EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy has openly discussed her dislike for being recognised in public.
The 41-year-old is a well-known figure across various age demographics due to her 31 years playing the iconic Sonia Fowler in the soap, as well as her other ventures that have included; Celebrity Big Brother, Strictly Come Dancing, and Loose Women.
On the most recent episode of her podcast Life with Nat, Natalie delved into the advantages and disadvantages of being identified in public and why her daughters, Eliza and Joanie, aren’t too keen on people recognising their mother.
In a chat with her husband Marc, she revealed: “The girls don’t like it when we’re out and about and I get recognised.”
After he suggested that it was something they had become accustomed to as “part and parcel” of her job, she responded: “You have to have fans, don’t you, and followers, to do what I do and for people to like what I do,” reports the Mirror.
“People have watched me on the television, they’ve grown up with me in their living rooms and now I’m doing other things too and they want to come up to me and tell me they’re enjoying it, which is really lovely.
(Image: INSTAGRAM/NATALIECASSIDY)
“It’s just the odd time when someone will get a phone out, you know, someone is taking a picture of you without asking, that really annoys Eliza,” she added.
As their conversation progressed, Marc interjected to say that their seven-year-old daughter Joanie was far less concerned about having a famous mum – having not known any different all her life.
“I don’t think they would ever think of mummy as a famous person or a ‘starry’ person,” she continued, with her husband chiming in: “Well, you’re a very grounded, lovely human being, which is true, and it does set you aside from maybe the odd person in your position that isn’t quite like that.”
Switching gears back to the subject of public recognition, Natalie expressed that as well as having a distaste for sneaky pictures, she also found it “extremely rude” when people had a peek into her shopping trolley.
She vented: “I always find it extremely rude when I’m walking around a supermarket with my trolley and people stare into it to see what I’m buying.”
Labelling such behaviour as “strange”, Marc queried if this was a frequent occurrence.
“They do, they have a good old look and be nosey,” she responded. “I would say 100 per cent one [person does it] every time I go.”
When asked about the most common question she gets while grocery shopping, the actress went on to say that people often ask her if she lives locally and if she’s enjoying a day off.
Marc offered his perspective on why these might be frequently asked, suggesting: “I think, I mean obviously it’s a bit of an ice-breaker, it’s also, in a sentence, acknowledging, ‘I know who you are’.”
“That’s right, without saying who you are,” Natalie replied in agreement.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
