Fode Simbo

Fode trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Floella Benjamin

One of six children, Floella Benjamin was born in Trinidad, but was brought up in England. Over the last forty-seven years she has had a diverse and varied career in several sectors of the entertainment industry as an actress, presenter, writer, independent producer, businesswoman and media regulator. It all started in 1970 when she appeared in several successful West End shows including ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘The Black Mikado’, she then progressed to television drama, one of her notable early roles was in six episodes of ‘Within These Walls’ with Googie Withers. She went on to work with some of Britain’s top directors including Richard Eyre and Richard Stroud. Many drama, comedy, current affairs and magazine programmes followed and she was soon also a regular presenter of lifestyle programmes such as Channel 4’s ‘A Houseful of Plants’ and BBC ‘Daytime Live’ In 1977 she appeared in her first and only leading role in the feature film, ‘Black Joy’, and she was critically acclaimed at the Cannes film festival for her portrayal of ‘Miriam’ in the film, which was the British entry that year. Thirty years later in 2007 she played cameo roles in ‘Run Fatboy Run’ and ‘Rendition’ with Jake Gyllenhaal. However she may be best known as the iconic presenter of the BBC’s legendary children’s programmes, ‘Playschool’ and ‘Playaway’, through which she became a household name. Floella has worked on numerous radio programmes, from children’s education and entertainment shows to adult drama. She has also written and appeared in numerous educational, and entertainment videos and continues to narrate many commercial audio books and story tapes. She has done hundreds of voice-overs for television and radio commercials and appeared in several pantomimes and Christmas shows including, ‘Puss in Boots’, ‘Aladdin’, ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Babes in the Wood’. Floella has also written over 30 children’s books, along with magazine articles and novels. Since 1987 Floella has produced hundreds of programmes through her own television production company that she set up with her husband Keith Taylor. After 46 years in show-business she still regularly appears on Children’s television and makes frequent public appearances.

Emer Gillespie

Based in London, Emer Gillespie is currently EP and showrunner on a returning geopolitical thriller, set in the global north, working with MGM and Escape Artists. Its award-winning director and star to be announced, imminently.
Emer is also currently writing a supernatural feature thriller with Matt Jackson, Lena Dunham and Chockstone Pictures.
Prior to this Emer worked extensively on UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN with Lance Black and Gina Welch for FX/Disney, an Emmy and Critics Choice nominated show. FX also then hired Emer as EP and showrunner to adapt Julie Mayhew’s novel, IMPOSSIBLE CAUSES as a limited series.  She was also part of the team creating the third season of the Netflix series, MARCELLA.
Emer wrote the feature SALT 2 for Angelina Jolie, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sony Pictures. She also wrote UNDERCARD, a feature based on Deirdre Gogarty, the world- champion female featherweight boxer, for eOne with Philippa Lowthorpe directing.
Emer has written the thriller feature GIRLS WEEKEND, based on the novel by Jody Gehrman, adapting this for Rudy Langlais and Suzann Ellis at Beacon Pictures. Also the feature, JOAN, for Josh Varney and Erica Steinberg at 42, the sweeping medieval tale of Joan of Arc.
Before writing for the screen, Emer was a novelist. VIRTUAL STRANGER and FIVE DEAD MEN were both published by Headline. She began as an actor, appearing on the BBC at the age of 16, with Stephen Rae and Liam Neeson, then working extensively in film and television, such as  CHIMERA for ITV, ULTRAVIOLETwith Idris Elba, TROUBLES with Ian Charleson and Ian Richardson, and Greenaway’s THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE AND HER LOVER.

Embeth Davidtz

EMBETH DAVIDTZ originally caught the attention of the world for her genuine and confident portrayal as the Jewish maid who survives both the abuse and attraction of Ralph Fiennes’ sadistic commander ‘Goeth’ in Steven Spielberg’s SCHINDLER’S LIST. She recently appeared in the film PARANOIA as ‘Dr. Judith Bolton’ opposite Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Liam Hemsworth and Amber Heard. Embeth also recently reprised her role as the mother to Andrew Garfield’s character ‘Peter Parker’ in Marc Webb’s THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SPIDER-MAN II, the follow-up to the hit blockbuster, and appeared as ‘Annika Blomkvist’ in David Fincher’s adaptation of GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO opposite Daniel Craig. Her television credits include ‘Rebecca Pryce’, wife of actor Jared Harris, on MAD MEN, and as ‘Amy’ in IN TREATMENT, opposite Gabriel Byrne and Dianne Wiest, as well as a season long love interest to David Duchovny on CALIFORNICATION. Embeth’s theatre career includes starring roles in South Africa in ROMEO AND JULIET at Maynardville, Deon Opperman’s STILLE NAG, Reza de Wet’s A WORM IN THE BUD and Chekhov’s THE SEAGULL at the Adcock-Ingram Theatre.