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Woman Crush Wednesday
Can you believe that we’re already halfway through February?! If you need a moment to pause, recover from Valentine’s Day-induced chocolate hangovers (or maybe just regular ol’ hangovers), and take a breath before we tear through the rest of the week, then stop to take in this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday! This week we’re celebrating a talented actress who is only at the beginning of what’s sure to be a long career, so make sure to keep an eye out for her from here on out. So, without further ado, give it up for your WCW, the wonderful Lydia West!
WHO’S THAT GAL: Lydia West
WHY WE’RE CRUSHING: West stars as Jill Baxter in upcoming five-part dramatic miniseries It’s a Sin, which initially premiered on British network Channel 4 earlier this year and will be redistributed by HBO Max in the U.S. starting this Thursday, February 18th. The series takes place in 1981, revolving around a gang of friends who move in together in the heart of London. As the decade unfolds, we follow their hopes and dreams, highs and lows, as they navigate coming out and coming of age. But the HIV/AIDS crisis is on the rise, and they’ll need each other more than ever as the fight begins. Olly Alexander, Keeley Hawes, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Fry, and more star alongside West to round out an all-star cast of faces old and new.
Positive reviews are already pouring in for the series ahead of its HBO Max release. The Guardian recently gave the show a perfect five out of five star review, dubbing it “a poignant masterpiece.” The Hollywood Reporter praised the cast as “uniformly terrific, with Alexander and West in particular embodying the youthful radiance the virus slowly steals from its victims .” Even The New York Times recently wrote an article dedicated to the show and its writer Russell T Davies (creator of Queer as Folk), highlighting the excellence of both as we near the show’s HBO Max premiere. Take their (and our) word for it, and make sure to stream It’s a Sin as soon as it drops to see West and the rest of the cast’s incredible work.
WHERE YOU’VE SEEN HER BEFORE: West began her acting journey with a bang with her professional debut as recurring role Bethany Bisme-Lyons in the six-part BBC One and HBO sci-fi drama miniseries Years and Years, alongside Emma Thompson, Russell Tovey, Jessica Hynes, and more top-notch acting talent. Since then she has had a steady stream of work, acting in an episode of drama-horror miniseries Dracula and in comedy film Higher Grounds, plus voice work in Doctor Who: The Sorcerer of Albion for Big Finish Productions and reading The Wizard of Oz alongside Jim Broadbent for Audible. And all of that was only in 2020!
As the world continues to see how amazing West is, we have no doubt that her filmography will only continue to grow, and we can’t wait to see all of the great work she will be a part of throughout the rest of her career.
WHERE YOU’LL SEE HER AGAIN: Luckily, you won’t have to wait too much longer to see more from West, as the actress is already taking 2021 by storm with two projects in the works. The first is romantic drama film Text for You, about a young woman who tries to ease the pain of her fiancé’s death by sending romantic texts to his old cell phone number, and forms a connection with the man the number has been reassigned to. Alongside West, the film’s cast includes Priyanka Chopra, Sam Heughan, and Celine Dion. West is also slated to act in a currently-filming thriller series Suspicion, about the kidnapping of the son of a prominent American businesswoman, and which also stars Uma Thurman.
For even more from West while you wait, you can follow her on Instagram, so don’t miss the latest from this rising star with a long and exciting career ahead!
