Zaraah Abrahams

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Zaraah Abrahams
Born
Zaraah Clover Abrahams

(1987-01-07) 7 January 1987 (age 34)
Lambeth, London, England
Occupation
  • Actress
  • voiceover artist
Years active2002–present
TelevisionGirls in Love (2003–2005)
Coronation Street (2005–2007)
Waterloo Road (2008–2010)
Dancing on Ice (2008, 2014)
EastEnders (2020–)

Zaraah Clover Abrahams (born 7 January 1987) is an English actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles as Michaela White in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road from 2008 to 2010 and Joanne Jackson in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2005 to 2007. She then competed in the third series of the ITV talent show Dancing on Ice, and later returned as a contestant for the All Star series in 2014. In 2020, Abrahams joined the cast of EastEnders, in the role of Chelsea Fox.

Early life[]

Abrahams was born in Lambeth, London of Iraqi and Barbadian descent on her mother's side and of Jamaican descent on her father's side. She grew up in Brixton, South London and is the eldest of 3 siblings.[1] She attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts for her secondary education, landing the role of Magda in the TV Adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's Girls in Love while still a pupil there.[1] At the age of 17, she left London to pursue a career in acting in Manchester after landing the role of Joanne Jackson in Coronation Street.[1]

Career[]

Abrahams previously starred as Magda in the CITV show Girls in Love and as Joanne Jackson in the ITV soap Coronation Street.[2] In 2008, she joined the cast of Waterloo Road in a recurring role as student Michaela White.[3] The character became part of the core cast for the fourth series in 2009 and remained with the show until her exit at the end of the fifth series in 2010.[1] She starred in the 2013 short film Black Girl in Paris on HBO which was nominated for short film of the year, and where she was seen by Spike Lee.[1] In 2014, Lee cast her as the female lead, Ganja Hightower in the Ganja & Hess homage Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, her first Hollywood film.[4][1] In 2015 Abrams moved to New York City to film American television drama The Knick.[1]

In 2008, Abrahams participated in ITV's celebrity skating series Dancing on Ice, as a replacement for the injured Michael Underwood. Her partner was skater Fred Palascak. The pair finished in third place.[5] In 2015, she joined the cast of the Cinemax series The Knick, a medical drama directed by Steven Soderbergh, set around a New York hospital in the early 20th century. She portrayed the role of Opal.[6] In October 2020, it was announced that Abrahams would be taking over the role of Chelsea Fox in the BBC soap EastEnders. Her first episode as Chelsea was broadcast on 25 December 2020.[7]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
2003–2005 Girls in Love Magda Main role; 27 episodes
2005–2007 Coronation Street Joanne Jackson Series regular; 214 episodes
2008–2010 Waterloo Road Michaela White Series regular; 38 episodes
2008, 2014 Dancing on Ice Herself Contestant; 3rd place
2009 Hole In The Wall Herself Contestant
2011 Waterloo Road Reunited Michaela White Web series; 6 episodes
2012 Payback Season Clarissa Film
2012 Scott & Bailey Daysha Kaye 1 episode
2012 Bedlam Laura Episode: "The Long Drop"
2013 Black Girl in Paris Luce Short film
2013–2015 Secret Dealers Narrator Game show
2014 Da Sweet Blood of Jesus Ganja Hightower Film
2014 Holby City Alisa Cole Episode: "Captive"
2015 The Knick Opal Edwards Series 2
2020–present EastEnders Chelsea Fox Series regular
2021 The Bay DS Emma Ryan 2 episodes

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Hudson, Rykesha (16 May 2015). "Zaraah Abrahams: Spike Lee said I could be next Halle Berry". The Voice. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. ^ "EastEnders casts former Coronation Street star Zaraah Abrahams as Chelsea Fox". Radio Times. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  3. ^ "EastEnders announces Chelsea Fox recast – Who is Zaraah Abrahams?". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Zaraah Abrahams Talks Da Sweet Blood of Jesus - Dread Central". www.dreadcentral.com. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  5. ^ "EastEnders – Who are Lucas Johnson and Chelsea Fox and why are they back?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. ^ "'Coronation Street' Star Zaraah Abrahams Becomes The Latest Soap Star To Land A Hollywood Role". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  7. ^ "EastEnders viewers enraged as Chelsea betrays Denise by reuniting with Lucas". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 26 December 2020.

External links[]

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