Becca Maguire played Saffron in 2009’s Nativity (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
Becca Maguire is best known for her role in Christmas classic Nativity, but she looks totally different 14 years on.
Now aged 23, the child star played a pupil called Saffron in the 2009 flick, which boasts a starry cast including Martin Freeman, Alan Carr, Jason Watkins, David Tennant, and Joanna Page.
Directed by Debbie Isitt, the musical comedy’s first installment follows an uptight but secretly heartbroken primary school teacher who tells a white lie about Hollywood coming to see his class’ nativity, which spreads like wildfire.
Since Nativity’s release, three more films have been released in the series – Danger in the Manger (2012), Dude, Where’s My Donkey? (2014), and Nativity Rocks! (2018) – with Craig Revel Horwood, Martin Clunes, and Catherine Tate making appearances.
It’s safe to say the films are Christmas classics, so much so that even Becca’s family forces her to watch her own performance on the small screen every year.
The actress was originally cast as Saffron after signing up to an agency through her local drama school.
The former child star is now 23 and looks worlds away from her little self! (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
She starred alongside a bunch of A-listers at just eight years of age (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
Becca – who recently graduated in history of art – previously spilt the beans on shooting for the film as a child, saying it was shot over the six-week summer holidays at a school in Coventry, Warwickshire.
She then flew off to Los Angeles for two weeks to film extra footage with her co-star Michael McAuley, who played William.
Aged just eight at the time, the role undoubtedly changed Becca’s life.
She has described the job as ‘very fun’, but now admits it’s ‘cringe’ to look back on.
So much so, that she doesn’t hurry to turn it on for Christmas Day – even if her mum does.
‘I have watched the first and second Nativity! films, but I don’t think I’ve seen the other two,’ she told MailOnline.
Becca was even flown to LA to film (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
She recent graduated with a degree in history of art (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
‘Nativity is not my favourite Christmas film. I find it quite cringe.
‘I don’t know if this is because I’m in it, but it’s not my favourite. However, my mum and dad make us watch it every year as a Christmas tradition. My favourite Christmas film is Love Actually.’
On the success of Nativity, Becca has admitted she never expected it to reach the heights it did.
‘I was only eight when I starred in the film. Lots of children that turned up to the audition were well rehearsed and had planned dance routines.
‘I just turned up and didn’t expect it to go anywhere.
‘When I got the part, we weren’t sure if I was going to be an extra or a main part.
‘We didn’t know about going to LA to film for ages.’
She felt ‘quite nervous’ at the time, especially being in front of so many producers and directors.
‘I remember making so many new friends on set and the whole experience was so fun,’ she added.
Revealing a secret from set too, Becca said that, while the kids learned the lyrics to the film’s songs, they weren’t given lines.
This was to make their acting more ‘natural’ – and it worked!
In another scoop, she said her character was originally named Sapphire before being renamed Saffron.
Nowadays, Becca is free to go about her life with a level of anonymity.
Becca says she no longer gets recognised (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
…but she’ll always be Saffron to us! (Picture: Kennedy News/@beccamaguire55)
While people used to recognise her from the movie, they don’t anymore given how she’s grown up.
On the odd occasion that someone does clock her acting past, however, they always have something hilarious to say.
Becca said: ‘No one in person seems to recognise me but when I was younger I sometimes used to get recognised on school trips.
‘Whenever someone realises that it’s me, they always say that when I say, “Ponies, horses, donkeys and cats” is hilarious.’
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The former child actress spills the beans on the film’s secrets.