Famous Actors Trained by Northern Film and Drama
From acting classes to successful careers in film and television
At Northern Film and Drama, we believe that great acting training is about much more than learning lines. Over the years, the phrase “NFD – Famous Actors Trained by NFD” has become closely linked with some of the top talent in the industry.
Our training helps performers build confidence, understand the camera and develop their individuality. Additionally, we teach them how to work professionally and prepare for the real demands of film and television.
Among the actors and performers we have trained are Jessica Barden, Colson Smith, Kimberley Walsh, Amy Walsh, Sam Jackson, Lee Otway and Joe Pasquale.
We are incredibly proud of every one of them.
More importantly, we are proud to have been part of their journey.
⭐Jessica Barden
Jessica Barden is one of the talented actors who began her journey with Northern Film and Drama.
Since those early days, Jessica has built a successful career in film and television. She became widely known for playing Alyssa in the Channel 4 and Netflix series The End of the F\ing World*.
She has also appeared in productions such as The Lobster, Hanna, Penny Dreadful, Pieces of Her and You & Me. More recently, Jessica played Young Valya Harkonnen in Dune: Prophecy.
Seeing an actor grow from their first training sessions into an established screen performer is incredibly rewarding. It is one of the reasons we are so proud of the work we do at Northern Film and Drama.
⭐ Colson Smith
Colson Smith began attending Northern Film and Drama as a young performer.
He later became a familiar face on British television after being cast as Craig Tinker in Coronation Street. Colson played Craig for 14 years, becoming a well‑known member of the long‑running ITV soap’s cast.
His career shows what can happen when talent, determination, training and opportunity come together.
We remember Colson as a young actor developing his skills, and it has been wonderful to watch his career grow over the years.
⭐Kimberley Walsh
Kimberley Walsh went on to become one of Britain’s best-known performers as a member of the hugely successful girl group Girls Aloud.
However, her career has extended well beyond music.
Kimberley has worked in television, presenting and acting. Her credits include St Trinian’s, Horrid Henry: The Movie and I Used to Be Famous.
She also took on the role of Princess Fiona in the West End production of Shrek the Musical.
Her career is a great example of how strong performance skills can open doors across different areas of the entertainment industry.
⭐Amy Walsh
Amy Walsh has built a successful career in television and is best known for playing Tracy Metcalfe in ITV’s Emmerdale.
Amy began developing her acting skills at a young age. She later joined the cast of Emmerdale, becoming a popular and recognisable face on British television.
She has also appeared in programmes outside of acting, including Celebrity MasterChef, where she reached the final.
We are delighted to have been part of Amy’s early acting journey and to have watched her develop as a performer.
⭐Sam Jackson
Sam Jackson, from Wetherby in West Yorkshire, went on to build a career across television, film and theatre.
He became known for playing Alex Henley in the E4 drama Skins.
His television credits have also included The Syndicate, Holby City, Drifters and Father Brown.
Sam has also worked in theatre, including performances in Kes and Beautiful Thing.
His career demonstrates the importance of developing adaptable acting skills and the confidence to work across different areas of the professional industry.
⭐Lee Otway
Lee Otway began his acting career at a young age and went on to become well known for playing David “Bombhead” Burke in Hollyoaks.
His career has included work across television, film and theatre.
Lee’s television credits include The Syndicate, Doctors, Heartbeat and The Crown, where he played royal bodyguard Kez Wingfield.
He has also appeared in Meet the Richardsons and the Sky Cinema film Tinsel Town.
Lee’s career shows that professional acting can take performers in many different directions.
Proud to have been part of their journey
Every actor’s journey is different.
There is no single route into the film and television industry. Success also rarely happens overnight.
Behind every successful actor there is usually a combination of training, hard work, determination, resilience, confidence and opportunity.
At Northern Film and Drama, we have always wanted to give our students the strongest possible foundation.
We give performers the opportunity to learn, practise and develop. They can make mistakes, build confidence and discover what works for them.
Most importantly, our students learn how to perform in front of the camera.
This practical experience is incredibly important for anyone who wants to work in film and television.
We cannot take credit for their success
We would never claim responsibility for everything our former students have achieved.
Their success belongs to them.
They worked hard, took opportunities, faced challenges and continued to learn and develop.
However, we are incredibly proud that Northern Film and Drama was part of their journey.
Hopefully, we gave them their first experience of performing for the camera.
I believe we helped them find their confidence.
We tried to encouraged them to believe that a career in the entertainment industry could really be possible.
Whatever part we played, we hope we helped give them the best possible start.
Above all, we hope we encouraged them to believe in themselves and aspire to be the very best they could be.
That is something we remain incredibly proud of.
Training actors for film and television since 1994
Northern Film and Drama has been training performers for film and television since 1994.
For more than 35 years, we have helped children, teenagers and adults develop their acting skills and confidence.
Our specialist approach focuses on screen acting rather than stage acting.
Students learn through practical experience. They work in front of the camera, develop showreels, practise self-tapes and learn how to create believable performances for screen.
Our philosophy is simple:
Training while Creating.
We believe actors learn best by doing.
That is why practical screen experience has always been such an important part of our training.
From the next generation of actors to future screen performers
The actors featured on this page are just some of the talented people who have passed through Northern Film and Drama.
We are proud of their achievements. However, we are equally excited about the young performers who are beginning their own journeys today.
The next successful film or television actor could already be sitting in one of our classes.
At Northern Film and Drama, our aim is to give every performer the skills, confidence and experience they need to take their next step.
Northern Film and Drama – Making Screen Acting Achievable
If you are looking for screen acting training in Leeds or Yorkshire, Northern Film and Drama provides specialist training for children, teenagers and adults.
Whether you are completely new to acting or already have experience, our goal is the same:
To help you develop your skills, build your confidence and shine in front of the camera.
Northern Film and Drama – Training while Creating since 1994.