Talented teen aims to be Tardis bound
Golden girl Abbie has already taken on the world and won
A super-talented youngster has her sights set on becoming the second woman and the fourth Scot to play the lead in Doctor Who.
Actress and singer Abbie Robinson- O’Neill, of Paisley, has just returned from the World Championships of Performing Arts, in Los Angeles, where she did exceptionally well.
And when she got back home she heard the news that Broadchurch actress Jodie Whitaker had broken the mould to become the first-ever woman to take on the role of The Doctor in the BBC’s hugely popular sci-fi series.
Said Abbie: “When I heard that, I thought this is a door that could open for me one day. “And I’m Scottish too.” Fellow Paisley actor David Tennant famously played The Doctor, as did fellow Scot Sylvester McCoy, while the present incumbent Peter Capaldi also comes from Scotland.
A pupil of Paisley’s McCallum School of Music, Abbie travelled to LA to take part on the World Championships of Performing Arts, where she won gold prize in the Jazz and R&B section, and silvers for acting and self-accompanied pop.
And Abbie was thrilled but surprised she did so well. “I was shocked,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting it. There were so many performers taking part.”
She added: “I met people from all over and made friends from France, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
“They were all so nice, and it was good meeting people from different cultures. “I learned so many things.” Amazingly, as a result of her success Abbie says she was invited to audition for a TV show by American actor David Heavener, but she reluctantly decided to turn that opportunity down.
“It was an amazing opportunity just to be asked,” she said.
“But I’m only 16 and there will be more opportunities to come.
“And I’m going to college in Motherwell in August. “I’ll be doing musical theatre. “It’s a year course and then I’ll have to audition for another year.”
Abbie, whose heroine is Audrey Hepburn, has broad tastes in performing and wants to make an impact when she is older. “I like all performing,” shew said. “Singing, acting, TV performer, all would make me happy.
“I like knowing I can put a smile on people’s faces.”