QMU graduate lands leading film role

Queen Margaret University (QMU) drama graduate Hanna Stanbridge has earned rave reviews for her performance in British horror film Outcast, starring James Nesbitt.

In the film, due to be released next month, Ms Stanbridge plays a punchy teenage girl who lives on a council estate.

Her character gets transported into a bizarre and horrifying world of ancient Celtic witchcraft, monsters and a violently disapproving in-law played by Northern Irish actor Nesbitt.

Ms Stanbridge, from Penicuik, Midlothian, has received numerous plaudits for her role and is even said to upstage Doctor Who star Karen Gillan, who was awarded the Edinburgh International Film Festival Trailblazer award earlier this year.

The 25-year-old, who still works in Topshop on Princes Street, has previously appeared in a television commercial and several theatre productions.

She graduated from Queen Margaret University's BA Acting and Performance course in 2007.

Her film debut has been described as “sensational” by ReelScotland and she has since landed a three episode part in the BBC Three drama Lip Service.

Ms Stanbridge said: “I was convinced I just wasn’t right [for the part]. I saw that the character was a 16 year old Romany, and there was I – a 24 year old half-Filipino! As a result, I think I gave my best ever audition.”

Orlaith Larkham, a recent drama graduate from QMU, told The Journal: “I graduated before the summer and I'm lucky that I've had pretty steady work since then, but acting's tough because it can be so unpredictable and you never know when another job will be coming your way.

"It's really reassuring to know that another QMU graduate is doing so well. As I'm just starting out on my acting career, it's inspiring to think that I could be starring alongside someone like James Nesbitt one day.”

Ms Stanbridge follows in a long line of successful drama graduates from QMU. Ashley Jensen, of Extras and Ugly Betty fame, studied Speech and Drama at the University, while Strictly Come Dancing and Blue Peter favourite Matt Baker took the same course as Ms Stanbridge before catching his big break on the BBC’s flagship magazine show.

Outcast is released in cinemas on 10 December.