face. It did the opposite – and I ended up being asked for more pictures. I didn’t mind, though – it was funny.”

Maisie has admitted that she’s a big fan of Doctor

Who. “I want to meet David Tennant,” she shares. “I really love the show and would like to be in it.” Maisie did appear on a special show in 2013, when Peter Capaldi was announced as the new Doctor. Maisie is also a big fan of US comedy

Friends – “It’s my favourite show, but

I’m on a ban at the moment because

I watch it too much.”