Love Island star bags major Hollywood role after turning to acting
Love Island icon Maura Higgins is no stranger to the small screen after strutting onto the hit ITV2 dating show back in 2019. The star clearly got the itch for the limelight as she went on to star as an agony aunt on This Morning, a celebrity contestant on Dancing On Ice and even briefly had her own TV show on ITV2 called Maura Higgins: You're Joking Me!
The reality star, who most recently graced our screens as social host for Love Island USA and Love Island Games, has now decided to try out her acting skills on the big screen. In September 2023, Maura confirmed she is set to make her first acting debut in a Movie called The Spin written by Colin Broderick and produced by Jake Jacovides and Ismail Ismail.
It has been filmed in Northern Ireland where she plays a character named "Rose". It comes as The Belfast Film Festival is set to return for its 24th edition on October 31 for 10 days.
READ MORE:Kelsey Parker hits out as she defends new romance 2yrs after The Wanted star Tom’s death
READ MORE:Kelsey Parker loved-up with new man as they're seen holding hands 2yrs after Tom's death
Belfast Film Festival will present three world premieres of Northern Ireland Independent Films including the one Maura stars in, The Spin, as well as The UnHolylands and Beautiful and Loud and Clear.
On Friday, Maura shared a screenshot of the sold out screening of the feature film premiere at the upcoming festival with her 3.8 million followers.
Fans across the world were left baffled last year when it was announced that 2019 contestant Chris Taylor had bagged a role in global blockbuster hit, Barbie, alongside A-list stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
And now fellow ex-islander Maura is counting down to watch herself on the big screen as the premiere of The Spin is just weeks away.
The Love Island 2019 star - who also happens to be the ex-girlfriend of Chris - is understood to have started work in Belfast on the new movie last year.
"It’s a British film which follows two friends travelling through Ireland looking for old music records," an insider is alleged to have told The Irish Sun last year.
"The film is a comedy and Maura was the perfect fit for the role. She started work on The Spin over the weekend in Belfast and really impressed the producers."
The film also stars Hardy Bucks star Owen Colgan, Game of Thrones star Brenock O'Connor, and Derry Girls’ Tara Lynne O'Neill. The Spin was filmed on location in Omagh, Co. Tyrone and is expected to impress audiences when it premieres on the big screen at the upcoming film festival.
Maura said she had an "incredible" experience on set, but admitted that she is apprehensive about watching herself in action when it comes out.
She told fans: "Oh my god I'm so excited, but I’m also so nervous. And I never get nervous, but I will be very nervous watching that back."
She continued: "For anyone who doesn’t know, this is the movie that I did my first bit of acting in. You know me, I love a challenge. I had such a good time, the people that I was working with were incredible.
"I can't say too much about it but it was an incredible experience. I’ll be very nervous watching it back, yeah, a million percent."
"It’s a hard one because when you’ve not done something before, you just don’t know what to expect. Like obviously I’m comfortable in front of cameras and all of that jazz, but I don’t know I just feel nervous about watching it," she added.
