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Laura White (actress)

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Laura White
White in 2022
Born
Laura Beatrice White

(1995-05-28) 28 May 1995 (age 29)
EducationGuildford School of Acting
OccupationActress
Years active2016–present
TelevisionDoctors
RelativesCat White (sister)

Laura Beatrice White (born 28 May 1995) is an English actress. Following stage roles including starring as Sandra Wilkinson in a UK tour of The Play That Goes Wrong, White appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors as Princess Buchanan from 2022 to 2023. For her role as Princess, she was nominated for the British Soap Award for Villain of the Year twice. From 2023 to 2024, White is starring in a touring production of Murder in the Dark.

Early life

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White was born on 28 May 1995[1] to a Jamaican mother and an English father, alongside sister Cat and another sister.[2][3] She grew up in Northampton, but also spent time in Wales and Yorkshire, where her mother and father descended from, respectively.[3][4][5] White studied musical theatre at the Guildford School of Acting from 2014 to 2017.[6][7]

Career

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White began her acting career appearing in various short films and advertisements, including a television advertisement for Naked Juice.[6] She also made her stage debut in The Play That Goes Wrong.[7] After graduating from Guildford, she set up the Page One Project, a programme that offers support, advice and guidance to people from underrepresented backgrounds in the arts industry.[8] Alongside acting, she is also a trained life coach, having gained a coaching qualification from the Animas Centre for Coaches, as well as Mental Health First Aid training and Mindfulness teaching.[9][10] In March 2020, White lost her job and was forced to move back in with her parents; she said that during that time, she felt "completely lost" with no knowledge of what to do with her career.[11] Later that year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, White starred in the socially distanced immersive production C-o-n-t-a-c-t in London.[12] She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Sarah,[13] with the British Theatre Guide describing her as "sweet and engaging"[14] and Adam Tipping of Pocket Sized Theatre writing that White "carried the production with ease, synchronisation, and relatability".[15]

Later in 2020, White was announced as a returning cast member for a touring production of The Play That Goes Wrong.[16] She toured with the production from 2020 to 2021.[17] In 2021, White featured in the drama film The Colour Room. She was proud to appear in the film as she felt it was a career highlight to tell the story of artist Clarice Cliff.[11] Also in 2021, she appeared in Big Age, a Channel 4 sitcom pilot written by Bolu Babalola,[18] and starred in Derby Theatre's production of Home Girl.[19] In 2022, White made a guest appearance in an episode of the BBC comedy series Lazy Susan.[20] Also that year, she made her first appearance as Princess Buchanan, a trainee doctor, on the BBC soap opera Doctors.[21][22] For her portrayal of the role, White was nominated for the British Soap Award for Villain of the Year at the 2022 ceremony.[23] She made her final appearance as Princess in January 2023.[24] Following her exit, White took to Instagram to thank the soap for an "amazing, whirlwind 10 months", as well as thanking the cast and crew for being hardworking while also "creating such a warm, welcoming working space".[25] In 2023, she was nominated for the Villain of the Year award for the second year in a row.[26] Also in 2023, White appeared in the BBC crime drama series Silent Witness as Aysha.[7] Months later, she was announced as a central cast member in a touring production of Murder in the Dark.[27]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2019 Cooped Up Carmilla Short film
2020 Dead at the Box Office Vampire Short film
2021 The Colour Room Gladys Film
2021 Lazy Susan Sleepy Girl 1 episode
2021 Big Age Portia Pilot
2022–2023 Doctors Princess Buchanan Recurring role
2022 Roads Apart Jade Short film
2022 Lazy Susan Sleepy Girl 1 episode
2024 Silent Witness Aysha Guest role

Stage

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Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2018–2021 The Play That Goes Wrong Sandra Wilkinson UK tour [6][7]
2020 C-o-n-t-a-c-t Sarah London [28]
2021 Home Girl Nats/Ms Almi Derby Theatre [7]
2023–2024 Murder in the Dark Sarah UK tour [29]

Awards and nominations

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Year Organisation Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2022 British Soap Awards Villain of the Year Doctors Nominated [23]
2022 Industry Minds Awards Performer Doctors Nominated [30]
2022 RTS Midlands Awards Leading Acting Performance Doctors Nominated [31]
2023 British Soap Awards Villain of the Year Doctors Nominated [32]

