Name: Olivia Hespe
Strengths:
- Strong and clear voice with stage presence
- Conscientious, hard-working and professional in outlook
- Reliable and punctual
- Takes direction well
- Easy going and friendly on set
- Comedy, period and horror are specialities
Biography:
Member of National Youth Film Academy
More than 20 film and TV credits
Company Member of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain
Trained full-time at Arts Educational Schools, London and at Canterbury Institute for Performing Arts (where she was awarded ‘Best Actor’)
Good experience of performing on stage
Experience:
- Drama performances at Collyer Ferguson Centre and The Sinden Theatre, Kent, Arts Educational Schools, London, The Lyric, Hammersmith, Crazy Coqs in London West End, Marlowe Theatre and Giulbenkian Theatre in Canterbury; Canterbury Institute of Performing Arts, Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, Canterbury and Theatre in Education in schools.
- Played roles in a number of feature and short films by independent Directors and commercial production companies.
- Some modelling and TV film work.
- Additional experience at the National Concert Hall for Wales, the New Theatre in Cardiff, at Canterbury Tales visitor attraction and with the Culture and Sport Group of Kent County Council.
Training:
- National Youth Film Academy.
- National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
- Trained in acting at Arts Educational Schools, London, in conjunction with The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
- Previously trained at Canterbury Institute of Performing Arts, getting Distinction Star/Distinction Star/Distinction in acting.
- Motion Capture Level 1 ( MoCap Vaults, London).
- Gun and rifle handling for film and TV.
- Currently training part time at The Actors Centre and at The Actors’ Guild, London.
- Trained in acting for film and TV, singing, acting technique, stage combat, improvisation, voice, moment and dance.
Additional Skills:
- Motion Capture
- Gun and rifle handling for film and TV
- Dance (Grade 6 ballet)
- Singing (Alto)
- Skiing
- Horse Riding
- Cycling
- Photography
- Athletics
- Variety of accents
Memberships:
Spotlight No. 5896 – 3429 – 3745
IMDB Pro
The Actors’ Guild, London
The National Youth Film Academy
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain
The Actors Centre, London
Mandy.com
Previously a member of The Lyric Young Company and the Gulbenkian Youth Theatre
News:
IRVING STREET MANAGEMENT
Olivia has signed with Irving Street Management; a top London agency representing actors and creatives in theatre, film, radio and TV.
Irving Street Management has a strong reputation in achieving success for its clients, securing work on TV shows such as Eastenders, Emmerdale, Silent Witness and Doctors; in films such as Florence Foster Jenkins and Netflix productions; and stage shows at The National Theatre and The Old Vic.
Olivia says, “I am thrilled to join Irving Street Management. It is a well run, boutique agency that has strong connections in the industry. I am looking forward to a beneficial relationship with my agent, Lorna Hehir.”
NEMESIS
Olivia was excited to play a role in Nemesis, the inaugural film from new production company, Shogun Films. From the acclaimed British Film Producer Jonathan Sothcott and top Director James Crow, the film starred some of the greats of the screen, including Billy Murray, Julian Glover, Nick Moran, Bruce Payne and Frank Harper.
Nemesis is a gritty thriller in which an underworld kingpin’s past catches up with him when he returns to London, igniting an explosive chain of events which end in revenge and murder.
Nemesis is expected to become as big a success as previous Jonathan Sothcott productions, such as ‘Vendetta’ and ‘We Still Kill the Old Way’.
SHOGUN FILMS
Olivia has been cast in two exciting feature films from the new and highly ambitious production company, Shogun Films.
Nemesis is a gangster thriller, from top British Producer Jonathan Sothcott, featuring Guy Henry of Rogue One and Billy Murray of Call of Duty, Eastenders and The Bill. It will be distributed and promoted worldwide by Bulldog and by Parkwood Pictures.
The second Film, Little Mary, stars Christopher Ellison (DCI Burnside in The Bill) and ex-Bond Girl, Valerie Leon.
THE DEVIL’S VALLEY
Olivia starred in a short film, The Devil’s Valley, from Director James Crow. Filmed in Kent, the production is destined for the international film festival circuit prior to release.
NEW TV SERIES
Olivia has been playing the role of Alexandra King in new comedy TV series, The Blue Birds. The series follows the misadventures of a group of 20-somethings stuck in Dover, with Alexandra being one of the lead characters.
The three part series will be screened on Amazon Prime in 2020.
Nightmare on 34th Street
Olivia has been acting in a lead role in top Director James Crow’s ‘Nightmare on 34th Street’, which will be premiered in 2020 and released in the USA and UK in November. The filming entailed a trip to the snow in Norway.
The film features a number of well-known actors including Ewen Macintosh (The Office), Adam Greaves-Neal (The Messiah) and Rohan Gotobed (Harry Potter).
BBC George Eliot
Olivia played the role of a funeral reader and mourner in the new BBC production on the life of the great English author, George Eliot. The programme was directed by contemporary British Artist and Turner Prize winner Gillian Wearing, it was aired on the BBC at the end of 2019.
