Meet the actresses going head-to-head in new Wagatha Christie drama

The VERY different stars going head-to-head in the new Wagatha Christie drama! This is England’s Chanel Cresswell will portray Coleen Rooney while Harry Potter’s Natalia Tena, who stripped nude in Game of Thrones, will appear as Rebekah Vardy

The cast of TV adaption of Wagatha Christie was announced earlier this week
This is England star Chanel Cresswell, 32, will play Coleen Rooney in the drama
The star rose to fame as a teenager in the hit show, and has since forged career
Natalia Tena, 37, of Harry Potter fame, plays Rebekah Vardy in the drama

It was the rollercoaster court case that gripped the nation for three years – and just three months on from Coleen Rooney’s landslide libel victory over Rebekah Vardy, the stars of the highly anticipated new dramatisation have been revealed.

Chanel Cresswell – who won a BAFTA for her performance as Kelly in This is England back in 2016 – is taking on the role of mother-of-four Coleen.

Meanwhile, Natalia Tena – most famous for her portrayal of Tonks in the Harry Potter franchise – has been cast as Becky.

Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama – also starring Michael Sheen as Barrister David Sherborne – is set to hit screens on Channel 4 later this year.

Ahead of the show’s premiere, here FEMAIL takes a closer look at the two actresses who will be going head-to-head in the television courtroom.

Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama – starring Michael Sheen, Natalie Tena and Chanel Cresswell – will air on Channel 4 later this year

The court case was among the most high profile of the year as the two WAGs went head-to-head (left, Coleen, and right, Rebekah)

CHANEL CRESSWELL

Set to play: Coleen Rooney

Chanel Cresswell was just 15 years old when she was cast as Kelly Jenkins in This is England.

The actress, 32, from Nottingham, grew up in Codnor, Derbyshire and discovered her love of the stage as a student at Aldercar Community Language College.

In 2015, Chanel opened up in a Channel 4 interview about how being cast in Meadow’s award-winning film set in the 1980s about a young lad who loses his father in the Faulklands War and befriends his bullies.

She explained: ‘I was still at school, and part of the Nottingham Television Workshop, when Shane Meadows came down to do an audition.

‘Obviously we all knew it was for a proper film and so we didn’t really think we’d get a look in. I got told that he was interested in me, and it kind of all just went from there.’

Chanel Cresswell was just 15 years old when she was cast as Kelly Jenkins in This is England (pictured left)

Chanel Cresswell – who won a BAFTA for her performance as Kelly in This is England back in 2016 – is taking on the role of mother-of-four Coleen

Cresswell pictured with McMafia star James Norton after winning a Bafta in 2016 for her performance as Kelly in Shane Meadows’ series This is England ’90

That said, Chanel recalled how her fellow cast members had an inkling that the film could life-changing – but she was more focused on the matter at hand.

She continued: ‘There was such a buzz on set, so you knew something exciting was going on.

‘But because I was only 15, I was kind of ignorant to it all, which was probably a good thing because it didn’t distract me.

‘But there was a definite air about it all…we were just having a laugh on the set.’

When This is England premiered in 2006, Chanel was catapulted to stardom alongside her co-stars Vicky McClure, Thomas Turgoose and Joseph Gilgun.

The actress regularly shares glamorous shots on Instagram with her adoring fans (left and right)

Chanel reprised her role in the three subsequent television series and won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in 2016.

Shortly after her incredible win, Chanel posted a photo with her BAFTA alongside an image from the first This is England movie.

She captioned the emotional post: ‘Will never forget the first day. Where it all began.

‘Having to shave all my hair off at 15 to literally say two lines. But to work with Shane was what I was excited for!

‘Always take that leap even if it scares you to begin with – can’t believe the journey.’

Following on from This is England, Chanel went on to star in Sky comedy Trollied and and Dracula.

In 2019, Chanel took on her most emotional role to date when she played grieving mother Jess in ITV’s The Bay – whose son Dylan was found dead in the first episode

In 2019, Chanel took on her most emotional role to date when she played grieving mother Jess in ITV’s The Bay – whose son Dylan was found dead in the first episode.

Opening up about her experience of grief, Chanel told the Daily Star that she channeled her family heartache into the performance.

She said: ‘When I got this role I already had some experience to draw on because my cousin died when she was only around nine years old.

‘Obviously it wasn’t my child in that situation, but I was able to ask my mum about it.

‘I asked about how my uncle and aunt dealt with losing a child at quite a significant age. It must have been awful. It’s a very personal thing.’

