Zaraah Abrahams

Early life

Abrahams was born in a hospital 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 three siblings. 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. 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.

Career

Abrahams previously starred as Magda in the CITV show Girls in Love and as Joanne Jackson in the ITV soap Coronation Street. In 2008, she joined the cast of Waterloo Road in a recurring role as student Michaela White. 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. 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. In 2014, Lee cast her as the female lead, Ganja Hightower in the Ganja & Hess homage Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, in her first Hollywood film debut. In 2015 Abrams moved to New York City to film American television drama The Knick.

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. 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. In October 2020, it was announced that Abrahams would be taking over from Tiana Benjamin for the role of Chelsea Fox in the BBC soap EastEnders. Her first episode as Chelsea Fox was broadcast on 25 December 2020.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (16 May 2015). "Zaraah Abrahams: Spike Lee said I could be next Halle Berry". [[The Voice (British newspaper).
2. "EastEnders casts former Coronation Street star Zaraah Abrahams as Chelsea Fox". [[Radio Times]].
3. "EastEnders announces Chelsea Fox recast – Who is Zaraah Abrahams?". Entertainment Daily.
4. (18 February 2015). "Zaraah Abrahams Talks Da Sweet Blood of Jesus – Dread Central".
5. "EastEnders – Who are Lucas Johnson and Chelsea Fox and why are they back?". [[Digital Spy]].
6. "'Coronation Street' Star Zaraah Abrahams Becomes The Latest Soap Star To Land A Hollywood Role". [[HuffPost]].
7. "EastEnders viewers enraged as Chelsea betrays Denise by reuniting with Lucas". [[Daily Mirror]].
8. (28 September 2021). "''Inside Soap'' Awards announces 2021 longlist as voting opens – here's who's up for prizes". [[Digital Spy]].
9. (21 April 2022). "British Soap Awards 2022 reveals longlist for viewer categories". [[Digital Spy]].
10. (24 May 2022). "NTA 2022 longlist revealed as David Tennant and Sex Education nominated". [[Radio Times]].
11. (18 July 2022). "Inside Soap Awards announces nominations and new category for 2022 event". [[Digital Spy]].
12. Rowan, Iona. (27 December 2022). "EastEnders wins big at the Digital Spy Reader Awards 2022". [[Digital Spy]].