Georgia Pemberton has recently finished her run playing Dinah in Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – a role her mother played in the original production in the 1980s – and at the 2025 West End Wilma Awards, Georgia was nominated for Best Performer in an Off-West End Show and won the Rising Star Award. In 2024, Georgia workshopped Paddington the Musical as Judy Brown ahead of the world premiere opening at the Savoy Theatre in the West End last year, and in 2016, she played Blousey Brown in Bugsy Malone at the Lyric Hammersmith, and returned to the musical for the 2022/23 tour as Louella. Further stage roles as a child actor have seen Georgia play Pandora Braithwaite in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole the Musical, Baby June in Gypsy, star as Matilda in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical, and she played Young Éponine in Les Misérables. As a screen actor, Georgia’s first project was playing Fiona in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, for which she was directed by Tim Burton, and in Series 2 of Spellbound, Georgia filmed on location in Paris and Brussels, having been cast as Jade Hudson. Catching up with Georgia, she chatted to us about her recent run as Dinah in Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, workshopping Paddington the Musical as Judy Brown, being part of Bugsy Malone over the years and being cast as Jade Hudson in Series 2 of Spellbound.
Having just finished playing Dinah in Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, what was it like performing with the musical on its closing night in London, and what do you miss most about working on the show?
Closing night was incredibly emotional. I think because the show became such a huge part of all our lives – not just performing it, but the routine, the people and the adrenaline of doing something that physically demanding eight times a week. There was such a special atmosphere in the building that night, and you could really feel how much the audience loved the production. It felt like a real celebration of what we’d all achieved together.
What I miss most is definitely the company. We became such a close family because the show required so much trust and teamwork, especially skating at speed while singing and acting. I also really miss the energy of the show itself – there’s nothing quite like hearing that opening music and flying out onto the track every night.
How different did you find Dinah to your previous characters, and what was she like to play?
Dinah was very different from a lot of the roles I’d played before because she’s so fiery and emotionally open. She’s strong-willed, passionate and has this amazing mix of vulnerability and confidence. I loved her emotional journey she went on through the show.
She was also one of the most physically demanding roles I’ve ever played because you’re balancing huge vocals, acting and complex skating choreography all at the same time. That challenge made her incredibly rewarding to play.
How did you find the experience learning on the Starlight Express skate school, and how was it performing in a theatre production on skates?
The skate school was intense but so much fun. Most of us came in with very different levels of skating experience, so it really felt like learning a completely new discipline together. At the start, it was honestly quite terrifying, but eventually the skates become second nature.
Performing on skates completely changes the way you approach theatre. You have to think about momentum, balance and spatial awareness constantly, while still staying connected to the character and the audience. Once it clicked though, it became one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever done on stage.
Your mother played Dinah in the West End production in the 1980s; what did it mean to you to book the same role in the recent run and what was Starlight Express like to be part of?
It meant so much to me. Growing up, I’d heard stories about her experience on the original production, so getting to step into the same role years later felt incredibly special and quite surreal at times. It felt like a real full-circle moment for our family.
Being part of Starlight Express was amazing because it’s such a unique show. There really isn’t anything else like it. The scale, the music, the athleticism and the fanbase make it a very special production to be part of.
At the 2025 West End Wilma Awards, you were nominated for Best Performer in an Off-West End Show and won the Rising Star award, how did this feel?
Winning at the West End Wilma Awards was honestly such a lovely surprise and a huge honour. Knowing that people had connected with my performance enough to vote and support me meant the world. I was already so proud to be nominated alongside such talented performers, so winning the Rising Star award was incredibly special and very encouraging at this stage in my career.
What was it like workshopping Paddington the Musical in 2024 as Judy Brown, ahead of the world premiere opening at the Savoy Theatre in the West End last year?
Workshopping a brand-new musical is always such an exciting process because you get to help shape the piece from the ground up. There’s a real sense of collaboration in the room, and things evolve constantly. Judy was really fun to explore because she’s intelligent, warm and has a lovely sense of humour. It was amazing seeing how much care and creativity was going into bringing such a beloved story to the stage.
In 2016, you played Blousey Brown in Bugsy Malone at Lyric Hammersmith; how was it returning to the show for the 2022/23 UK Tour as Louella and what are some of your favourite memories from both productions?
It was really special returning to a show that had been such a big part of my childhood, but this time from a completely different perspective. Playing Louella as an adult felt very full-circle.
Some of my favourite memories are definitely the company atmosphere in both productions. Bugsy Malone has such an infectious energy and sense of fun. I also loved performing the splurge scenes every night – they never stopped being entertaining.
