Netflix gave me 'the best summer of my life'

Esme Kingdom, a 26-year-old actress from South Dalton near Beverley, recently starred in the Netflix film 'My Oxford Year. ' She played Maggie Timbs, the best friend of the main character Anna De La Vega, who is portrayed by Sofia Carson. Esme described her experience as surreal, saying she had to 'pinch herself' when she saw the film become the top movie in the UK on Netflix. Growing up, Esme attended musical theatre classes in Hull and later studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Because of the pandemic, her classes were held online, and she remembers doing funny things like pretending to be an owl in her garden, which probably amused her neighbors.

Esme's role in the film felt natural to her, especially since the director, Iain Morris, encouraged the cast to improvise and bring their own personalities to the characters. She said that filming was 'the best summer of my life,' filled with laughter, good food, and close friendships. Esme still meets up with her castmates at least once a week. The cast included well-known actors like Sofia Carson and Corey Mylchreest, who played King George in 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.

Despite coming from a small village with limited opportunities, Esme is proud of her roots and the success of other actors from Beverley, such as Anna Maxwell Martin, Eleanor Tomlinson, and Lewis Pemberton. She recalls her time at RADA, doing voice exercises and acting out scenes over Zoom, which she found silly but helpful. Esme wishes she could tell her younger self not to worry, as she would achieve her dreams sooner than expected. She hopes to continue acting in more films and help put East Yorkshire on the map for talented performers.