Rhea swaps Corrie for Hollywood A-list
SHE played the mean and moody Caz Hammond in Coronation Street, but since leaving the soap actress Rhea Bailey has been hanging out with movie hunk Channing Tatum.
Rhea caused a stir in Weatherfield as twisted Caz who stalked her flatmate Maria Connor. But she has swapped the likes of Corrie’s Chesney for Channing after heading to Hollywood.
Rhea, who is good friends with singer Leona Lewis, met Magic Mike star Channing and his actress and dancer wife Jenna Dewan at an aftershow party.
A source close to Rhea said: “She’s hung out with lots of famous people in the past, having lived in Los Angeles for years, and doesn’t usually ask for selfies. But Rhea made an exception with Channing - she’s a HUGE fan.” Rhea has known X Factor winner Leona for about six years and because it was Leona’s birthday, the pair headed from LA to Vegas for a party and screening of Channing’s film Magic Mike. And because it was produced by the screen heartthrob, he was there to oversee it.
At the end of the show, Rhea and Leona got to hang out with him and Jenna.
Meanwhile Rhea has been busy since waving goodbye to Weatherfield. Her sinister character Caz left the soap at the end of last year when she was arrested after pretending to have been murdered by her crush Maria, but was caught hiding in her flat with cameras set up to spy on her friend.
Rhea, the sister of singer Corrine Bailey Rae, recently appeared in the Hollywood film A Royal Winter, in which she plays best friend to a young woman from New York who falls in love with a real-life prince while on a European holiday.
Rhea, who lived in Los Angeles prior to landing her role in Corrie back in 2015, says it has been great to shrug-off army reject Caz’s dour ways.
She says: “I loved every minute playing Caz in Coronation Street. She’s such a dark and brooding character and you never knew what she was going to do next.
“But it felt so good to do something completely different with A Royal Winter and play such a fun character.
“We shot in the snow in Romania in real castles and the experience was amazing.
“I’m actually smiling on screen for a change!”
Rhea is now in the running for several other US roles and his hoping to make her move to the States permanent.