Actress Antonia Thomas is looking forward to flying back to London for her cover shoot when we speak. After spending four years filming in Vancouver, she's made a life in north America, "I have a community of friends, a cat and a boyfriend," she tells us. But as much as she loves the nature in Canada, she's still very much a London girl. "I miss the buzz it's the best city in the world."
To be closer to family Antonia, who is currently bouncing between the two locations, is contemplating "the slow move back", looking to buy a house somewhere between London Bridge and Greenwich, where she grew up. She has two older sisters, Emma Jay Thomas, also an actress, and Chloe Lucy Thomas, a journalist. "I love hanging out with my sisters and my nieces and nephews."
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Watch Antonia Thomas on her Hello! Fashion cover shoot:
VIDEO: Watch Antonia on her HELLO! Fashion cover shoot
Who are Antonia Thomas's parents?
Her mother, Veronica Thomas, was head of psychological services at St Thomas' hospital and her father, David Thomas, is a classical singer - both parents are strong role models who helped shape who her and her siblings are today. "Maybe everybody thinks this about their mothers, but mine is a bit of a superwoman," she says proudly. "She moved to Yorkshire from Jamaica when she was Il years old. It was difficult having to figure her way through a career, she was first a nurse, then did a PhD and became a psychologist. The number of doors she's had to knock on that have closed in her face, she's had all sorts of obstacles and managed to forge herself the most incredible career. She's absolutely my number one role model. And I always look at her and think, 'OK, if you could do this, I can give what I'm doing a go'."
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Dress: Zimmerman, Jewellery: Van Cleef and Arpels
How did Antonia Thomas get the role in Misfits?
Antonia's first major role came in 2009, she'd started the audition process for British science-fiction comedy-drama Misfits, whilst in her final year at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School - and secured the part of Alisha Daniels one week after graduation. "They were doing a wide search to find the right kind of characters and the first audition was a bit like a cattle market. There were ten of us in a room, we were given a scenario and were essentially told to do something that was eye-catching or to grab attention. At one point I gave up thinking, I can't continue in this way," she remembers.
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Dress: Sandra Mansour at Koirbird, Jewellery: Van Cleef and Arpels
On the train back to Bristol she phoned her father, "I told him that I hadn't done well and it was a waste of time". But the call came back and, after seven additional rounds of auditions, she was cast. "I was terrified and fresh out of drama school where I was doing Shakespeare - and really didn't feel particularly ready for it.
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The show, which was a completely new concept, involved a group of juvenile offenders who, when working together on a community service project, developed superpowers. Alisha's powers included instant sexual arousal and clairvoyance skills. "It was really fun and the gang was just brilliant. We're all so different, but gelled really well. And the nature of that project, looking back now, I don't think I realised what a unicorn it was." She still considers co-star Nathan Stewart Jarrett a dear friend and catches up with a couple of the other cast members by text. And she tells us that her and 'Robbie' (Robert Sheehan), "always end up bumping into each other at a random event in LA or something. It's always great fun to see him..."
Read the full interview in the new July-August issue of HELLO! Fashion out now….