Emma Lau

Emma Lau
Born1991
Alma materMountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Years active2014–present

Emma Chung Yi Lau (born 1991) is a British actress. On television, she is known for her role in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks (2021–2023). Her films include The School for Good and Evil (2022).

Early life

Lau grew up in Greater Manchester. She took a foundation course at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA)[1] before going on to graduate from the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.[2]

Career

Lau began her career working with the Yellow Earth Theatre Company on The Last Days of Limehouse in 2014[3] and O Deptford in 2016. Also in 2016, Lau made her television debut as Lucy in "Zero", an episode and installment of the BBC One drama anthology Moving On.[4] This was followed by her feature film debut in Trial and Error.

In 2018, Lau appeared in Foreign Goods 3 at the Arcola Theatre and Table at the New Vic. She played Drusilla in the original cast of the stage musical adaptation of The Worst Witch, which premiered at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton, went on tour,[5] and had a run at London's Vaudeville Theatre, marking Lau's West End debut.[6] In 2020, she was cast in the Storyhouse productions of The Suicide, Miss Julie, and Signal Fires. She had small roles in the films Artemis Fowl in 2020 and Venom: Let There Be Carnage in 2021.

Lau made what was initially meant to be a guest appearance in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in September 2021[7] before officially joining the main cast as Serena Chen-Williams in November 2021.[8][9] She exited the soap in January 2023.[10] She also played Kiko in the 2022 Netflix film The School for Good and Evil[11][12] and Miranda in The Tempest at the 2023 Salisbury International Arts Festival.[13] She starred in Glacier at the Old Fire Station in Oxford.[14]

Personal life

Lau is in a relationship with MMA fighter and fitness trainer Daniel Crooks-May.[15]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Trial and Error Willow
2020 Artemis Fowl Goblin Disney+ film
2021 Venom: Let There Be Carnage Reveler
2022 The School for Good and Evil Kiko Netflix film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2016 Moving On Lucy Episode: "Zero"
2021 Lagging Presenter Episode: "The Ticket"[16]
2021–2023 Hollyoaks Serena Chen-Williams 76 episodes

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2022 Sifu Fighter
2022 Total War: Warhammer III

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2014 The Last Days of Limehouse Jenny Tzeto Yellow Earth Theatre / Limehouse Town Hall, London
2016 O Deptford Thuy Yellow Earth Theatre / Albany Theatre
2018 Foreign Goods 3 Leah Arcola Theatre, London
2018 Table Su-Lin / Aisha / Jess New Vic, London
2018–2019 The Worst Witch Drusilla Royal & Derngate, Northampton / UK tour / Vaudeville Theatre, London
2020 The Suicide Florence / Seren Storyhouse, Chester
2020 Miss Julie Christine
2020 Signal Fires Helen New Earth Theatre
2023 The Tempest Miranda Salisbury International Arts Festival
2023 Glacier Old Fire Station, Oxford

References

  1. ^ "Emma Lau, Actor, England". Mandy. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Mountview alumni news August 2019". Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. August 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  3. ^ "The Last Days of Limehouse". Yellow Earth Theatre. 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Jimmy McGovern's Moving On, Series 8, Zero". BBC One. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  5. ^ Wood, Alex (17 October 2018). "The Worst Witch stage show casting and UK tour announced". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  6. ^ Gans, Andrew (31 May 2019). "Cast Complete for West End Transfer of The Worst Witch". Playbill. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  7. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (22 September 2021). "Hollyoaks hints at romance for Sid as newcomer Serena arrives". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  8. ^ "HOLLYOAKS with Emma Lau and Chris Charles". Narrow Road. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  9. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (28 January 2022). "Hollyoaks star Emma Lau addresses Serena's unresolved feelings for Sid". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  10. ^ Francis, Katie (12 January 2023). "Hollyoaks star Emma Lau speaks out after Serena Chen-Williams exit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  11. ^ Cremona, Patrick (18 October 2022). "Meet the cast of The School for Good and Evil on Netflix". Radio Times. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  12. ^ Humphrey, Julia (13 November 2022). "'The School for Good and Evil' Blooper Reel Features Hilarious 'E.T.' References & Rogue Planes". Collider. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  13. ^ Wild, Stephi (18 April 2023). "Cast Revealed For THE TEMPEST at Salisbury International Arts Festival 2023". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  14. ^ Wild, Stephi (24 November 2023). "Photos: Inside Rehearsals For Alison Spittle's GLACIER, Starring Debra Baker, Sophie Steer, and Emma Lau". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Daniel Crooks-May - MMA Fighter". Tapology. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Emma Lau". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 13 December 2023.