Acting is quite simply in Susie Michelle’s blood. Born into a theatrical family, it is perhaps no surprise that Susie’s desire to act came at a young age. In fact from the moment she first won the hearts and applause of the audience during a school production, she knew without any doubt, her future lay in performing.

Susie instantly received the expert guidance and encouragement from the entire family and in particular from two of her closest relatives, Vicki Michelle of Allo Allo fame whose performances are renowned the world over and Ann Michelle whose impressive dramatic record is also well documented particularly in the USA.

Susie achieved success early. Part time training began as a child in the form of weekend stage school while attending normal school during the week. She joined the Sylvia Young Agency and quickly gained her first ‘big screen’ role, that of a young evacuee in the widely renowned Hope and Glory. Set  in World War II, the film was directed by John Boorman.

 

  
 

Progressing through two prestigious children’s stage schools, Susie studied all forms of dance including tap, ballet, modern, and jazz in addition to drama and singing, simultaneously attaining experience by appearing in several theatre productions including:- The Fantastic Voyage, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz and the Enchanted Castle all at the Kenneth Moore Theatre in Ilford. It was a hectic lifestyle for Susie but one on which she obviously thrived winning the British Arts Finals for Best Dramatic Duet Piece along the way. Her early experience of more formal training came at Havering College of Performing Arts resulting in a number of showcase performances at the Queens Theatre, Hornchurch and the Lord Mayor’s Charity show at the Hackney Empire. She went on to play the leading roles of Verity in Find Me and The Landlady in Two by John Cartwright. Following this, Susie was cast for the lead role in a commercial for Sky Digital’s The Music Channel and in the same year appeared in the musical Godspell, a production of the play Roads, also by John Cartwright and the role of Marty in Grease. The latter remains a particular favourite role of Susie’s for its sheer energy and excitement.

 
 

 

Vicki Michelle

 

  

Ann Michelle

 

  
 

It was also during this period that Susie won a scholarship to the Italia Conti Academy amidst a great deal of competition. The demands were high including two contrasting acting pieces, (one of which was Shakespeare), two dance routines and a song. It was a daunting challenge to which, through hard work and determination she rose to great aplomb. During her time at the Academy she passed all her exams with honours, received the Lamda Gold Award for voice, acting, movement skills and singing and appeared in a variety of productions culminating with the lead role of Sue in Rita, Sue and Bob Too.

 
 

To date, much of Susie’s work has been in film where she has been cast in a number of rather diverse roles. In addition to Hope and Glory previously mentioned, she has appeared in Human Traffic centring on a circle of friends and the drugs scene and The Meal, a short but gruesome tail of attempted murder and cannibalism. Her most recent performances have come in the three highly acclaimed productions South West 9 (credited under the name of Susie Duffy), Shanghai Knights and Finding Neverland. Award winning with a B.A.F.T.A nomination, South West 9 is a hard hitting look at the lives of a group of less advantaged young people in Brixton, London. In the role of Emma, Susie and her co stars were required to act through a series of traumas leading through drug related issues, robbery, abuse and homelessness. Of all her roles to date, she still considers this to have had the most profound effect on her as an individual, hammering home the reality and desperation of it all.

 
 

In complete contrast, Susie’s next role was as a Victorian girl in the stunt, action packed and immensely popular Shanghai Knights starring Jackie Chan. Also receiving numerous award nominations and directed by David Dobkin, the ingenious plot links Chinese culture to a conspiracy against the Royal Family in Victorian Britain. Filmed on location in London and worldwide, Susie found herself catapulted back in time via a combination of clever set design and effects that transformed The Strand and Royal Naval College in Greenwich making the authenticity of the performance a natural transition. It was an experience she will never forget not least for the addition of the technical expertise and precision of the stunt scenes. Her latest film role was as Elizabeth, also a Victorian girl, in the multi award and Oscar winning Finding Neverland starring Johnny Depp and Dustin Hoffman. Filmed on location in Surrey, England and although of a similar time period to Shanghai Knights, Susie was able to portray this character in a completely different vein both in social class and genre.

Aside from her acting, Susie has entered into the world of modelling and recently co founded the all girl singing group Hypnotix releasing the CD It Must Be Love. With no shortage of auditions, there is always something new to strive for and with such a wealth of talent at her fingertips, there can be no doubt that the future looks very bright for this young actress.