Born:
November 02, 1972
in
Brighton
Best Known For:
Playing Ronnie in EastEnders.
Early-life:
Born Samantha Zoe Janus on November 2, 1972, in Brighton. Her aunt is George Best's ex-wife Angie, which makes their son, Calum, her cousin. Samantha's parents split when she was three, and her mother married a doctor before relocating to Edinburgh. She even lived on the QE2 with her grandmother for a short time. During her teens, Samantha claims she became a wild child, but eventually turned things around by attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Career:
Samantha's first taste of fame came at 18 when she represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, eventually finishing joint 10th. But it's as an actress that she's now best known. She enjoyed success with sitcom Game On in the mid-1990s before appearing in The Grimleys, Up 'n' Under and Babes in the Wood. A successful run in a West End production of Guys and Dolls came just before she joined EastEnders in 2007. After being involved in a number of major storylines, she took a break from the soap in 2011. She went on to perform in a stage tour of South Pacific, and was also a subject of Who Do You Think You Are? In May 2013, it was confirmed that Samantha would return to EastEnders on a six-month contract.
Quote:
"I'm a jobbing actor again, and that's quite scary. I feel grateful to have had the EastEnders experience but I'm glad to be moving in another direction."
Trivia:
In 2005, she directed an anti-bullying music video for Liverpool band Just 3.