Natalie Cassidy is indebted to EastEnders legends
Natalie Cassidy was wowed by the professionalism of iconic 'EastEnders' actresses such as June Brown, Dame Barbara Windsor and Wendy Richard and took their approach to her work on the soap.
Natalie Cassidy credits 'EastEnders' legends June Brown, Dame Barbara Windsor and Wendy Richard for her successful stint on the soap.
The 41-year-old actress is set to leave Walford after playing Sonia Fowler for more than 30 years on and off and says that she values the lessons she got from the late actresses – who starred in the show as Dot Cotton, Peggy Mitchell and Pauline Fowler respectively – about how to approach scenes.
Natalie told the Radio Times magazine: "My professionalism and punctuality rippled down from Wendy and Barbara. They were old-school pros."
She added: "Even if Dot wasn't the main story, June always thought carefully about how she'd do it. That work ethic is ingrained in me. If you're ordering a bacon sandwich or giving birth live, treat every scene the same.
"June didn't take life too seriously, but did take her job seriously."
Natalie says she is leaving 'EastEnders' – which she first joined at the age of 10 – to spend more time with her daughters Eliza, 14, and Joanie, eight, and admits that it did feel as if she was "saying goodbye" to Sonia for good this time.
She said: "A fresh start starts to feel appealing.
"It's good to rest a character, though this time I felt I was really saying goodbye."
Meanwhile, Natalie has recalled how Sonia was meant to be a "little blonde girl" as she looked back on first joining the soap in 1993.
The star said: "Sonia was meant to be a little blonde, waif-like girl.
"They'd cast Lindsey Coulson as Carol Jackson and had the image of a mini-me as her daughter. Then I came along!"
Cassidy recently admitted that she wouldn't miss having to learn her lines every night following her exit from the soap.
During an appearance on the 'Off The Telly' podcast, Natalie explained: "It is nice to have a little bit of length and feel a bit different from Sonia.
"The burden of learning lines every night has gone which is a really lovely thing. I feel like I've finally got the evenings back."
She continued: "At the moment it is early days and you always miss the people and miss your friends but I am not missing the work."
