Haieshamistry
“Yasmine is bossy and loud – she has a touch of Mcqueen-ness!”
Teenager Yasmine fancies herself as an investigative reporter – but can Hollyoaks star Haiesha handle it when we put our readers’ probing questions to her?
“What is your opinion of Yasmine’s style?”
I’m quite a colourful person, so I enjoy being unique with my outfits, like Yazz – I love a good colour or pattern clash! There are a couple of things from her wardrobe that I would steal – and a few I won’t! She has a rubber duck T-shirt, which is very Yasmine, and I’d probably just leave that one for her.
The day she dressed up
as a bunch of grapes was an experience. It was a party scene with about 30 people, and I had to manoeuvre with a bunch of grapes stuck on me all day on set, which wasn’t the easiest thing to do!
“What was your first day at Hollyoaks like?”
My first day was nervewracking, as this is my first major TV role, and to come in as a regular character is an experience. But I was just made to feel so welcome by the crew and cast. On my first day I was working with Ruby O’donnell [Peri], and she was really supportive. It was so exciting just to be on set, because I used to watch Hollyoaks, and I’d be like, “Oh my God, it’s them!” And then you’re thinking, ‘I’m part of the cast now – I can’t be a fangirl!’
“What does your real-life family think of the Maaliks?”
I have one sister, Vanisha, who’s older, and she thinks they’re all lovely. She’s met everybody, and she loves them all. It’s great for her, because she’s so proud that I’ve got this gig. I introduce the Maaliks to people as my brothers and sisters in real life – that’s how close we are! When we’re at an event together, it feels as if we’re siblings on a night out together, not cast. We have regular
Maalik meals as well.
“What are you most excited about in 2019?”
I’m really excited about filming our next big plot, which is the far-right extremism storyline with the Maaliks and
“What do you think of Yasmine’s style?”
“Your cast mate Malique Thompsondwyer [Prince] recently went into the jungle – is that something you would fancy doing?” …asks reader Rita Langham from London
“Can you tell us a secret about your screen family?”
Ste. I can’t wait to see where that will take us, what the audience’s reaction will be when it hits the screen, and how it will build up. I think that it’s a really great subject for Hollyoaks, because it’s on the news all the time. We’re great at tackling things that are quite taboo – we ace that.
“Do you get recognised much when you are out and about?”
I’m getting recognised a lot more now. I don’t look anything like Yasmine, so I’ll be in the supermarket thinking, ‘It’s okay, I have this covered, I’m just nipping in’. Then just as
I’m about to leave the store, I’ll hear somebody saying, “That’s her from
Hollyoaks – it’s her!” And I’m like,
“Oh no!” It’s nice, though. I’m just me, minding my own!
“What’s the best cast night out you’ve been on?”
The British Soap Awards last year were the best, because our storyline won an award [for Best Single Episode]! It was really nerve-wracking, and going on stage was very surreal. I watched it back when I got home, and I was like, “Oh my God, that’s me! I’m on stage there!” That was cool. I would love to come to the Inside Soap
Awards this year, too.
“Can you tell us a secret about your screen family?”
Oooh! Some of them are actually quite good… well, as they would say, ‘rappers’. I don’t want to name names, though, as this will come out, and they’ll be like, “What did you say that for?” But maybe one or two of them see themselves as potential rappers. We put songs on at work sometimes, and they rap to them!
“What do you reckon you would you be doing now if you weren’t an actor?”
Before I was at Hollyoaks, I taught drama, so I would probably be doing that. I’m still connected with some of the big theatres in Manchester, where I’m from – that’s where I trained, so
No, I don’t think I’m as brave as Malique to do I’m A Celebrity…! Some of us were talking about this actually, and I reckon that if I was to do anything of that kind, I’d love to do Strictly Come Dancing.
That would be good. I get hungry all the time, so I don’t think I could survive in the jungle! it’s nice to give something back. It’s great to go there and talk to the next generation of rising stars, and say, “I’ve done this, so you can do it as well”.
“If you could play another Hollyoaks character for the day, who would it be and why?”
I’d love to be a Mcqueen. Yasmine is bossy and loud, so she has a touch of Mcqueen-ness in there. When I was first announced, people were trying to guess which family Yazz would be a part of, and a lot of people suggested she might be a Mcqueen. I think Yazz Mcqueen has a ring to it! It’d be fun to play Mercedes or Myra, though.