Coronation Street’s Ruxandra Porojnicu reveals Alina Pop’s human trafficking story ‘could have happened to her’ when she first moved to the UK
The 25-year-old only had £300 to her name when she moved to London four years ago
CORONATION Street's Ruxandra Porojnicu has revealed Alina Pop's human trafficking story 'could have happened to her' when she first moved to the UK.
The 25-year-old only had £300 to her name when she moved to London from Romania four years ago to try and make it as an actress.
Ruxandra thankfully had being able to speak English on her side, and a friend in the capital city, but still insists her Corrie character's ordeal "could have been me".
Earlier this year, Ruxandra joined the ITV soap as trafficked nail salon worker Alina, who doesn't realise her employers are not looking after her best interests.
Speaking to The Daily Star, the pretty actress explained how she managed to get a job at Pizza Express as a waitress to earn money for acting classes and going to auditions.
But some women in real life have not been as lucky, and having spoken to real-life slavery victims, Ruxandra said: "This is why it is such an important storyline because this really could've been me in Alina's situation.
"I was desperate to find work when I first arrived and looking back four years down the line, I had no idea how things worked in England."
Alina added her scenes are "hard-hitting" and she feels she has a "responsibility" to tell the story accurately.
Ruxandra was still working at Pizza Express when she got the call about the Coronation Street role.
She worked her final shift on a Sunday in London before heading to Manchester the next morning to start filming on the show's famous cobbles.
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She said: "When I'm at Corrie I'm like 'Am I even working?'. It's just so much fun and everyone has been so lovely."
The shocking storyline was first revealed in March, with Cobbles favourite Seb Franklin falling for the nail salon worker unaware of the squalid conditions she is forced to live in.
He will find himself dragged into the murky underworld of modern slavery when he tries to expose her gangmasters.
A source on the ITV soap said: “It’s a really gritty storyline but based on real issues thousands face in the UK every day.
“Coronation Street researchers have been working closely with the Salvation Army, which the government chose in 2011 to help those in need because of slavery.
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