Biography
Leila has always wanted to be an actress although as a young child she thought of combining this with a career as an archaeologist and had a nice collection of fossils and bones collected on trips to Italy and Greece. She attended the Italian Conti Academy at first part time only on Saturdays and then became the youngest ever to audition and be awarded a place in the full time school.
The school was only a secondary (high) school at the time and did not have a junior department so Leila at the age of just nine went into a class with pupils of eleven plus - two years and more her senior. It was from this that she acquired her nickname of 'fun size' and was looked on as a bit of a mascot to the school.
Leila always took her acting seriously and did well in school productions. At school she was friends with several people who have gone on to become well known - such as Martine McCutcheon and Kelly Brook. Natasha Symms from Hollyoakes is one of her best friends.
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| Leila at Tasha's Wedding | Friend Kelly Brook | School Mate Martine |
Leila is part Italian although her name is derived from Arabic and means midnight or dark sky - suiting her colouring and according with her Italian middle name Brunella which also means dark haired girl.
Leila likes to do charity work and here she is pictured giving a prize to a young basket ball player and with her screen brothers Michael Greco and Marc Bannerman and with her screen mother Louise Jameson at a charity event.
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Leila got on well with the cast of Eastenders and felt as if her screen family were a real support. Her screen sister Carly Hillman (Nicky) became a close friend.
In real life Leila has a brother four years older than her who has a band, writes songs and plays guitar. He also has a 'day job' as a computer engineer. Her real mum is a doctor which has given Leila an insight into helping people.
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| With Screen Sister Carly | With Brother's Band | With Great Dane in Elle Magazine |
She's always been interested in Animals and has lots of pets including dogs, snakes and a parrot and has worked in a pet shop and mini farm where she hand raised a pair of goats. "They used to cry for their feeds and I had to get bottles for them all through the night ... but they were so affectionate that I didn't mind!"
Leila has been lucky to work with some great people in TV, film and on stage and it would be hard and unfair to try to list them. Some of her most moving moments in EastEnders were of course with Jo Absolom (Matthew) as they ran from villain Martin Kemp (Steve Owen) "He was such a lovely person I hated to have to hit him so hard in the lift scene ... but it was great fun too"
She has been warned about working with animals and children - but as a former child star has taken no notice and has even appeared with her niece Sophia who tried her very best to steal the limelight!
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| Leila with Jo Absolom | With Martin Kemp | With Sophia 'Generations' |
Leila is a very versatile actress and is equally happy in comedy as in serious Shakespeare. She has taught and helped young people and children to appreciate drama and 'The Bard' and is regularly Drama director for a charity working with deprived youngsters.
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| Period Comedy | Classic Shakespeare | Cape Cod Theatre |
Currently Leila is acting in the United States but travels across the Atlantic to fulfil engagements in UK and Europe.