Can you tell us about your theatre career as a child performer, which saw you play Pandora Braithwaite in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole the Musical, Baby June in Gypsy, Matilda in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical and Young Éponine in Les Misérables?
I feel very lucky to have had those opportunities from such a young age because I learnt so much from every production and from the people around me. Growing up in theatre teaches you discipline very quickly, but it also gave me such a love for storytelling and performing.
Each role taught me something different. Matilda was incredibly special because it taught me the responsibility of leading a show and what professionalism looks like. And Les Misérables was such an amazing environment to look up to these amazing adult actors and learn in. Looking back now, I’m very grateful for all those experiences because they really shaped me as a performer.
What was it like joining the cast of Spellbound in Series 2, and how would you describe your character Jade Hudson?
Joining the cast was such a fun experience because the show has such a loyal audience and a really exciting energy to it. Jade is confident, ambitious and quite fearless, which made her really enjoyable to play. I’d never been given the opportunity to play the villain before, so I really enjoyed the challenge. She definitely brings a strong presence into the story.
How was it taking on the role of Jade, and what was it like filming on location in Paris and Brussels?
Filming in Paris and Brussels was incredible. Those cities are so visually beautiful, and they added such a special atmosphere to the project. It was also really exciting getting to film internationally. I loved playing Jade because she had a lot of drive and determination, and it was fun exploring that side of her and working with our writers throughout the series.
What do you feel you learnt from your time filming as Fiona in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and what was it like being directed by Tim Burton?
Working on Miss Peregrine’s was such an eye-opening experience. Being on a large film set at that age taught me so much about professionalism and the scale of filmmaking.
Tim Burton was incredibly inspiring to work with because he has such a clear creative vision, but also creates a very calm and imaginative environment on set. Watching the way he worked was a huge learning experience, and it definitely gave me even more appreciation for screen acting and storytelling.
Do you remember how you felt finding out you’d booked the role of Fiona, and do you have any stand-out highlights from being involved with the film that you can share?
I remember being completely shocked and excited when I found out I’d booked Fiona in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. At that age, being part of such a huge film felt surreal, especially because I’d already loved acting for so long. It was one of those moments that really didn’t feel real until I arrived on set.
One of the biggest highlights was definitely getting to work with Tim Burton and seeing how imaginative the whole process was. The sets, costumes and atmosphere were incredible. I also loved meeting so many talented actors and learning from watching them work every day. It such an unforgettable experience.
Where does your love of acting come from and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
I think I’ve always naturally gravitated towards performing. I loved storytelling, music and creating characters from a really young age, and theatre quickly became somewhere I felt completely at home.
Once I started performing professionally as a child, I realised how much I genuinely loved the work itself – the rehearsals, the challenge of learning material, and the feeling of connecting with an audience. From then on, it was definitely something I hoped I’d be able to pursue as a career.
What are some of your favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch, and are there any theatre shows you’d like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?
I love shows that have a strong emotional story, but also a real sense of spectacle and music. In terms of theatre, I’ve always loved classics like Les Misérables and Gypsy, but I also really enjoy newer contemporary musicals. Recently, I saw Cynthia Erivo in Dracula, and she gave such an unforgettable and inspiring performance.
Film-wise, I love anything visually imaginative or character-driven, and I’m also a huge fan of comedy films and comfort watches. One of my home comforts is I tend to enjoy quite a mix depending on my mood.
There are still so many productions I’d love to see, for example Avenue Q and Into the Woods. I always feel like there are brilliant new shows opening in London that I haven’t had chance to catch yet because of performing schedules.
How do you like to spend your free time?
A lot of my free time is usually spent with friends and family, especially after long runs in theatre when schedules can get quite intense. I also love watching films, listening to music, going to see theatre and attending classes whenever I can.
I’m quite creative outside of performing as well, so I enjoy things like planning workshops, working on new material and generally finding ways to stay inspired creatively. And honestly, after doing a physically demanding show like Starlight Express, sometimes free time is just about properly resting!
Do you have any projects coming up that you can talk about, and what are you hoping the rest of 2026 brings?
At the moment, I’m very excited about what’s next and looking forward to my next new chapter that I’m excited to announce soon! I can’t say too much just yet, but I’m definitely hoping to keep challenging myself with projects planned in a new city that feel creatively exciting and different from things I’ve done before.
More than anything, I’m hoping the rest of 2026 brings growth, new collaborations and opportunities to keep learning as a performer. After finishing such a huge chapter with Starlight Express, it feels like a really exciting time to step into what’s next.
Follow Georgia on: