Neethra Rita Tilakumara (born 14 June 1999), known professionally as Nethra Tilakumara, is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Yasmin in the BBC iPlayer coming of age comedy drama series Flatmates (2019–2021), Kat in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward (2019–2020) and Naisha Jadu in the ITVX teen drama series Tell Me Everything (2024).
Nethra Tilakumara | |
|---|---|
 Tilakumara in 2020 | |
| Born | Neethra Rita Tilakumara 14 June 1999 Westminster, London, England |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2011, 2018–present |
| Television |
|
| Partner | Archie Lyndhurst (2019; d. 2020) |
Early life
editNeethra Rita Tilakumara was born in Westminster, central London on 14 June 1999, the eldest child of four. She has three younger siblings; a brother Anuk (born 2002) and twin sisters Savini and Saviru (born 2004).[1] She is of Sri Lankan descent and grew up in Borehamwood, south Hertfordshire.[2]
Tilakumara took acting classes at the local Stagecoach Performing Arts branch.[3] She went on to pursue a BTEC Extended Diploma at Emil Dale Academy.[4] She also attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School.[5]
Career
editTilakumara began her career as a child actress with the role of Singing Soraya in the 3D comedy film Horrid Henry: The Movie. The film focuses on Henry and the Purple Hand Gang as they fight to prevent the closure of their school by an evil private school headmaster. The film is based on the fictional character Horrid Henry from the children's book series of the same name by Francesca Simon and takes place before series three of the TV series. The film was released on 29 July 2011.[6]
After a seven year hiatus, Tilakumara returned to acting, making her television debut in the role of Jamila Khan in the final episode in the third series of the BBC One military drama Our Girl, which aired on 24 July 2018.[7][8]
From August 2019 to April 2021, Tilakumara played Yasmin, a waitress at the café the characters frequent, in the BBC iPlayer coming of age comedy-drama Flatmates, a spin-off of the CBBC children's sitcom Millie Inbetween.[9][10] In September 2019, Tilakumara joined the main cast of the CBBC sitcom So Awkward as Kat, the girlfriend of Oliver 'Ollie' Coulter (Archie Lyndhurst), for its fifth series, a role she would reprise in the sixth series, making her final appearance in the October 2020.[9][11]
Tilakumara joined the main cast of the teen drama series Tell Me Everything as Naisha Jadu for its second series, which was released in full on ITVX on 6 June 2024[12] and weekly on ITV2.[13][14]
Personal life
editTilakumara was in a relationship with her So Awkward co-star Archie Lyndhurst, also a designer and the only child of Only Fools and Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst,[15] from 12 April 2019 until his sudden death on 22 September 2020, at the age of 19.[16][17] On 2 October, she paid tribute to him in a lengthy post on Instagram.[18][19]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Horrid Henry: The Movie | Singing Soraya | |
| 2018 | Our Girl | Jamila Khan | Episode: "Bangladesh Tour: Episode 4" |
| 2019–2020 | Flatmates | Yasmin | 18 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | So Awkward | Kat | 18 episodes |
| 2024 | Tell Me Everything | Naisha Jadu | 6 episodes |
References
edit- ^ "Tilakumara". Ancestry UK. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ Yu, Yi-Jin (3 October 2020). "Archie Lyndhurst's girlfriend pens heartbreaking tribute: 'You have my heart forever'". Today. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ Darlington, Josh (28 July 2011). "Borehamwood drama student stars in Horrid Henry: The Movie with Noel Fielding, Richard E. Grant and Anjelica Huston". Borehamwood & Elstree Times. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ Tina Edward Gunawardhana (17 August 2020). "Taking centre stage". Hii. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ Mauch, Ally (3 October 2020). "Archie Lyndhurst's Girlfriend Pays Tribute to Late Actor: 'You Have My Heart Forever'". People. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ "Nicktoons UK To Premiere 'Horrid Henry: The Movie' On Friday 29th June 2018". NickALive. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "Nethra Tilakumara, Jordan Dawes and Rebecca Atkinson in 'Flatmates'". Creative Artists Management. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "BBC One - Our Girl, Nigeria, Belize and Bangladesh Tours, Episode 8". BBC. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Nethra Tilakumara". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ "Flatmates to return to BBC iPlayer for Series 2". British Comedy Guide. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ "Nethra Tilakumara". TresA Magazine. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ "Provocative teen drama, Tell Me Everything is set to return to ITVX for its second season". ITVX. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ Rowan, Iona (27 September 2023). "Skins-style teen drama Tell Me Everything returning to ITV for season 2". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Tell Me Everything Series 2: New ITV2 Drama Explores Dark Side of Teenage Love". Eastieoaks. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
- ^ Flaherty, Jess; Newman, Vicki (3 October 2020). "Only Fools and Horses Nicholas Lyndhurst's tragic son Archie had 'unimaginable lust for life'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ O'Connor, Roisin (3 October 2020). "Archie Lyndhurst's girlfriend pays moving tribute after actor's death, aged 19: 'You were my person'". The Independent. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ Kelly, Emma (23 October 2020). "Archie Lyndhurst's girlfriend praises 'phenomenally kind' actor in sweet tribute as So Awkward ends". Metro. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ Griffin, Louisa (2 October 2020). "Archie Lyndhurst's girlfriend pens heartbreaking statement after CBBC star's death: 'Thank you for loving me'". Metro. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ Mauch, Ally (3 October 2020). "Archie Lyndhurst's Girlfriend Pays Tribute to Late Actor: 'You Have My Heart Forever'". People. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
External links
edit- Nethra Tilakumara at IMDb
- Nethra Tilakumara at Creative Artists Management