Corrie Rhea Dating in LA ..and time girl fan asked for naked selfie
CORRIE’S RHEA ON THE PERILS OF DATING IN LA... & LIFE AS A LESBIAN ICON
STUNNING Rhea Bailey has attracted an army of fans since joining Corrie as a lesbian soldier.
The single star who plays Caz Hammond is getting plenty of attention off- screen, especially from other women.
Rhea, 33, said: “I’ve definitely been hit on by a lot more girls than usual. The last time was at a funeral a few weeks ago.
“I was like, ‘ Is this really appropriate?’ but she was very sweet and attractive.
“You can fall in love with anyone but my track record so far is I’ve only been in love with boys.”
Another female fan wanted a photo with Rhea at a really awkward moment.
She said: “I was in the gym the other day, I’d just finished my workout and was completely naked in the changing room.
“This woman went, ‘ Oh my God, can I get a selfie?’ I asked her if she could wait until I had some clothes on. I’ve never felt so vulnerable in my life.”
Rhea, younger sister of singer Corinne Bailey Rae, still finds it strange how fans approach her and think she is like Caz.
Rhea said: “Straight away they think, ‘ Oh that’s that girl off Corrie’. It is a bit scary that some people on the street are going to think I’m a psycho.”
But she will have to get used to it as controlling Caz is about face a lot of drama in Weatherfield.
Booze
Jealous Caz’s desperate bid to hold on to fiancée Kate Connor by faking an injury has backfired. Now she may be dumped.
And in a sinister development Caz’s attention is turning to Samia Ghadie’s character Maria Connor.
Rhea said: “It’s a whole new friendship for Caz and a new person to focus on in a scary, Single White Female way. Everything’s going to kick off.”
It is only eight months since Caz first pitched up in Corrie to surprise Kate on her 26th birthday. But viewers may see much more of her when Corrie adds a sixth episode a week.
And after a crunch meeting with new producer Kate Oates, Rhea believes the extra episode next year will be good for the actors.
She said: “Going to a sixth episode means everyone will get more airtime and more storylines. It’s a win-win.”
Rhea said the show’s producers are committed to sharing screen time equally among characters, which everyone was happy to hear.
She said: “There’s over 60 of us and at times some get used slightly more than others.
“That’s just the way it works in the middle of big storylines.”
The extra episode could have been a recipe for discord and disaster but Rhea believes it will only make the tight- knit cast stronger.
She said she hoped more airtime will give actors “more time to breathe in a scene”. Rhea, who has also starred in BBC school drama Waterloo Road and as police officers in ITV series Blue Murder and The Bill, has settled right in at Corrie.
She is firm friends with many of the Coronation Street cast, especially Lisa George, who plays Beth Tinker, and her dressing room mate Bhavna Limbachia, who is Rana.
And after long days on set they enjoy a night out.
Rhea said: “We’ve got a few good nights coming up. There’s a slumber party and we’re all going to go on a booze cruise, a little boat party round here.”
And she revealed the Corrie men tend to party harder but then pay the price for it.
She said: “Some of the lads like a good party and get a bit messy, partying for two days straight.
“You’re like, ‘ Where ever have you been?’ and they say, ‘ We’re still knackered from when we went out.’” Rhea lived in Los Angeles for five years, giving her a different take on the party and dating scene.
Although she had a boyfriend for much of her time in the States, she also mingled with some famous film stars.
She said: “The longer you spend in LA the more you realise it’s a really small town and everybody knows everybody.
“I used to go to parties with massive people from shows and movies.
“I went for coffee with famous people, I wouldn’t say I dated someone famous but we hung out.
“Even in the supermarket there’s usually at least one famous person there.
“I r emember having a 15-minute conversation with Colin Farrell in the gas station once.
“I’m not saying he chatted me up or anything but it definitely did wonders for my ego.”
Rhea thinks it may take time to get used to dating English men again as she thinks they are very different.
She said: “This is a massive generalisation but American boys seem to be more entitled.
“However they are also more polite, they will hold the door open for you.
“English boys are a lot more direct about what they want.
“I’m not always willing to do whatever someone wants straight away, especially not ‘because you just bought me dinner’.
“I’d prefer to date someone not in the industry, a
normal Jack the Lad dude who enjoys his job and works hard. “In some cases t he conversation didn’t turn into a date in LA because of egos or shooting schedules.” Life on the cobbles is not quite so glamorous and playing Caz does not help. Rhea said: “I don’t exactly look attractive on the show and my body language is so different. Caz is under-confident and slouches.
Boobs
“If I’m trying to impress a boy I’ll sit up straight and stick my boobs out.”
But she thinks she will have to move from her mum’s home in Leeds to Manchester before she starts dating.
She laughed: “We’ve just got two rabbits and the commitment is freaking me out. That’s enough for me at the moment.”
Being back at home clearly agrees with Rhea.
She said: “The nicest thing about Coronation Street is you feel settled.
“There’s something about being a Northern actress and being at home.
“I’ve got so many friends who are out of work, going from job to job, I’m really appreciating this phase of my career.”
It is particularly pleasing for Rhea as she nearly quit acting when she was 18 and shooting Crossroads in Nottingham.
She said: “I got shouted at a lot and once an old lady hit me with her handbag because my character was having an affair.
“I became a bit of a recluse, a bit agoraphobic. I lost confidence and asked myself, ‘Is this for me?’ I did not work for eight months after that job.”
Thankfully the star stuck with her career and she is absolutely loving playing such a meaty character on the cobbles.
And as she said: “There’s a whole load of drama coming up.” We can hardly wait.