Sheridan Smith OBE: Prince William Presents 'The C Word' Actress With Her Medal At Buckingham Palace Ceremony (PICTURES)
Emotional Sheridan Smith Collects Her OBE
Ashley Percival— The Huffington Post UK
|
Sheridan Smith was overcome with emotion as she was presented with her OBE by the Duke Of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace today (21 May).
The ‘Cilla’ and ‘The C Word’ actress was honoured for her varied career, which has seen her awarded a BAFTA and two Olivier Awards, thanks to her TV and stage roles.
Open Image Modal
Sheridan Smith with her OBE
To make Sheridan's day even better, Prince Wills revealed he was a big fan of the hit show ‘Gavin And Stacey’ - in which she played Rudi Smith - at the presentation ceremony.
Speaking of how she would “absolutely treasure” the award, Sheridan said: "I did say I don't feel as worthy as so many of the recipients, but thank you so much, it's a huge honour.
"He said he'd seen some of my work, which is amazing, and was a fan of 'Gavin And Stacey'.
"And I congratulated him on his wonderful children and he shook my hand and I was shaking - it's all a bit of a blur. It was a huge honour and I will absolutely treasure this, I can't quite believe it.
"I just do my acting, it's what I love doing, I never ever expected to get an OBE so this is absolutely indescribable," she added.
Open Image Modal
The Duke Of Cambridge presented Sheridan with the honour
The 33-year-old actress first entered the limelight with minor parts in sitcoms ‘The Royle Family’ and ‘Gavin And Stacey’, and the bigger role of Janet in the long-running sitcom ‘Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps’.
However, it was in 2011 that Sheridan really hit the bigtime, when her performance in the West End musical ‘Legally Blonde’ earned her an Olivier Award.
More recently, she won plaudits and a Bafta for her performance as the eponymous ‘Mrs Biggs’ and before playing Cilla Black in an ITV biopic.
Sheridan wore a blue dress with a feather headband to the ceremony
Sheridan said she believed the characters she’d played had helped her earn the OBE.
“I love being able to try different roles and I think it's good to challenge yourself. To me I feel so lucky, I keep pinching myself every role I get, I've got that working mentality where every job's a bonus,” she said.
"I've just plodded along, I've done a lot of comedy, then some dramas have come my way and some musical theatre and some straight plays.
"I just feel very lucky that I've been given those opportunities and if I hadn't been given those opportunities I certainly wouldn't be collecting an OBE today."
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(01 of09)
Open Image Modal
Name a well-known TV comedy or drama, and, chances are, she's starred in it. Her telly credits include 'The Royle Family', 'Gavin & Stacey', 'Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps', 'Heartbeat', 'Holby City', 'Where The Heart Is', 'Doctors', 'Fat Friends', 'The Royal', 'Mile High', 'The Bill', 'Benidorm', 'Jonathan Creek', 'Mrs Biggs' and 'Cilla' to name well, rather a lot. Just don't tell Sarah Lancashire. (credit:ITV)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(02 of09)
Open Image Modal
A love of showbiz runs in the family. Sheridan's great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Doubleday, was a respected and well-known banjo player, whilst her parents, Colin and Marilyn, continue to perform as the fabulously named country and western duo, 'The Daltons' (that's them in the pic). And it was on stage with her parents that Sheridan first got a taste for the limelight. "When I was four I joined them on stage doing little dance routines," she said previously. "It wasn't long before I was standing on a stool joining in the singing." (credit:Twitter/Sheridan Smith)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(03 of09)
Open Image Modal
She once dated her 'Gavin & Stacey' co-star James Corden, but we'll forgive her. She's also been romantically linked to Russell Brand, but hey, who hasn't? Sometimes though, the press get it REALLY wrong when it comes to her love life. “I have lots of gay mates,” she explains. “Every time I go out with one of them, it’s in the papers, ‘Ooh, Sheridan’s new mystery man!’ It makes me scream laughing, their gaydar is so broken!” (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(04 of09)
Open Image Modal
She got the big thumbs up from critics and audiences alike for her portrayal of Elle Woods in the West End musical 'Legally Blonde', which won her a Best Actress gong at the Laurence Olivier Awards and Theatregoers Choice Awards. No mean feat. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(05 of09)
Open Image Modal
Despite being a familiar face, she admits to being a complete fangirl around other famous types. “I still get so starstruck,” she admits. “When I did Quartet, a movie Dustin Hoffman directed, with Dame Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins and Michael Gambon, I wanted to curtsey every day.” (credit:Ian West/PA Archive)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(06 of09)
Open Image Modal
In 2012, she unexpectedly pulled out of playing the lead role in the musical version of 'Bridget Jones', throwing the planned West End production into chaos in what was described as a 'pure act of selfishness' by one unnamed person closely involved with the show. Two years later and the musical is still yet to make it to the stage but Sheridan's career has gone from strength to strength. (credit:Jon Furniss/Invision/AP)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(07 of09)
Open Image Modal
One rumoured major new role for Sheridan is playing the jailed mother of Shannon Matthews, who was at the centre of a hoax kidnap that gripped the nation and beyond in 2008. Jeff Pope, who wrote 'Cilla', is writing the screenplay, and has hinted that he wants Sheridan to play the lead role of Karen Matthews. (credit:Samir Hussein via Getty Images)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(08 of09)
Open Image Modal
Despite being loved by critics and TV and theatre audiences alike, Sheridan still doesn't think she's much cop and is riddled with self-doubt because she isn't a drama school graduate. "When I'm working alongside someone like Dame Maggie Smith, I can't help thinking 'I don't deserve to be here'," she has said in the past. "You see these formally trained actors with scripts covered in writing, whereas mine will be covered in coffee stains and fag burns. I spend most of the time feeling like I'm totally blagging it." (credit:Mark Robert Milan via Getty Images)
Sheridan Smith: 9 Facts In 90 Seconds(09 of09)
Open Image Modal
She has suffered from severe panic attacks in the past and still has one before every opening night. "[I get] very rapid heart rate, sweaty hands, dry mouth. Sometimes when it’s really bad, your hearing goes, your vision goes. Everyone can tell you that you’re going to be fine but none of it goes in," she explained. (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)