Daniela Denby-Ashe facts for kids

Daniela Denby-Ashe (born on August 9, 1978) is a talented English actress. She is well-known for her roles in popular TV shows. Many people recognize her as Sarah Hills from the soap opera EastEnders. She also played Margaret Hale in the historical drama North and South. Another famous role is Janey Harper in the BBC comedy My Family. Daniela also appeared in the drama series Waterloo Road as Jem Allen and later as Lorraine Donnegan.

Early Life and Background

Daniela Denby-Ashe was born in North West London on August 9, 1978. Her parents were immigrants from Poland. Her father's original name was Miroslaw Pszkit. Before they got married, her parents decided to choose a more British-sounding last name. They picked two names they liked from a phone book and joined them together with a hyphen.

Daniela is very good at languages. She speaks English, Polish, and French fluently. She learned French from her grandmother, who grew up in France before World War II. Daniela started learning ballet when she was only two years old. Later, she also learned tap dancing. From ages 10 to 16, she attended several drama schools, including the Corona Academy.

Acting Career Highlights

Daniela Denby-Ashe began her acting journey early. She first gained experience in a children's video called Nursery Rhymes 2. As a child, she appeared in many TV commercials. This led to roles in children's dramas like Kevin & Co. She also appeared in the Channel 4 comedy Desmond's.

First Big Roles

In 1995, Daniela got her big break. She was cast as Sarah Hills in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She played this character for four years, leaving the show in 1999. The next year, she joined the cast of the BBC sitcom My Family as Janey Harper. Daniela took a short break from My Family in 2003 but returned to her role in 2004. The show's final season aired in June 2011.

Notable TV Dramas

In 2004, Daniela took on a main role in a BBC TV drama adaptation. She played Margaret Hale in North & South, based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell. In 2006, she appeared in the science fiction TV series Torchwood. She played a character named Mary in the episode Greeks Bearing Gifts.

Other TV shows she has been in include Office Gossip, Rescue Me, Is Harry on the Boat?, and The Afternoon Play. From 2003, she also performed in the Radio 4 comedy Ring Around the Bath.

Later Television Work

In 2007, Daniela starred in Maxwell. This was a BBC drama about the life of Robert Maxwell, and she played his secretary, Andrea Martin. In December 2008, she appeared in the BBC Four supernatural drama series Crooked House. In October 2010, she was in an episode of the ITV detective drama Midsomer Murders.

In April 2009, Daniela joined the fourth season of the BBC drama Waterloo Road. She played Jem Allen, a supply teacher. In April 2012, she returned to Waterloo Road as a new regular character, Lorraine Donegan. She appeared throughout the eighth season of the show. More recently, she appeared in two episodes of the BBC sitcom Mum in 2019.

Filmography