Eloise Groom (8), from Anlaby, has been cast to play a lead role in the new feature film The More You Ignore Me, a warm comedy drama focusing on the life of an unconventional family in 1980’s rural England, based on the book by Jo Brand and produced by Genesius Pictures.

Northern Lights Drama is a local independent theatre school established in 2013 by local actors Hannah Levy and Tilly Oakshott. The school has hundreds of local children and young people attend its weekly classes, with a growing number of pupils being cast in professional theatre, film and TV roles. Most recently Abbie Vena (10) is playing the title role in the West End hit Matilda the Musical and Ben Hunter (18) has just finished filming the 10th series of Dr Who for the BBC and is now in rehearsals for new musical The Girls by Tim Firth and Gary Barlow opening at The Phoenix Theatre, London in January 2017.

“This is fantastic news for Eloise and we are thrilled for her” said Hannah Levy, Head of Acting at Northern Lights Drama. “Eloise attends our LAMDA Acting classes and has a raw passion for performance. We are very proud to see her land her first professional acting job at just 8 years old.”

The More You Ignore Me is the debut feature film from award winning commercials director Keith English, who has said: “It’s not often you read scripts as unusual and as good as this one. Jo Brand has used all her insight gained during her years as a psychiatric health worker to create a story that pulls no punches, but makes you laugh and leaves you with a wonderfully positive feeling at the end.”

Eloise will play the part of Young Alice, later played in the film by Ella Hunt (Les Misérables, Robot Overlords) and screen daughter to acclaimed British actors Sheridan Smith and Mark Addy.

Eloise joins an impressive cast including Sally Phillips, Sheila Hancock, Ricky Tomlinson, Lisa Stansfield, Tom Davies and Jo Brand herself. “When I found out I had got the part I couldn’t believe it,” said Eloise. “I have started filming and it is very exciting to have such an amazing opportunity. This is something I have always dreamed of doing.”

Tilly Oakshott, Head of Musical Theatre at Northern Lights Drama said “It’s been a very exciting three years since launching Northern Lights Drama. Our pupils’ recent success makes a huge statement about the quality of the school and our pupils which we hope will attract further interest from casting directors in the future.”

Well done Eloise! We can’t wait to hear about your time filming when you return to classes in December.

To discover more details about Northern Lights Drama please go to www.heynld.co.uk or email info@heynld.co.uk or call 01482 641690.