National Youth Film Academy
Olivia was selected for training with the National Youth Film Academy in 2019, and is now a Full Member. The National Youth Film Academy seeks to nurture and promote the best young actors and filmmakers in the UK
Sliced
Olivia played the role of Lou in a new play by young playwright/actor Oliva Callingham, called Sliced, about life in an establishment, which is the self-acclaimed best hairdresser in town!
in October 2019 at the Sinden Theatre. Performances will be repeated in 2020. See facebook Sliced page for more details.
in October 2019 at the Sinden Theatre. Performances will be repeated in 2020. See facebook Sliced page for more details.
Tara Reata
Olivia played a lead role of Lisa in Director Al Carretta’s 12th independent feature film, Tara Reata, which is available on Amazon Prime and Vimeo on Demand following the premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2018.
Tara Reata is an emotional drama about life, love, loss and reconciliation. This was Olivia’s fifth feature film, adding to her 14 short films.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME
Olivia played the lead title role in The Madness of Tellaralette Seville. The film is available on Amazon Prime.
Last Village on The Right
Olivia acted in the South of France in the comedy horror feature film ‘Last Village on the Right’ by prolific Director, James Crow. She acted with Tommy Knight (from Victoria, Waterloo Road, Dr Who and Sarah Jane Adventures). A number of big name stars have been added to the cast, including Vicki Michelle (Allo Allo), Helene Udy (Dr Quinn, Star Trek), Ewen Macintosh (The Office) and George Newton (This is England).
OLIVIA SECURED TITLE LEAD IN FEATURE FILM
Following an extensive search for cast by Production Company Nightpiece Media, Olivia was cast in the lead title role for top Director Al Carretta’s eleventh feature film, ‘The Madness of Tellaralette Seville’. Olivia played a United States drone operator with OCD and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in what the Director called a ‘challenging and heavyweight dramatic role.’ The cast includes a number of very established actors, including Annabelle Lanyon, who has starred in numerous TV series and the cult film, ‘Legend’. The film is available on a number of platforms, including Amazon Prime.
THE SLIVER OF TRUTH
Olivia was cast in a short film by top Independent Film Director and founder of Nightpiece Media, Al Carretta. The film, entitled, ‘The Sliver of Truth’ shows a dysfunctional group of United States Drone operators on their down-time, as a psychologist prepares to investigate their actions. The film was produced to kick off the shooting of a feature film, and was shown at MCM Comic Con London. The five minute short film can be viewed in the ‘Showreels’ section of this website.
BILLY ELLIOT:
Olivia performed the role of Mrs. Wilkinson, the Dance Teacher, in the first non-professional production of Billy Elliot anywhere in the world. Learning five songs, numerous dance routines and a great deal of dialogue certainly kept her busy in the build-up to Summer 2016.
BEST ACTOR AWARD 2016:
Olivia won the ‘Best Actor 2016’ award at Canterbury Institute for Performing Arts. The award was presented by Matt Flint, the West End Musical star, Creative Director and Choreographer for TV, Film and Theatre.
The Arts Ed Schools London:
Olivia was offered and accepted a place on a new one-year, full-time course at Arts Ed Schools, London, which commenced in September 2016. ArtsEd was awarded ‘Best Drama School 2015’ by The Stage in February 2016
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US WEB PILOT
Olivia was cast in one of the six lead roles for an exciting web pilot filming in Brighton depicting six young people sharing an apartment. The production company, i2i Media, has tremendous contacts worldwide with major film and media distributors, and the intention is for the pilot to be taken on by one of those companies and thereafter produced regularly, initially as web-based content, but eventually for TV.
A STRANGE GUEST:
Olivia played the female lead in a film produced in Brighton in April 2017 for the London Sci-Fi Film Festival, through its 48 Hour Film Challenge. Playing the role of ‘Olivia’, the short ‘A Strange Guest’ film by Gareth Lang and Shane Gravestock of Straight Point Films, can be viewed in the Showreels and Voicereel section of this website below.
Spotlight Film:
Olivia was cast in the role of Sarah in a short horror film ‘Spotlight’, directed by Joe Savage.
She played one of the four girls who visited a forest to play a game by torchlight, but with dramatic consequences.
Spotlight is expected to have a strong film festival run.
Shopping and F…ing:
In Autumn 2016, Olivia performed at The Lyric, Hammersmith in the professional production of the play by Mark Ravenscroft, which was directed by Olivier Award Winning Director, Sean Holmes. The play received positive critical acclaim, including from the Telegraph, which called it ‘A Theatrical Phenomenon’.
