Meryl Fernandes | |
|---|---|
| Born | Meryl Glynis Fernandes 1983 (age 41–42) Tower Hamlets, London, England[1] |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Actress and presenter |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | |
Meryl Glynis Fernandes (born 1983)[1] is an English actress and presenter. She playedAfia Masood, a love interest forTamwar Masood (Himesh Patel) in theBBC soap operaEastEnders, originally making a guest appearance between 29 December 2009[2] and 5 January 2010.[3] She returned to the role of Afia, on 18 November 2010, this time as a regular character.[4] She departedEastEnders on 7 June 2012.[5][6]
Born in 1983 to Harold and Ghislaine Fernandes, Meryl was brought up in London and went toTrinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green.[7] Her parents, of IndianGoan ancestry, were originally fromNairobi.[7] Fernandes trained at Millennium Performing Arts in 2000. She is skilled in several types of dance and has kissed Tom Hardy in a play.[8]
Other than appearing inEastEnders, Fernandes has appearedDoctor Who,Demons,Minder alongside fellowEastEnders actor,Shane Richie,[9]It's Now or Never,Clone andDis/Connected.[8] She has also appeared in the highly criticised YouTube series,Living With the Infidels playing 'Jot'.[8][10] In stage she has appeared inThe Lion of Punjab in 2006 andA Small Town Anywhere directed in 2007.[8] In musicals she has appeared inOliver! as a 'Workhouse Girl', in 1996 and sung inIl mondo della luna at theRoyal Academy of Music in 2003.[8] She has also appeared in a film,Ashes where she appeared as the lead role, Amisha, in 2012.[8]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | EastEnders | Schoolgirl | 1 episode |
| 1995 | A Small Addition | ||
| 2006 | It's Now or Never | Flower Girl | |
| 2007 | Dis/Connected | Sara | |
| 2008 | Doctor Who | Head Girl | |
| 2009 | Demons | Amber Selway | |
| 2008 | Clone | Jasmine | |
| 2009 | Minder | Roxy | |
| 2009–2012 | EastEnders | Afia Masood | 110 episodes |
| 2016 | World of Weird | Presenter | |
| 2018 | Ackley Bridge | Maryam Quereshi | 2 episodes |
| 2019–present | The Dengineers | Presenter |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Living with the Infidels | Jot | Main Role |
| 2010 | Ashes | Amisha |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Oliver! | Workhouse Girl | Musical |
| 2003 | Sleeping Beauty | Sleeping Beauty | Stage |
| 2003 | Il Mondo Della Luna | Moon Dancer | Opera |
| 2005 | The Far Pavilions | Anjuli | Musical |
| 2006 | The Lion of Punjab | Jindan | Stage |
| 2007 | Who Asked You? | Deborah Smith | |
| 2007 | A Small Town Anywhere | The Samaritan | |
| 2007 | A Matter of Life and Death | Clerk/Nurse | |
| 2007 | The Man of Mode | Harriet |