Scottish actress Daniela Nardini has stepped away from the spotlight after winning a BAFTA for her role as Anna Forbes in the hit BBC2 series This Life, which aired 30 years ago
A BBC actress who became a household name in the smash-hit 1996 drama This Life is virtually unrecognisable today.
Daniela Nardini shot to fame with her portrayal of solicitor Anna Forbes on the much-loved BBC2 series, which also boasted stars like Jack Davenport and Andrew Lincoln.
Prior to her iconic role on This Life, Daniela graced the screen on the Scottish crime hit Taggart and was close to chucking in the acting towel before nabbing herself the sought-after sitcom spot.
Spanning 33 episodes across two series and an 11-year duration, the show charted the lives and legal pursuits of a cluster of law grads sharing digs and chasing their ambition within the hustle and bustle of a London legal firm.
The cult classic not only enjoyed its multi-series success before capping off with the sequel film ‘This Life +10’ in 2007, but it catapulted Daniela, now aged 57, straight into the spotlight with a BAFTA win under her belt.
However, opting for a drastic career pivot, she bid farewell to the limelight and has since been practising as a CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) guru out of Glasgow.
She snagged another BAFTA gong in 2009 for her stellar acting chops in the BBC Four drama New Town.
Daniela’s impressive credits include turns on prime-time shows like Vera, Waterloo Road, and The Fades before bidding adieu to her acting career in 2019, reports the Express.
Now serving as a mental health savant, she aids folks grappling with the likes of depression, anxiety, and behavioural dilemmas, extending support to individuals wrestling with cancer and dependency issues.
Three decades on from her star-making gig, Daniela has switched up gears and her current look signifies this major change in direction.
In a revealing piece for Psychology Today, Daniela reflects: “I have worked as an actress for over 35 years.
“This has been an invaluable education for me to study what it is to be human and how we can all suffer at times and feel misunderstood and lonely.
“I myself have struggled at times. My practice involves helping you gain insight, clarity and believe it or not humour at times. I don’t shock easily so I won’t judge.”
After enduring “the worst five years of her life,” which included her father’s death in 2015, a cancer diagnosis in 2018, and a divorce, she decided to pursue this career path.
Speaking to Daily Mail in 2020, she shared: “I went through a very dark period.
“Sometimes I wonder if it was all the emotional stuff I was going through that caused my cancer.
“A couple of years down the road, I now feel as if I’ve emerged stronger and a better person, really. Anna would be proud.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
