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Jessie Wallace in the Hot Seat |
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Other Jessie Wallace articles
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Jessie Wallace is used to chasing the men-folk of Walford as Kat Slater, but we distracted her for while and put her in the hot seat. If you could be any soap woman, who would you be and why? It would have to be Angie Watts because I think she was just brilliant. She was one of the greatest soap females ever. She was in Eastenders during my favourite era as well. She was very funny, always glamorous and was a typical East-End landlady. I would have loved to have played that character. Who is your ideal man? Elvis Presley, in every way! I’ve even got a picture of him on my wall that I can look at whenever I want to! I like the actor Michael Madson as well because he looks a bit like Elvis. I even recorded the film Free Willy off the TV recently just because he’s in it. What would you most like to change about your character? Absolutely nothing. I think Kat Slater is great he way she is. I love the way she is so up front with everybody and says exactly what she thinks all the time. If Kat wants something she will just go out and get it and she really doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her or her appearance. I really love Kat, she’s just right the way she is if you ask me! How would you describe yourself in three words? Moody, but I think that is just part of being a woman, isn’t it?! I also think I’m a good laugh and I’d say I’m quite eccentric at times. Do you have any heroines? Yes, I think Madonna is brilliant and she just keeps on getting better and better. When she first started out, with the lace gloves and everything I was about twelve and I tried to dress up like her. I wore ribbons in my hair and had legwarmers. I still love her music and think her new CD is really good. What is the best thing about being in a soap? Everyone here is really lovely and I enjoy being part of such a great soap. I’m also getting used to being recognised as well. It comes as part of the package really. All the cast has a good time on the Eastenders set because we make each other laugh all the time. What do people think when they first meet you? I don’t know but I would like them to think that I’m nice because I’m quite laid back and easy to get on with. I’m not exactly shy so I can normally chat to most people easily enough. Are you a girly girl or a boy’s girl? I think I can adapt! If I’m with the blokes then I can be one of the lads, but when I’m with the girls I can be quite girly. I’m not talking about being very girly though and discussing things like nail varnish! It doesn’t really bother me if I’m a mate with blokes or girls as long as I can have a laugh with them. Do you have any ambitions that have yet to be fulfilled? I’d love to travel the world and I will definitely do that one day- hopefully sometime in the next three years. Do you ever miss being a make-up artist? No, not really because I’m so happy with what I’, dong now. It was weird when people first started doing my make-up here but I’ve got used to it now. It’s quite nice to be pampered actually. My mates still try and get me to do their make-up when we go on big nights out, but I generally try and get out of it. Do you think that you would get on with Kat of you were to meet? Yes, I think so. You could really let yourself go with Kat and not worry about anything because she would just go mad! She’s the sort of girl that you could dare to do anything and she would do it. We’re really quite similar in some ways, I’ve actually been noticing it more and more recently- I’m not sure if she’s turning into me or I’m turning into her. Kat would definitely be the louder one if we went on a night out together. Our main similarity is that we’re both very loyal to our friends and the members of our family. I’m very glad I don’t dress like her though. Do you have a hidden talent? I can fit my whole fist in my mouth! I was mucking about with some mates and we all managed to do it! It’s quite a good hidden talent. Are you a genuine Eastender? No. My mum’s side of the family is from the East End, but I’m originally from North London and then I moved out to Essex when I was 18. I live in the outskirts of East London now, but I’m not really an Eastender through and through. Who is your best mate? Her name is Nicky and we have been mates since we were about 16. She lives in Enfield and we met when we all first started going out socially. She has been my closest buddy ever since. We are true friends and we know all each other’s secrets. She found the whole fame thing quite weird at first but she’s used to it now. I’m close to my sisters too. I’ve just been out with my youngest sister Danielle who is 18, and my oldest sister is 32. How did you celebrate your last birthday? I think I had a quiet one last year, we all just went out for a meal somewhere. I’m not that big on birthdays, I always have this fear that I’m going to throw a lavish bash and no one is going to turn up! It’s much more fun going along to someone else’s party, I wouldn’t be able to relax if it was my own one. What would be your dream acting role? To play a part like Miranda Richardson did in Dance with a Stranger. I’d love a really powerful female role. I would like to do theatre work as well. I think it must be a buzz to perform in front of a live audience every night. I enjoyed the atmosphere of theatre at drama school. What was the worst job you ever had? I think it was working for Benetton and I had the job for about less than an hour before I walked out. I was standing there folding up jumpers and people kept coming in and unfolding them so I just walked out! I just wasn’t happy so I left. What is your earliest memory? I can remember having a bath in the kitchen sink when I was about three years old. It’s a strange thing to remember but I can see it really vividly. I’ve got a good memory from when I was young; I even remember my first day at Playschool. I recall sitting on the slide and suddenly realizing that my mum wasn’t there. It was then that I burst into tears. Would you chase your own doctor if he were as good looking as Anthony? No, I don’t tend to chase people. I couldn’t do it in case I was given a knock back. I’d be too scared. That’s a definite Kat characteristic and not me!
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