'Wild journey' for Bafta-nominated Lollipop actress

It has been a "wonderful and wild" journey for Bafta-nominated actress Posy Sterling.

Sterling, who grew up in Market Harborough in Leicestershire, is in the running for the Rising Star award for her role in Lollipop - which follows a woman's custody battle for her children against her mother after she is released from prison.

It marks Sterling's first leading role in a feature film after her performances in TV dramas such as You Don't Know Me and The Road Trip.

The 34-year-old said she was "still processing" the Bafta announcement while she reflected on her roots in the East Midlands.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, Sterling said coming back to the Midlands was "so important" to her.

"My family are all here and that's important to just keep rooted while everything's been a whirlwind around you."

"When I got back from the Bafta announcement I facetimed my sister and just watched her fold laundry for like an hour," she added.

Sterling added it had been special receiving messages from old school friends over the last week and felt connected to her roots.

The actress's performance in Lollipop - directed and written by filmmaker Daisy-May Hudson - has already earned Sterling the British Independent Film Award (BIFA) for Breakthrough Performance in November.

Sterling said the film had an "incredible outpour of responses" during question and answer screenings.

"Each room, when we had the Q&As, it opened up the most incredible conversations with the audiences."

She added: "This is what I love about art.

"We have the beautiful format of film where a huge village of wonderful creative people can make something but ultimately we're showing a version of the world that's maybe what something could look like or sometimes what things actually do look like that people aren't aware of.

"When I found out about some of the things that happen in the country I just couldn't believe it and cared too much to ignore it and I hope that people feel the same."

The actress said she joined director Hudson and other members of the cast in parliament on Tuesday, discussing policies and legislation connected to the film.

This year's winner of the The EE Rising Star Award - which is the only Bafta film prize to be voted for by the public - will be announced at the awards ceremony in February.

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