Oldham drama students land roles in Black Mirror and major Amazon Prime series

She was one of the 16 hopefuls on the BBC business series The Apprentice back in 2018, and now former Shameless star Sarah Byrne is thrilled to see her drama academy and agency go from strength to strength without needing the £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar.

Drama teacher Sarah, who launched the Sarah Byrne Acting Academy in her hometown Oldham in 2016, was the first candidate of the 2018 series to hear the famous words ‘you’re fired’ in the boardroom.

However, after carving out a successful acting career, she is excited to have nurtured the next generation of northern talent including children currently starring in the Netflix thriller anthology Black Mirror and the Amazon Prime series The Power, starring Golden Globe Award and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actress Toni Collette.

Sarah, 34, from Lees, was inspired to set up the academy to act as a role model to her young daughter Sadie.

She is proud to see local talent catapulted into the spotlight under the guidance of herself and talent scout Sue Burns, 60, from Prestwich.

Based at Oldham Hulme Grammar School and the Manchester Maccabi Community and Sports Club, the academy for budding talent aged four to 25 has students from as far as the Isle of Man and the north east, as well as from across Greater Manchester.

Nine-year-old Lillie-Mae Law plays the haunting role of Laura Simons in the chilling drama Demon 79 in the new season of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. 

Released just last month, the episode starring It’s a Sin and The Stranger’s Shaun Dooley, is the story of a meek sales assistant who is told she must commit terrible acts to prevent disaster.

Lillie, from Oldham, spent three weeks in London filming.

Miranda Malunga, also nine and from Oldham, plays Young Allie in the science fiction series The Power based on Naomi Alderman’s 2016 novel.

Last year her older sister Eavan Malunga, 14, played Amaka in the Manchester-based Dave sitcom Holier Than Thou.

Sarah, who played Meena Karib in the gritty Manchester drama Shameless and Bella in the Channel Four soap Hollyoaks, was talent-spotted as a teenager by Manchester-based casting director David Shaw.

Her first role was in the 2006 comedy film Mischief Night also starring former Coronation Street favourite Katherine Kelly.

She said proudly: “There are a lot of actors from Oldham, I don’t know if it’s something in the water.

"I just want to give something back and create opportunities.”

The academy has also seen its talent land roles in ads for Co-op, Nike and McDonald’s and children have auditioned for Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, and Sarah’s daughter Sadie, nine, has had a recall for a Christmas feature film.  

“We are looking for the next talent,” added Sarah.

“A lot of children were bullied at school and it’s about boosting self-confidence.

"Acting can help in every aspect of your life.”

Emmerdale casting director Ezra Tren-Humphries regularly presents workshops for students around working in TV and long-running dramas.

For more information, visit: sarahbyrneactingacademy.co.uk or contact: academy@sarahbyrneactingacademy.co.uk to book a free taster class.

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