Lillia Turner, who plays Lily Slater on EastEnders, shares a surname with her on-screen mother Lacey Turner, but the pair are not related in real life. The teenager, who portrays feisty Lily on the BBC One soap, has built a warm and genuine relationship with Lacey, who plays Stacey Slater, and their bond is evident both on and off set.
Career and Education Balance
Born on 16 March 2009, Lillia is 17 years old, while her character Lily is currently 16. She took over the role in 2020, succeeding Aine Garvey, who played Lily from 2014 to 2019. In May 2025, Lillia temporarily stepped away from EastEnders to focus on her GCSE examinations, showing that her education remains a priority despite her acting career. She returned to screens in August 2025.
Hidden Talent and Co-Star Reactions
Lillia teamed up with co-star Thomas Law, who plays Peter Beale, for an impromptu singing session during a break on set. They recorded a rendition of "Best Part" by Daniel Caesar, with Law posting a snippet on Instagram, writing: "[Lillia] and I stealing the echos from the staircase for our teaser version of this beautiful song." The clip drew reactions from castmates, including Bobby Brazier, who wrote "Omg so happy to see, yes lilia," and Diane Parish, who called them "Cutie pies." Jacqueline Jossa added: "Lillia amazing beautiful girl x."
On-Screen Chemistry and Praise
Despite not being related, fans often mistake Lillia and Lacey for real family due to their striking facial similarities and on-screen chemistry. Lacey praised Lillia in an interview with Digital Spy, saying: "Lillia is such a great little actress. There's something about her that is so warm and so natural, and her instincts are just bang-on. She's been so desperate for a storyline of her own for so many years, so to see her have one is lovely. To watch her absolutely nail it has just been brilliant. I've tried to stay out of it as much as I can because Lillia actually doesn't need any help, tips or guidance because she's just great. She's got something that is so natural that I don't want to take that away from her."
Since joining EastEnders six years ago, Lillia has tackled challenging storylines, including Lily's pregnancy at age 12. Her performance earned her the Best Young Performer award at the 2023 British Soap Awards. More recently, Lily has been involved in a storyline about the attack on Joel Marshall, confessing she withheld information about what she witnessed. With her GCSEs behind her and a soap award, Lillia's future looks bright. EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
