Rachel Tucker
Rachel Tucker
Rachel Kelly Tuckeris a Northern Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008. She is perhaps best known for playing Elphaba in the hit musical Wicked in the West End, where she played the role longer than any other actress in the production's history, and on Broadway...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionStage Actress
Date of Birth29 May 1981
CountryIreland
achievement attention comprehend enjoy finished held kept relief straight until wanting
It had to be a book that held my attention and kept me wanting to read it; when my husband finished 'The Road', I started it straight away and didn't put it down until I finished - it was such an achievement and relief to know that I could read, comprehend and, most importantly, enjoy a book!
academy favorite royal saw
'We Will Rock You' is one of my favorite shows. I first saw it when I was a student at the Royal Academy and loved it.
auditions bus drop fare hanging home later lyric mum pushy teens wings
My mum was no pushy parent. She would drop me off for auditions when I was in my teens at the Lyric Theatre, then give me my bus fare and say she would see me later at home. She wasn't hanging around in the wings geeing me on. I had to do it on my own; it was up to me.
york
Living in New York for 10 months was incredible; it was everything I thought it was going to be and more.
background believe head information knew life lost months role running stuck study wicked witch
When I was in the running for the role of Elphaba, I knew it was important to research and study as much background information as I could, so I got my head stuck into 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire, and I believe I lost many days, weeks, and months reading it - I was captivated!
tv ultimate
I did a reality TV show in London called 'I'd Do Anything,' and when I got put in the program, they said, 'What is your ultimate dream?' and I said, 'Broadway.'
brought home instead watched
I'd been brought up on musicals. Instead of cartoons, we watched videocassettes of musicals at home.
forced glad husband listen pick start thankful took
I am glad and thankful that my husband forced me to start reading for pleasure, as it took me years to listen to him and pick up a book!
dad
When my dad, Tommy Tucker Kelly, was about six, he started out with his dad on 'The Black and White Minstrel' Shows.
belfast believe clubs coming crowd dad pubs shirley tina took turner
I started singing in pubs and clubs around Belfast when I was 10. My dad is a musician, and he took me 'round; I impersonated Tina Turner and Shirley Bassey, and the crowd couldn't believe what was coming out of this little girl.
certain hear lived news opposite shot sing soldiers somebody talk
All you would hear every night on the news was that somebody had been shot dead in a certain part of Belfast. We lived opposite a judge, and there were always soldiers crouched down in our garden. We'd sit and talk to them, and I even used to sing to them!
dame grand pantomime seats
We used to have front-row seats for the Grand Opera House pantomime every year, and once the dame May McFettridge got me up on-stage.
compulsory quite surprising
I like surprising my audiences, and it's compulsory to have fun and be silly; I never take myself quite too seriously.
acting asked books enjoy exams front loud time
I read books for exams at school, but only because I had to read them, and really didn't enjoy it one little bit! The only time I did enjoy it was when I was asked to read out loud in front of the class, as I then used it as an acting exercise!