From Harehills to Hallmark: Leeds actress shares how she made her way to the big screen

Most recently, the actress, model, and dancer starred alongside Rachael Leigh Cook (She’s All That), and Luke Macfarlane (Brothers & Sisters) in Caught by Love, a new Hallmark movie which mixes adventure, mystery, and romance. Now Nichola shares how she made it here.

Nichola, from Harehills, first began dancing at seven years old because her dad wanted her to have something positive to focus on.

Nichola said: “Where I grew up, there was a lot of crime and anti-social behaviour going on in the area. My dad really wanted me and my sister to have something outside of the area that we could put all our energy into outside of that.

“He wanted us to do something we enjoy and get better at so we can learn that the more you put into something the more you can get out of it.”

Nichola quickly became enthralled with the world of performing and loved not only dance but singing too. Her ambition was to become a model but she was told by those around her “it was never going to happen”.

Years later, Nichola proved them wrong and has now modelled for brands including Nivea, Aveeno, and Watches of Switzerland.

Nichola said: “Everyone told me no but I thought I’m not having this.

“I decided to create my own portfolio and I spent so much time travelling up and down the country to do different photo shoots, get different looks, and get confident in front of the camera.”

Initially, Nichola balanced modelling alongside a full-time job in a bank but as she found herself becoming “busier and busier”, she decided to take the risk and pursue modelling full-time.

Modelling led to commercial work and commercial work led to acting in soap operas such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and now a Hallmark movie.

Caught by Love is a Hallmark original movie about a Malta holiday-goer who finds unexpected romance after becoming swept in an undercover investigation for some stolen jewels.

In the film, Nichola takes on the role of Kimberly, an American influencer who is at the resort to write a review when she becomes entangled in the chaos.

Nichola sent off her audition, not even thinking that she would hear back. Yet, within a week she was booked for the job and ready to travel for a three and half week shoot in Malta.

She described filming as “one of the most incredible experiences” in her career to date.

Nichola said: “We had such an amazing cast and crew with people from the UK, from America, from Italy, Puerto Rico, and Spain, and it was a really good experience.

“We had an incredible director who was really lovely and easy to work with and obviously being in the sunshine everyone was just happy. I think I made some friends for life.”

For Nichola, working in the creative industry is a “rollercoaster” that she would “take any day” over her old nine-to-five life.

Yet what she’s achieved so far only sinks in when her family excitedly calls her after seeing her in print or on the TV.

It’s this support, particularly from her parents that has helped drive Nichola to push her dreams.

Yet, Nichola also credits her success partly to growing in Harehills, a part of Leeds she feels “very proud” to come from.

Nichola said: “Where I’m from is a huge part of who I am.

“(Harehills) is very diverse and that’s one of the most beautiful things about the area.

“You get to meet people from different places and hear about their cultures and life experiences. One of my greatest gifts now is that I can relate to so many different people because of where I’m from.”

As Nichola believes her upbringing has got her to where she is today, she wants to encourage the next generation of Leeds youth to pursue their passions.

Nichola said: “I think if God has put a dream in your heart, that’s your dream and you should go for it even if everybody in the world is telling you that you can’t do it.

“I want to inspire young women to be able to go after what it is they want in life. Whatever young people want to do in life, I want them to feel like they can do it.”