User:Jammie2411: Difference between revisions
Jammie2411 (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Infobox soap character 2 | series = EastEnders |
{{Infobox soap character 2 | series = EastEnders |
||
|name=Manda Best |
|name=Manda Best |
||
|image=[[File:Manda best.jpg|200px]] |
|image=[[:File:Manda best.jpg|200px]]<!--Non free file removed by DASHBot--> |
||
|portrayer=[[Josie Lawrence]] |
|portrayer=[[Josie Lawrence]] |
||
|introducer=[[Diederick Santer]] |
|introducer=[[Diederick Santer]] |
||
Revision as of 05:09, 1 June 2010
| Manda Best | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EastEnders character | |||||||||
| 200px | |||||||||
| Portrayed by | Josie Lawrence | ||||||||
| Duration | 2009–10 | ||||||||
| First appearance | 6 March 2009 | ||||||||
| Last appearance | 12 February 2010 | ||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||
| Introduced by | Diederick Santer | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Amanda "Manda" Best, played by Josie Lawrence, is an old friend (and ex-girlfriend) of character Phil Mitchell (played by Steve McFadden). She was first seen on screen on 6 March 2009. It was announced in November 2009 that Lawrence had quit EastEnders and would leave in 2010,[1] making her final appearance on 12 February.
Creation & Development
In January 2009, it was announced that comedienne Lawrence would join EastEnders playing Manda Best, a character who had grown up in Walford and knew Phil Mitchell and Minty Peterson (Cliff Parisi) over 20 years prior to moving back.[2][3] She joined the show for a specific storyline involving Phil and Minty, however, a source at the BBC told entertainment website Digital Spy that "there are plenty of potential storyline opportunities for her to able to stick around."[2] When asked about Manda's future, Lawrence said "It's weird playing a part when you don't know what happens to the character. I could ride off on my bike into the sunset, but grisly ends are much more fun."[4]
Lawrence described her character as "Loving, strange (in a good way) and creative"[3] and said she based the character's 'new age' side on "a couple of my mates who are into their yoga and breathing. There's a couple of times when you see Manda take a deep breath when she is getting irate."[3]
Later in 2009, Manda's son Adam joined the show, played by David Proud. Adam has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair.[5]
Lawrence decided to quit the show at the end of her initial contract, saying that she enjoyed her time on the show but asked to leave as she liked having variety in her career. She said writers did not have time to come up with a good exit storyline for Manda as they were busy working on the "Who Killed Archie?" storyline.[6]
Storylines
Lawrence revealed Manda's backstory in an interview in March 2009: "Manda Best lived in [Albert] Square over 20 years ago — she went out with Phil and knew Minty. She got married and left the area, but she's been divorced for five years. I don't think it was a very happy marriage — he was a bit of a philanderer. After the divorce she decided to reinvent herself. She's taken a course in teaching pottery and art and she's made life better for herself by becoming more spiritual. She's also one of these people that likes hugging — she likes to hug a lot of people!"[3] She also has a son, Adam, who has departed for university.[2]
Manda first appears at Walford's community centre where she is teaching a pottery class, where she meets her old acquaintance Minty Peterson. Minty reveals that while Manda was dating his friend Phil Mitchell years ago, he secretly used to hate her. However, they settle their differences and soon start dating. The pace of the relationship is slow however, and Minty wonders if Manda is really interested in him. In July 2009, Minty sees Manda kissing Phil. He reluctantly confronts her, and she explains she was thanking Phil for allowing Minty a day off work (she was planning a secret trip to the theatre for Minty). Manda also assures him that she will never cheat on him.
Manda's landlord evicts her from her flat, and after Garry Hobbs and Dawn Swann leave Walford, she moves into Minty's place with her cat. Manda's son Adam comes to stay in September 2009, and he takes an instant disliking to Minty. After Adam returns to Oxford University, Manda tries to explain away her son's hostility, by saying he is over-protective. Minty responds by telling Manda that Adam is arrogant and rude, and he doesn't appreciate being treated like that in his own home. The pair make up however, with Manda promising that Adam will be nicer in future.
Manda discovers that Darren Miller is the secret father of Heather Trott's baby George but agrees to keep it to herself. When the secret is revealed, Minty is angry with her for not telling him as he was once married to Heather. They make up, but then Manda finds out that Minty has been hiding Sam Mitchell from the police. Manda says it is worse than her secret as she was not harbouring a fugitive. She realises that text messages Minty has been receiving were from Sam and not Garry, as he had told her. Adam tries to stir things up by saying that Minty fantasises about Sam. However, Manda and Minty later agree that they are even.
When Minty starts disappearing regularly without saying where he is going, Manda tells Adam she suspects he is having an affair. Adam asks his friend Libby Fox to help search for evidence, and they find a letter Sam has sent him from prison. Adam asks Libby to tell his mother about it. Manda asks Minty about it and he says he does have feelings for Sam but he wants to spend his future with Manda. However, Manda says that when she first returned to Walford she was looking for Phil as she still has feelings for him. Manda then leaves Walford with Adam, who is returning to Oxford. Several months later, Adam tells Minty that Manda is seeing someone new.
References
- ^ Green, Kris (16 November 2009). "Josie Lawrence to leave EastEnders". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
- ^ a b c Fletcher, Alex (14 January 2009). "Comic Josie Lawrence joins 'EastEnders'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Josie Lawrence on joining EastEnders". BBC Online. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (28 February 2009). "Lawrence reveals 'EastEnders' nerves". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
- ^ Green, Kris (4 June 2009). "First disabled adult role for 'Enders". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ Millar, Paul (18 April 2010). "Josie Lawrence explains 'Enders exit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 April 2010.