Ruby Button

Ruby Button is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Anna Shaffer. Shaffer's casting was announced in December 2010 and it was revealed that Ruby would be introduced as the sister of Duncan Button (Dean Aspen). Shaffer originally auditioned for the role of Leanne Holiday, in which she was not successful. Shaffer began filming her scenes in late 2010 and relocated to Liverpool for filming. Ruby made her first appearance in the episode broadcast on 3 January 2011. In October 2013, it was announced that Shaffer had quit the role and would leave in February 2014.

Ruby was initially described as "sneaky" and likely to cause mayhem at Duncan's expense. Ruby is a tearaway and "occupies herself with tormenting others" including her best friend, Esther Bloom (Jazmine Franks). Ruby is illiterate and the official Hollyoaks website describe this as her "Achilles heel". However, Ruby does not let her illiteracy stop her causing trouble. The character has also been called a "bitchy schoolgirl" and sharp-tongued. Series producer, Emma Smithwick, said she wants the character of Ruby to be "more full and not two-dimensional".

Anna Shaffer

Anna Shaffer (born 15 March 1992) is an English actress, best known for her roles as Ruby Button in teen soap opera Hollyoaks and Romilda Vane in the Harry Potter film series.

Early life

Anna Shaffer was born in London, and attended secondary school at Highgate Wood School in Haringey, London. She later attended Camden School for Girls in the Sixth Form.

Career

On 19 December 2007 she was cast in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as Romilda Vane, the fourth year student who tried to use a love potion on Harry. She would then reprise this role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2010 and 2011.

In December 2010, the Liverpool Echo reported that eighteen-year-old Shaffer would be joining the cast of Hollyoaks as Ruby, the sister of Duncan Button (Dean Aspen). Shaffer originally auditioned for the role of Leanne Holiday, but she was later cast as Ruby. Shaffer relocated to Liverpool, where Hollyoaks is filmed, for the role. She began filming her scenes in late 2010. Shaffer made her first on-screen appearance as Ruby in the episode broadcast on 3 January 2011. In May 2011, it was speculated that Shaffer would be leaving Hollyoaks. However, this was denied and a show spokesperson told Digital Spy "We don't want to spoil the storylines for the viewers, however we can confirm that Anna Shaffer is with Hollyoaks for the foreseeable future."