Showreels:
Showreel
Comedic Character Showreel
Period Drama Showreel
A STRANGE GUEST
THEATRE AND STAGE SHOWREEL
CREDITS:
Year
Role / Type
Name of Production / Director
Company / Venue
Film and TV:
2021
Masked Woman
Film (Feature)
Film (Feature)
Nemesis
James Crow (Dir)
Jonathan Sothcott (Prod)
Shogun Films
London
2020
Leah
Film (Short)
Film (Short)
Two Metres Down
James Crow
Dark Comedy Productions
Upnor, Kent
2020
Maria
Film (feature)
Film (feature)
Nightmare on 34th Street
James Crow
Dark Comedy Productions
Norway, London and Kent
2020
Alexandra King
TV Series
The Blue Birds
Will Bunes
White Horse Films
Dover, Kent
2019
Grace
Film (short)
Film (short)
Devil’s Valley
James Crow
Dark Dreamline Productions
Kent
2019
Funeral reader and mourner
TV
TV
George Eliot
Gillian Wearing
BBC Studios
London
2019
Sparticus
TV
TV
Dubium Est
Connor Heywood
Catharsis
Canterbury, Kent
2018
Lisa
Film (Feature)
Film (Feature)
Tara Reata
Al Carretta
Nightpiece Media
Gillingham, Kent
2018
The Muse
Film (Short)
Film (Short)
The Great Artist
Archy Lublin
Catharsis Productions
Canterbury and Deal, Kent
2018
Bathsheba
Film (Short)
Film (Short)
Sorcerer of the Mists
Al Carretta
Nightpiece Media
Gillingham, Kent
2018
Villain
Film (Feature)
Film (Feature)
Last Village on the Right
James Crow
Last British Dragon
Marseille, France
2018
Tellaralette Seville
Film (Feature)
Film (Feature)
The Madness of Tellaralette Seville
Al Carretta
Nightpiece Media
2017
Tellaralette Seville
Film (Short)
Film (Short)
The Sliver of Truth
Al Carretta
Nightpiece Media
Avenue Theatre, Sittingbourne
2017
Party Guest
Film (Short)
Film (Short)
Midlife Crisis
Mark Spayne
Smoggy Productions
Greenwich
2017
Jessica Isaacs
Film (Feature)
Film (Feature)
To Sow a Thousand Seeds
Elliot Waring
G27 Film
Deal, Kent
2017
Sarah
Film (Short)
Film (Short)
Spotlight
Joe Savage
Lacuna
Epping Forest
2016
Mary
Film (short)
Film (short)
Cenacle
Ryan Mole
Institute of Communication Studies, Leeds
Guildford, Surrey
Theatre and Stage:
2019
Lou
Theatre
Theatre
Sliced
Olivia Callingham
Peanut and Shed Productions
The Sinden Theatre
2017
Ensemble
Theatre
Theatre
Company of Wolves
Mike Bryher
National Youth Theatre of Great Britain
Laban, Greenwich
2017
Christopher Marlowe
Theatre
Theatre
Creed of Spies
Paul Ainsworth
Imagine Futures Ltd
Marlowe Theatre
2017
Rachel
Theatre
Theatre
Bassett
Gavin Fowler and Yusef Khamisa
Arts Educational Schools, London
2016
Ensemble
Theatre
Theatre
Shopping and F…ing
Sean Holmes
The Lyric Company
The Lyric, Hammersmith
2016
Irina Prozorova
Theatre
Theatre
Three Sisters
James Simmons and Adam Leese
Canterbury Institute for Performing Arts
CPA
2016
Victoria Van Roth
Theatre
Theatre
Death by Design
Aislinn Laherty
Canterbury Institute for Performing Arts
CPA
2015
Medieval Peasant
Theatre
Contagious
Nick Beat
Continuum Heritage Attractions
Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction
2015
Various, including Lead
The Time Squad
Theatre in Education
Schools in Kent
Schools in Kent
Musicals:
2016
Mrs Wilkinson (Dance Teacher)
Musical
Musical
Billy Elliot
Tony Greenlaw
Canterbury Institute for Performing Arts
CPA
Commercials:
2019
Customer
Commercial
Oxford Street Books
James Crow
Heightened Reality Pictures
Whitstable, Kent
Testimonials:
“Check out and follow the awesome Olivia Hespe. Beautiful singing voice, and a superb up and coming actress.” – Al Carretta, Director Nightpiece Media
“Congratulations on your performance as Christopher Marlowe! You’ve been a fantastic addition to the Company and I hope to work with you again.” – Paul Ainsworth, Marlowe Theatre
“You did an amazing job. Incredible performance. We loved working with you” – Shiftwork Productions
“Olivia really has developed into a fine actor and I would be happy to work with her professionally any time.” – Adam Leese, Direcor of Actors Mentoring and Film, Stage and TV Actor
“It has been a privilege to know and teach Olivia.” – Tony Greenlaw, Director of Performing Arts, Canterbury Institute for Performing Arts
“We have all said how incredibly talented we think you are.” – Katie Olbiks-Hill, Producer – Cenacle
“Olivia was a pleasure to work with!” – Will Atkinson – Creative Director – Greenroom Films – www.greenroomfilms.com
“Olivia did a fantastic job, a natural in front of the camera and I’d be honoured to work with her again!” – Richard Grebby – Headshot Photographer – RG Studios – www.rgstudios.co.uk