Mollie Gallagher has revealed she hopes her Coronation Street character Nina Lucas may return, after making the 'very sad' decision to leave the cobbles. Nina heads to Whitby for a new job at an art gallery, a move the actress describes as a positive step for the goth Queen.
Why Nina Leaves Weatherfield
Explaining the exit story, Gallagher said: 'Nina is kind of at a point in her life where she just feels like everything is a bit mundane, and nothing is really going on. She's still working at the cafe, but she hasn't continued with any of her fashion projects. She sees her friends moving on, and feels like everyone is moving forward except her.'
Nina's departure is sparked by a conversation with a friend who mentions a job opportunity at an art gallery. Gallagher added: 'She went for it, and then she got the job. It feels like the right thing to do.'
The actress feels the exit is true to character: 'It is a really positive move for Nina, there is no tragedy and she was able to go off happily to this new life. She is sad to leave Roy and her friends but she knows it is the right thing to do.'
A Difficult Decision
Off-screen, the reason for Nina's exit is Gallagher landing a role in the stage adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs. She said: 'It was a casting call. When they got in touch, I thought it was a great opportunity to tape for a great casting director and Nikolai Foster, who is obviously big in the theatre world.'
Gallagher admitted she didn't expect to get the part, but landing it left her with a difficult choice: 'I would have loved to have done both as I wasn't actively looking to leave Corrie, but it wasn't feasible and I suddenly had a big decision to make.'
She turned to her on-screen mentor Roy Cropper, played by David Neilson, for advice: 'He told me to go with my gut. He's an intuitive person, and he agreed it was the right thing to do.'
Filming and Mementos
Reflecting on her final months filming, Gallagher said: 'It was obviously very sad, but everything was happening so quickly. I had to focus so I wouldn't be crying in rehearsals at my new job!'
On keeping a memento from the set, she said: 'I kept her coat, my favourite coat of hers, but I hope it isn't the end of Nina and I didn't want to take her best things in case I ever get a call back.' She added: 'I felt like the way I developed Nina, a part of her came into me, and I think that's what happens when you play a character for a long time. You genuinely change.'
