Shop girl's big screen role

31 December 2009

Danielle Sambrook

A SHOP assistant at Primark in Romford is playing a body double in the forthcoming Harry Potter film.

Danielle Sambrook, 21, of Sheila Road, Collier Row, who has similar red hair to actress Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley, was put forward by her casting agent.

She was selected from a line-up of Weasley hopefuls for the chance to work on Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

Danielle, a Potter fan herself, said: "It's a lot of fun. I get to see how they do all the things when you watch the film and think 'how did they do that?'

"It's really weird. I used to watch the films when I was at school. And now I'm 21 and on set."

As a body double Danielle gets to do almost everything Bonnie does during filming to effectively shadow her as each scene is being filmed.

But, unlike Bonnie, only shots of the back of Danielle's head will be used intermittently in the final cut.

Danielle, a former student of Marshalls Park School, said: "Another girl does it as well but she has to wear a wig. I only have to brush mine and put clips in, or I sometimes wear a hairpiece."

She completed a BTEC National Diploma and a Higher National Certificate, both in acting, at Barking College and prior to her latest break has worked on TV.

Days on set in Hertfordshire can last for 12 hours, but Danielle does get to mingle with the stars. "I like talking to Dan - he's really down to earth. The whole bunch I work with are great."

Filming for the seventh Potter film, which is being split into two, began in August and is expected to finish in June. The first part is due for release in November and the second in July 2011.