Casey Al Shaqsy, who joined Emmerdale two months ago as feisty Serena Sugden, has revealed she used to skip school to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on repeat. The 30-year-old actress, who idolised Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, even has a Moulin Rouge tattoo on her foot and Buffy tattoos on her hip as tributes to her heroes.
Looking back on her teenage years, Casey said: "Films were my escapism and I’ve got a tattoo of Moulin Rouge on my foot and some of Buffy on my hip because they mean so much to me. Moulin Rouge was my favourite ever film and I idolised Nicole and Ewan, who starred in it."
A Troubled Teenager
Casey admitted to being a persistent truant, saying: "I didn’t go to school very often because I had no interest in any subject other than music or drama. I was naughty and I skived. I pulled sickies and I would only go to my music and drama classes. Sometimes that would be at 3pm and the teachers would say ‘Casey, you have been sick every Thursday’. I’d just go ‘yeah’."
Despite her rebellious streak, she passed all her GCSEs and went on to study music, drama, and dance at college. "Funnily enough, I didn’t miss a day after that," she said.
From Theatre to Emmerdale
After college, Casey took a year off to master her dance skills and won a place at ArtsEd performing arts school in Chiswick. She graduated in 2019 and landed her first job as Sheridan Smith’s second cover in the West End’s Joseph musical, starring Jason Donovan. Watching him interact with fans was inspirational.
She said: "Jason is someone I look up to a lot. He’d be on a lunch break and would take time to talk and do photos with fans. This really struck me and I said to him once ‘I can’t believe you do that’. He replied ‘I always remember where I came from. It doesn’t matter if I am in a rush, these people are the reason why I have my career and I owe them everything.’ I saw that as the kind of a performer I wanted to be. And I still do to this day."
Casey also landed roles in Hamilton, Six, and Wicked before joining Emmerdale. She said: "It’s my first TV job and it has been everything I hoped it would be and more. It still feels weird to even say ‘I am in Emmerdale.’"
Serena's Explosive Storyline
Serena, a mysterious character who arrived in the village in June, is determined to prove her loyalty to the Sugden family. That loyalty was tested when she found Dr Todd, who raped Charity, dead. Sarah had pushed him during a furious clash, and Charity insisted on taking the blame. Serena, a former policewoman, persuaded Charity to cut her arm to make it look like a defensive wound.
Casey said: "My character is a very fierce, strong woman who cares about people she loves and will do anything for them. She is very protective."
Off-screen, Casey is enjoying her time on the soap: "I was massively nervous on my first day. It felt so surreal but everyone has been incredible. Katie, who plays Sarah, has been amazing. I adore Emma, who plays Charity. She makes me laugh and Chris, who plays Kev, is so funny."
Giving Back and Inspiring Others
Before joining Emmerdale, Casey helped at SEN classes for three-year-olds. She said: "I would colour in with them and sing songs. It’s worlds away from the theatre but it felt different to my life and it felt like I was giving something back."
She encourages young people from similar backgrounds to pursue acting: "Never give up. It is about believing in yourself and your ability." Reflecting on Jason Donovan's advice, she added: "It’s important to work hard and be a nice person too."
Emmerdale airs every weekday at 8pm on ITV1 and STV1. Episodes can also be downloaded on ITVX.