References

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  1. ^ White, Laura [@laurabeatricewhite] (27 May 2018). "It's a Vegan Moana birthday cake!! Biggest achievement of 22. #vegancake #veganlove #birthdayeve 🌱🌱🌱" – via Instagram.
  2. ^ "Season 3 Episode 2 - Actress, Director and Filmmaker Catherine White". Coffee with Karina. SoundCloud. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Fierce Females no.28: Catherine Joy White, Filmmaker, Writer & founder of Kusini Productions". Slo Active. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  4. ^ White, Laura [@laurabeatricewhite] (18 June 2020). "I am mixed race. Dual heritage. Biracial. And I am whole. I am a cocktail of fried dumplings for breakfast and walks in the Yorkshire moors. Of middle class and working class, of large family and of small. Of gospel music and carnival dance and singing we'll meet again. Of a small British town and the Jamaican countryside, that moved to Wales to start again. Of hair that's free and refuses to stay put no matter how much I used to will it straight. Of Christmas filled with noise and of laughter and debates. From a Northern soul and a Jamaican heart came three children born of love. I am mixed race. Dual heritage. Biracial. And I am whole" – via Instagram.
  5. ^ "Cat White". Curtis Brown. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "Laura White". Mischief Theatre. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Laura White". Spotlight. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Volunteering and Mentoring Schemes". Guildford School of Acting. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  9. ^ "The Page One Project". The Page One Project. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Creative Voices: Bernadette Bangura & Laura White". TicketSource. 29 June 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b White, Laura [@laurabeatricewhite] (12 November 2021). "It's hard to really get my head around what these past 20 months have been. Last March after loosing my job, moving back in with my parents and feeling completely lost, I had no idea what was coming next" – via Instagram. [dead link]
  12. ^ Akbar, Arifa (4 September 2020). "C-o-n-t-a-c-t review – gripping thriller takes its audience on a pacy outdoor odyssey". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Review: C-o-n-t-a-c-t". The Stage. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  14. ^ "C-o-n-t-a-c-t". British Theatre Guide. 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  15. ^ Tipping, Adam (3 September 2020). "REVIEW: C-o-n-t-a-c-t, a socially distanced outdoor experience". Pocket Sized Theatre. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  16. ^ Wood, Alex (9 December 2020). "The Play That Goes Wrong tour casting announced". WhatsOnStage. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  17. ^ Longman, Will. "New West End casting for The Play That Goes Wrong announced". London Theatre. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Big Age". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  19. ^ Bolton, Gay (6 July 2021). "Derbyshire theatre will host stage version of Alex Wheatle's book Home Girl". Derbyshire Times. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Episode 1". BBC. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  21. ^ Timblick, Simon. "'Doctors' spoilers: Karen Hollins gets TRAPPED by burglars!". What to Watch. (Future plc). Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  22. ^ Hallam, Chris (1 December 2022). "Doctors spoilers: Will Princess finally qualify as a GP?". Metro. (DMG Media). Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  23. ^ a b Warner, Sam (10 May 2022). "British Soap Awards 2022 announces full nominations shortlist". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  24. ^ Timblick, Simon. "Doctors spoilers: Will it be an unhappy Christmas for Valerie Pitman?". What to Watch. (Future plc). Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  25. ^ White, Laura (6 December 2022). "It's official, Princess' time at the Mill is coming to an end! Thank you @bbc Doctors for an amazing, whirlwind 10 months. And a big thank you to the cast and crew for working so hard but still creating such a warm, welcoming working space 💖 Will she go in peace? We will seeeee😈". Instagram. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  26. ^ Cormack, Morgan (11 April 2023). "British Soap Awards 2023 longlist: EastEnders' Ravi vs Corrie's Stephen". Radio Times. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  27. ^ "Murder in the Dark". ATG Tickets. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  28. ^ Langary, Anita (15 September 2020). "Immersive London-based show C-o-n-t-a-c-t extended for six weeks". SW Londoner. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  29. ^ "CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE THRILLER: MURDER IN THE DARK". York Theatre Royal. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  30. ^ "PERFORMER AWARD @laurawhitecoaching @robmadge02 @wreh.asha @stephelstob". Instagram. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  31. ^ "RTS Midlands Awards nominees 2022". Royal Television Society. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  32. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (2 May 2023). "British Soap Awards 2023 announces full shortlist and broadcast change". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 28 May 2023.
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