Haiesha Mistry

{{Infobox person

| image = Haiesha Mistry 2023.jpg

| caption = Mistry in 2023

| birth_name = Haiesha Natwarlal Mistry

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|8|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tameside, Lancashire, England

| occupation = Actress

| alma mater = University of Salford

| television = Hollyoaks

| years_active = 2017–present

}}

Haiesha Natwarlal Mistry (born 16 August 1993) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Yasmine Maalik in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2017 to 2024.

Life and career

Mistry was born on 16 August 1993 in Tameside, Lancashire, and is of Indian descent.{{cite web |last1=Mistry |first1=Haiesha |title=The most important day of the year has arrived - MY BIRTHDAY ✨🥳 #Birthday #LeoSeason ♌ #ItsNotJustBirthdayDayItsBirthdayMonth |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/ChUycAmqpfR/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D |publisher=Instagram |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=16 August 2022}}{{cite tweet |last1=Mistry |first1=Haiesha |title=Serving some Indian representation at @SoapAwards 👸🏾 |number=1135299106438557696 |date=2 June 2019 |user=haieshamistry}} She attended Droylsden Academy and Clarendon Sixth Form College before going on to study performance and media practices, followed by drama and theatre at the University of Salford, graduating from the latter with a BA (Hons).{{cite web |title=Haiesha Mistry - Actress & Drama Facilitator represented by Jane Hollowood |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/haieshamistry?originalSubdomain=uk |publisher=LinkedIn |access-date=20 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=Showcase - University of Salford |url=https://www.newadelphitheatre.co.uk/event/showcase-university-of-salford/ |publisher=New Adelphi Theatre |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=1 March 2018}} She previously worked as a jobbing actor and worked five jobs to fund acting auditions.{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks star Haiesha Mistry hits back at "bad advice" given to aspiring actors |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a28207232/hollyoaks-haiesha-mistry-hits-back-bad-advice-aspiring-actors/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=27 June 2019}}{{cite news |title=Haiesha Mistry worked 5 jobs a day to fund acting auditions |url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/news/haiesha-mistry-worked-5-jobs-day-fund-acting-auditions-1200413.html?f=rss |work=Female First |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=26 June 2019}} She has appeared in numerous stage productions including Climate of Fear, Mr and Mrs Khan, Michael Rosen's Bear Hunt Chocolate Cake and Bad Things Interactive Experience.{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks is bringing in TV newcomer Haiesha Mistry to play 'loud and flamboyant' teenager Yasmine |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a824304/hollyoaks-haiesha-mistry-to-play-yasmine-cast-changes-spoilers/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=24 March 2017}}

