The A Word’s Julie Hesmondhalgh reveals nerve-wracking struggle with ‘imposter syndrome’ on set of BBC drama
THE A Word's Julie Hesmondhalgh has opened up about her struggles with 'imposter syndrome' on the set of the BBC drama.
The actress, who played Corrie's Hayley Cropper for 16 years, admits that nerves cause her to doubt her abilities.
She said: "I’m always very nervous on the first day, to the point where I think, ‘I don’t want to do this’. The read-throughs are worst.
"You sit there with these amazing actors and expect someone to come to you at the end and be like, ‘Yeah, sorry. It’s not going to work out’. It’s imposter syndrome like you’d never imagine because you don’t know how to be in those situations.”
Julie Hesmondhalgh, 50, explained that leaving the cobbles in 2014 helped give her the confidence to step of her comfort zone and try something new.
The A Word star adds: “Leaving was a big thing because that was such a safe place and it is a great job to grow old in.
“So it was like, ‘Oh s***, am I really ready? Is it a good thing for me to be going out into the world where there traditionally aren’t very many interesting roles for women in their 40s?’
“If there are, they’re for a handful of really brilliant actors, who everybody wants to see.
“But thankfully it’s worked out all right. It’s been all right for me so far!”
In the ongoing third series, much has changed for the Hughes family as we join them two years on.
Joe is now 10 and dividing his time between his mum Alison and dad Paul, who are divorced and living 100 miles apart.
Peter Bowker, writer of The A Word, told the BBC: “It is a joy to be revisiting the world of The A Word, to move the story of the Hughes family on, and to have the opportunity to expand our celebration and examination of diversity and humanity in all its myriad forms.”
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Julie starred in the recently-concluded ITV drama The Trouble with Maggie Cole, playing the role of school teacher Jill Wheadon.
The six-part ITV drama follows character Maggie, played by Dawn French - a local gossip who goes on regional radio to talk about local life in the fictional coastal town of Thirlbury.
"In my universe, it’s the mis-sent text – you’re sending a text about someone but you accidentally send it to them instead!
She added: "It’s happened to me once and the person I was talking about rang me, so obviously I knew straight away what had happened.