Its easy for Coronation Street fans to get defensive when a new character comes along and targets fan favourites like Bethany Platt and Craig Tinker in a vicious plot – but newcomer Mollie Winnard has revealed that her alter ego Kayla Clifton, who has been confirmed as the daughter of rapist ex policeman Neil, is a victim of her manipulative dad too.
With Kayla fully believing in her dads innocence, she blames Bethany and Craig for her family and her life being ripped apart and has been groomed by her father – who has always been herhero – into believing that he has been falsely accused.
With that in mind, her determination is in helping him fight his appeal so that her life can get back to normal and that has led to her befriending Bethany and becoming romantically close to Craig in order to discover more about the situation so she can potentially secure evidence to help her dad.
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Its no secret that as Kayla gets increasingly desperate, she will take more drastic action and this will culminate in a hostage situation so we caught up with Mollie to chat about her character and whether she could possibly have a place on the cobbles beyond this.
How was the character of Kayla pitched to you?
They just said that shes quite a victim and vulnerable beneath it all – but she is very determined and out to prove the truth and its her loyalty to her dad that drives her because she really loves him.
What is Kaylas motive?
Its purely to prove her dad is innocent. Obviously she will have a deep rooted bad feeling towards Bethany for what she did but I dont think Kayla is a bad person – her whole world has come crashing down. She had this beautiful family, her dad had a really good and respected job. So she had her mum and her dad, she was going to go to uni and she had all these prospects in her life then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this girl has made up a story – so Kayla thinks anyway – about her dad and he is in prison and she just wants her life back really.
She wants to prove her dad is innocent and get everything back on track – thats her motive rather than revenge.
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Are you hopeful that viewers will see that Kayla is a victim rather than a villain?
I think the writers are absolutely brilliant – it will be clear to the audience that Kayla is a victim in it all. Anyone who watched the amazing story with Bethany and Neil will know how manipulative he is and obviously its only natural that he would do that to his own family as well and thats exactly what he does. When you watch it, you will see Kayla be manipulated – hes got her wrapped her around his little finger.
How far will she go?
All I can say is – if you thought someone you loved was in danger, youd go to the ends of the earth to try and save them. I think thats what Kayla is willing to do. Her love for her dad knows no limits – he is her hero.
What would it do to her if she realised the truth?
I can only imagine she will be devastated – like I say, he is her hero and her whole life. He has really manipulated her into believing his version of events is true so suddenly if that facade was shattered, everything you know to be true is a lie. Youd question everything – how shed been brought up, her relationship with her dad, was any of it true?
Can Kayla have a long term future on Coronation Street?
I do think she is a bubbly person – the snippets we have seen of her so far are her true self. She is a nice girl and she is bubbly and loving – her love for her dad is evidence of how much of a loving person she is and how far she would go for people she cares about. I dont think for one second that she is a bad person, she has just been misled. Shes quirky, chatty and fun so you never know.
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Whats the Corrie experience like for you?
Oh, Im absolutely loving it! I have had one other TV role before this but it was so small and I only did two days of actual filming so to go from doing that little snippet to then being thrown in at the deep end with this has been amazing. Getting up every day and being paid to do what you love – I get up at half five some mornings and really dont mind at all because I am getting to do my hobby all day every day.
How have the cast welcomed you – everyone says its like a family?
Its so true – it is like a family, everybody is lovely. You dont walk into work and feel nervous, in my first week, everyone was introducing themselves and being so nice. Everyone made the effort, theres no-one who just walks past you and doesnt acknowledge you, everyone is so genuine and nice.
Are you getting recognised?
To be honest, it hasnt happened that much yet. There was someone who clocked me on a night out and asked are you from Corrie!? but apart from that, it hasnt happened yet but I have had only a few episodes go out. Im quite looking forward to it – I get a few messages from younger fans.
I have had a few cute messages from young girls who want to be actresses and ask if I know any good drama schools – I find that the sweetest thing ever because I just think that that was me when I was younger. I have wanted to act since I was seven and to know there are now young people looking to me for advice, thats an amazing feeling.
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