When she’s not hanging out with her ‘This is England family’, Chanel has also posted photos on her Instagram – where she boasts 34,500 followers – of her high-profile friendship circle.

As well as cosying up to Michelle Keegan and Olly Murs for selfies, the actress wrote a gushing post about Martin Freeman on the night of her BAFTA win.

She wrote: ‘A cracking buddy to have at the BAFTA ceremony. I met him when I was doing the film premiere of the TIE film I’d of been 17 and he couldn’t of been more lovely than when I met him after I won ! Down to earth guy!’

Earlier this year, Chanel reunited with the cult film’s original cast-members for Thomas Turgoose’s 30th birthday celebrations.

Posting photos from the night, she wrote: ‘What a night to see some of the bestest The TIE family.

‘And what a brilliant night to celebrate Little Thomas…not so little anymore! 30th Birthday!

‘We danced ! We laughed – and we laughed some more. Bring in the next reunion!’

Although Chanel hasn’t officially commented on her latest role, she posted a cheeky Instagram Story earlier this week as the promotional photos started circulating on social media.

Taking a swig from her Starbucks coffee cup, she wrote: ‘Apparently the cat is out of the bag folks..!’

NATALIA TENA

Set to play: Rebekah Vardy

There aren’t many actresses who can boast about appearing in a blockbuster franchise – but Natalia Tena is lucky enough to have bagged roles in two cult fan series.

Born in London, the 37-year-old’s mother Maria – who worked as a secretary – taught her to play piano from the age of five – which kickstarted her love of music.

As well as acting, Natalia started busking in London Underground stations when she left her boarding school in Hampshire at the age of 18.

In 2002, the actress made her big screen debut when she was cast as Ellie in About a Boy opposite Hugh Grant.

Off the back of this success, Natalia then went on to bag the role of Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

In 2002, Natalia Tena made her big screen debut when she was cast as Ellie in About a Boy opposite Hugh Grant

Off the back of this success, Natalia then went on to bag the role of Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (pictured, with some of the cast members on set)

The actress has since said she feels she ‘cannot believe’ she is ‘lucky’ enough to be a part of the Harry Potter franchise

One year after the final Harry Potter film wrapped, it was announced that Natalia would be joining the Game of Thrones cast as Osha – a woman of the Free Folk serving House Stark

Speaking to Grapevine Live, the star revealed that it was a dream come true for her as she’s a ‘huge reader’.

Natalia explained: ‘They are incredible, I mean these are things that I cannot believe that I am lucky to be part of. I love the books, I’m a big reader anyway and I love those kind of fantasy stories and it is kind of surreal that I am part of them.’

One year after the final Harry Potter film wrapped, it was announced that Natalia would be joining the Game of Thrones cast as Osha – a woman of the Free Folk serving House Stark.

In the second season, Natalia stripped naked on screen as Osha tried to distract Theon Greyjoy while the Stark children escaped Winterfell.

Speaking to The Independent about her nude scene, Natalia said: ‘I don’t give a f*** about nakedness.

In the second season, Natalia stripped naked on screen as Osha tried to distract Theon Greyjoy while the Stark children escaped Winterfell

The actress regularly shares snaps of her luxurious holidays abroad with friends and family (pictured, sipping a cocktail while lapping up the sunshine)

‘As an actor, […] obviously if it calls for it. You’re not just going to get naked otherwise that’s just basically doing porn. But if it calls for it, I really think you should get over yourself.’

What’s more, Natalia also had to film a sex scene with her close friend Oona Chaplin – – who played Talisa Stark – which she described as ‘awkward’.

Speaking to Curve magazine, the star said: ‘Having to do a sex scene with one of your closest friends — regardless of their gender — is always going to be like, ‘Mmm, I’m not sure about this!’ But actually, on the day, we fucking laughed so much.

‘I remember at the time I had this horrendous cold and I was just sneezing all over her tits. It made it like, “Okay, we’re just best friends being silly”, rather than, “Oh sweet Jesus, this is awkward.”

The final seasons of Game of Thrones divided fans when it aired in May 2019 – and even Natalia found herself disappointed with the how the epic series ended.

Appearing on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Podcast, she explained: ‘The caliber of writing towards the end and the plots and everything that happens and how they wrapped it up compared to any other season, any other bit, it just feels like it’s been written by different people. It doesn’t make sense, for me.

‘I was a few glasses of wine in when I watched [the final episode]. I’d binge-watched the whole [season].

‘My boyfriend had to leave the boat because I was ranting for an hour at him about how much I didn’t like it. And then I rang my friend to rant to him.’

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