Anna Friel has said she believes northern actors like herself have to work harder to succeed, because they don’t have “connections”. 

The ‘Marcella’ star, who originally hails from Rochdale, has achieved huge success on both sides of the pond, first finding fame in the 1990s on Channel 4 soap ‘Brookside’.

Anna was recently nominated for a Bafta for her role as a single mum in BBC drama ‘Broken’, and speaking to The Mirror, she claimed she got where she is now through “hard work and integrity”, making her success all the more swee. 

“How many female northern actresses are successful in America?” she said. “Does it help to have a leg up? Of course it does. And connections.

“Does it feel good to know you’ve done it absolutely by yourself through sheer hard work and integrity – yes it does.”

Her ‘Broken’ co-star Sean Bean agreed, adding: “It is true. I’ve been passionate, stuck it out and believed in myself, and that’s it.”

Anna was last seen on screen in the second series finale of ITV crime noir ‘Marcella’, which left fans reeling with its gruesome ending. 

Her next role sees her playing the mother of a transgender child in new ITV drama ‘Butterfly’. 

The three-part story is about Max, an 11-year-old who lives as a girl at home, but then decides to stop hiding his true identity from the rest of the world. 

Announcing the show earlier this year, ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, said: “‘Butterfly’ is a beautiful story about a young boy on the cusp of puberty who doesn’t feel comfortable in his own body.

“It’s a heart-warming and emotional script from Tony Marchant that focuses upon gender identity and one boy’s search to be recognised for who he really is.”

It is believed ‘Butterfly’ will air later this year.