Chanel Cresswell may be known to many as Trollied's friendly and bubbly Kate but she took on a very different role while filming in South Derbyshire.
The actress plays the character of Belinda in Pin Cushion, the award-winning debut feature film by Swadlincote's own Deborah Haywood.
It will debut in cinemas on Friday, July 13, and when it came to filming Deborah brought the cast to her home town for the ideal setting.
It tells the story of mother and daughter Lyn and Iona, played by Joanna Scanlan and Lily Newmark, who are more like best friends.
They are excited to make a new start in a new town and after a tricky start they go about making new friends.
However, the new friendships are not all they seem and the duo retreat into a world of fantasy and lies. Cresswell's character of Belinda appears to become the new friend of Lyn but is actually only after her stepladder and is more bully than friend.
Talking to the Burton Mail, Chanel said Belinda was not an easy character to play, especially having to be nasty to Joanna Scanlan.
She said: "Basically Pin Cushion is two storylines alongside each other - one is about Iona who is having a rough time at school and the other is about Lyn who tries to integrate with society after struggling in the last place she lived. I don't make Lyn's life very easy.
"My character wants her stepladder when she goes round and is just being a nosy neighbour. I think we can all relate to that when someone new moves on the street and she wants the gossip.
"She doesn't really like anyone as she is not happy in her life so she goes after the drama and wants to make sure people know she is the dominant person.
"It is difficult because I was really excited to play Belinda when I got the script but when I was on set and I met Joanna (Scanlan) I felt awful.
"Working with Deborah I got to play with the character a little bit but it is hard not to be nice to Joanna. At one point I had to blow fag smoke in her face and I felt really bad about doing it.
"Mentally it was difficult and I didn't enjoy doing it."
Chanel has taken on many roles in her career but is best known for playing Kelly in This is England and Kate in Sky's Trollied.
She said: "It is very different to Trollied as Kate is easy-going and nice, she doesn't harm anyone. I have done more serious roles and darker characters but with this one it was different.
"I had problems at school like other people and I had to step into the bullies' shoes and it was not very nice. Belinda is not a nice character.
"I am thankful for it but it was difficult to do.
"When I was offered the role I got a call from my agent about an up and coming director and they sent through a script. I am from the Derby area, from Smalley, so it is good to be back and I read the script and thought what the hell? This is crazy.
"However there was something endearing about it and such imagination. It was really well explained in the script and it sounded amazing. It is just brilliant.
"It is so different to anything I have been in before but it is nice to support women in film and this is something I can relate to.
"It was nice to be working in Derbyshire but we did get a torrential downpour at one point. I had a great time filming and Deborah and I laughed a lot, probably to the point where we annoyed a few people who were trying to work."
Pin Cushion has already received positive reviews from critics since first opening at the 2017 Venice Film Festival.
Chanel said: "The reaction to the film has been very positive as it stands alone, people recognise that.
"We all have those moments at school and not being one of the popular girls, this has happened to people of all ages. A lot of people can relate to this.
"If you want to watch this it is not your typical film but it is very arty in the way that it looks. It is totally different but very real and a lot of people will relate in this day and age, with all the social media, to not being a certain way and not fitting into society.
"It is a very different film to go so have a look."
As she looks to the future, Chanel has been busy with other projects including a part in a series of three stories for Channel 4 and working on another film alongside Eva Gonzalez.
She has been filming for the ever-popular Trollied and has just signed up for an ITV project which starts filming later this year.
