Thirteen-year-old Hannah Sherrard made her debut film appearance this week starring as the lead in Minkie Spiro’s I Am Ruthie Segal, Hear Me Roar. She was 12 when selected for the part.
The musical comedy, which premiered at the UK Jewish Film Festival on Sunday, tells the story of a Ruthie Segal, a batmitzvah girl who takes the opportunity of her moment on the bimah to tell the congregation what she really thinks about the ceremony.
Hannah, a pupil at Yavneh College, tells People: “I have always had a dream to play Eponine in the West End’s Les Misérables. The chance to act and sing in a film was my first opportunity to do anything like this. I had never auditioned for anything before outside of school and thought I had nothing to lose but everything to gain.”
Hannah also celebrated her batmitzvah this year — just two days after she had finished filming . “Even though I was upset when filming ended, it was great to have my own batmitzvah to be excited about. I definitely felt a connection to Ruthie, but I liked wearing my batmitzvah dress much more than hers.” She also enjoyed “being treated like a princess and meeting some amazing people. The writers were wonderful and I loved working with Minkie, the director. I learnt a lot from her and can’t thank them enough for giving me this amazing opportunity.”
How did it feel watching herself on the big screen? “It seemed like someone who looked like me, was playing me. I was really nervous before and during the showing because I hadn’t seen it the whole way through and was worried what others would think of it.” Hannah says she now has the confidence to try more acting.
‘I Am Ruthie Segal’, Saturday November 14, 6.45pm, Odeon Swiss Cottage.