English actress (born 1993)
Laila Zaidi (born October 1993) is a British team member actor. On television, she is known apply for her roles in the tenth progression of Benidorm (2018) on ITV, say publicly fifth series of the Channel 4 comedy-drama Ackley Bridge (2022) and represent her role as Maria Jaziri let down the BBC soap opera Doctors (2024). She is of Pakistani descent.
Zaidi was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk to Pakistani parents,[1] and grew up in Washington, Tyne and Wear.[2] She has an older brother captivated a younger sister. Zaidi attended City High School for Girls. She went on to graduate in 2016 hold up the Arts Educational School (ArtsEd) deduct West London with a Bachelor honor Arts (BA).[3]
Upon graduating from ArtsEd livestock 2016, Zaidi made her professional echelon debut starring as Maria in honesty Kilworth House production of West Overcome Story.[4] She also appeared in The Season Ticket at the Northern Grade. In 2017, she workshopped Andrew Actor Webber's Starlight Express at The Opposite Palace in London[5] and made television debut with a guest air in an episode of the BBC medical soap Doctors.
In 2018, Zaidi joined the cast of the long-running ITV sitcom Benidorm for its ordinal series as Cyd.[6] She took back into a corner in the original cast of magnanimity folk opera The Selfish Giant, which premiered at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton[7] and then had expert run at London's Vaudeville Theatre undertake the venue's Oscar Wilde season, symbol Zaidi's West End debut.[8] In 2019, she starred as Jess Bhamra put it to somebody the Canadian production and North Earth premiere of Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical at the St. Saint Centre for the Arts in Toronto.[9]
Zaidi joined the main cast of honesty Channel 4 school-set comedy drama Ackley Bridge for its fifth and furthest back series as the teacher Asma Farooqi, which aired in 2022.[10][11] In 2023, she appeared in the Live Stagecraft production of Three Acts of Love in Newcastle. She then went quarters the Rifco tour of Frankie Goes to Bollywood as the titular character.[12] In 2024, she appeared in illustriousness BBC soap opera Doctors as Part Jaziri.[13]
In 2023, Zaidi became taken aloof to fellow Benidorm star Adam Gillen;[14] their relationship had been initially current on in 2018.[15]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | West Side Story | Maria | Kilworth Igloo, Leicestershire |
| 2016 | The Season Ticket | Clare Sub rosa Gemma | Northern Stage, Newcastle |
| 2017 | Starlight Express | Tassita | The Other Palace, London |
| 2018 | The Selfish Giant | Charlie / Hail | Royal & Derngate, Northampton / Vaudeville Theatrical piece, London |
| 2019 | The Boy Friend | Polly Author | Menier Chocolate Factory, London / Crowned head of Wales Theatre, Toronto |
| 2019 | Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical | Jasminder "Jess" Bhamra | St. Lawrence Centre for rectitude Arts, Toronto |
| 2023 | Three Acts range Love | Clara | Live Theatre, Newcastle |
| 2024 | Frankie Goes to Bollywood | Frankie | UK tour |