In April 2017, Mistry joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. Her character Yasmine Maalik was introduced as a "loud and flamboyant" teenager and following the announcement of her casting, Mistry said she was "so excited to be joining Hollyoaks as this [was her] first television credit" and that she was "looking forward to portraying [her] new character.{{cite news |title=Haiesha Mistry glows as she poses while filming abroad for Hollyoaks |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/04/07/haiesha-mistry-glows-as-she-poses-while-filming-abroad-for-hollyoaks-16424150/ |work=Metro |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=7 April 2022}}{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks star Haiesha Mistry reveals new drama for Yazz and Tom |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a40194225/hollyoaks-spoilers-haiesha-mistry-yazz-tom-drama/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=4 June 2022}}{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks introduces new character Yasmine. But who is she? |url=https://www.ok.co.uk/tv/soaps/hollyoaks-introduces-new-character-called-14550180.amp |work=OK! |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=24 March 2017}} A family was later built for the character, with the introduction of Yasmine's mother Misbah (Harvey Virdi), sister Farrah (Krupa Pattani) and brothers Imran (Ijaz Rana) and Sami (Rishi Nair).{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks to expand the Maalik family as Sami's half-brother arrives |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a28930875/hollyoaks-casts-sami-maalik-brother-azim/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=5 September 2019}}{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks star Haiesha Mistry teases huge new storyline for Yasmine Maalik |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a34170565/hollyoaks-spoilers-haiesha-mistry-yasmine-maalik-story/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=26 September 2020}} Mistry's character was part of a group self-harm storyline that won the British Soap Award for Best Single Episode in 2018.{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks star Haeisha Mistry reveals self-harm aftermath for Yasmine Maalik |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a840855/hollyoaks-spoilers-haeisha-yasmine-maalik-self-harm/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=17 October 2017}} Her other storylines on the show have included her character's Asian family being the target of a far right group, her marriage to Tom Cunningham (Ellis Hollins) and coming to terms with the rape of her mother, the latter of which she won Scene of The Year for alongside Virdi at the British Soap Awards in 2022.{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks character to be groomed in far-right plot |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-46305421 |work=BBC News |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=23 November 2018}}{{cite news |title=Exclusive: Hollyoaks writer reveals how the Maaliks will cope in far-right abuse plot |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a26813918/hollyoaks-spoilers-maalik-family-future-extremism-story/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=13 March 2019}}{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks confirms New Year's Eve wedding couple in new episode |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a34523804/hollyoaks-new-years-eve-wedding-couple-confirmed/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=29 October 2020}}{{cite news |title=Hollyoaks stars Omar Malik and Haiesha Mistry reveal devastating Misbah storyline |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a38050553/hollyoaks-spoilers-omar-malik-haiesha-mistry-misbah-story/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=25 October 2021}}{{cite web |title=British Soap Awards 2022 winners list - updated live |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a40251617/british-soap-awards-2022-winners/ |work=Digital Spy |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=11 June 2022}}{{cite news |title=Far right attack rocks Hollyoaks as Ste turns on Jonny – but is Yazz dead? |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/hollyoaks/far-right-attack-rocks-hollyoaks-as-ste-turns-on-jonny-but-is-yazz-dead/ |work=Radio Times |access-date=20 August 2022 |date=16 September 2019}} Mistry took a break from filming Hollyoaks in 2021 to star as Billy Jo in the short film Mug, directed by Jo Lane and produced by Daljinder Johal that is set to air in 2022.{{cite web |title=Haiesha Mistry to star in short film Mug |url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/news/haiesha-mistry-star-short-film-mug-1302797.html |work=Female First |access-date=29 August 2022 |date=9 June 2021}}{{cite web |title=Haiesha Mistry |url=https://janehollowood.co.uk/haiesha-mistry/haiesha-mistry-4/ |work=Jane Hollowood |access-date=20 August 2022}}

Filmography

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes ! class="unsortable" \| {{Abbr\|Ref(s)\|Reference(s)}}
2017–2024 \| Hollyoaks \| Yasmine Maalik \| Regular role \| align="center" \|
2022 \| Mug \| Billy Jo \| Short film \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}

2017–2024

| Hollyoaks

| Yasmine Maalik

| Regular role

| align="center" |

2022

| Mug

| Billy Jo

| Short film

| align="center" |

Stage

class="wikitable sortable"
Title ! class="unsortable" \| {{Abbr\|Ref(s)\|Reference(s)}}
Climate of Fear \| align="center" \|
Mr and Mrs Khan \| align="center" \|
Bear Hunt Chocolate Cake \| align="center" \|
Bad Things Interactive Experience \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Title

! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}

Climate of Fear

| align="center" |

Mr and Mrs Khan

| align="center" |

Bear Hunt Chocolate Cake

| align="center" |

Bad Things Interactive Experience

| align="center" |

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable"
Year ! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! {{Abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
2022 \| British Soap Awards \| Scene of the Year (with Harvey Virdi) \| Hollyoaks \| {{won}} \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable"

Year

! Award

! Category

! Work

! Result

! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

2022

| British Soap Awards

| Scene of the Year (with Harvey Virdi)

| Hollyoaks

| {{won}}