Ruxandra Porojnicu

{{Infobox person

| name = Ruxandra Porojnicu

| image =

| caption =

| alt =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1993|7|5}}

| birth_place = Bucharest, Romania

| occupation = Actress

| nationality = Romanian

| years_active = 2009–present

| television = Coronation Street (2019–2021, 2024)

}}

Ruxandra Porojnicu (born 5 July 1993) is a Romanian actress. She is known for her portrayal of Alina Pop in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 2019 until 2021 and in 2024.

Life and career

Porojnicu was born on 5 July 1993 in Bucharest, Romania.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/coronation-street-alina-tyrone-affair-23850584.amp|title=Coronation Street star Ruxandra Porojnicu opens up on backlash she's received from fans over Tyrone affair|work=OK!|date=4 April 2021|access-date=5 April 2021|archive-date=4 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404120941/https://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/coronation-street-alina-tyrone-affair-23850584.amp|url-status=live}} While attending university, she spent time in America as part of her course; seeing a "different way of life" inspired her to move away.{{cite web|url=https://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/coronation-street-ruxandra-porojnicu-moving-to-the-uk-was-daunting-663259/|title=Coronation Street star Ruxandra Porojnicu: 'Moving to the UK was daunting, but the only way to make it big'|work=What's on TV|language=en|date=19 March 2021|accessdate=5 April 2021|archive-date=19 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319203732/https://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/coronation-street-ruxandra-porojnicu-moving-to-the-uk-was-daunting-663259/|url-status=live}} She received a degree in acting and puppetry from the Caragiale National University of Theatre and Film, and numerous theatre credits. At the age of 22, she left Romania to live in London. Porojnicu stated that although she loves Romania, she left since she felt that career opportunities there are limited.

Porojnicu has spoken about having to "start over" as she went to the United Kingdom. Upon moving, she had £300 to her name.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thefocus.news/tv/ruxandra-porojnicu-age/amp/|title=Meet the actress who plays Alina on Coronation Street|work=The Focus|access-date=5 April 2021|archive-date=6 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706101122/https://www.thefocus.news/tv/ruxandra-porojnicu-age/?amp|url-status=live}} She got a job at Pizza Express, and took acting classes. She also began working as an extra and doing modelling, some of which was unpaid, so that she could build a portfolio. Porojnicu got signed to an agency that specialised in advertisements with an acting department, where she received an audition for the role of Alina Pop on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She won the role, appearing as a regular from 2019 until 2021 before returning for a guest stint in 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/alina-pop-coronation-street-ruxandra-22964744|title=Inside Coronation Street star Ruxandra Porojnicu's real life away from playing Alina Pop on the cobbles|work=OK!|language=en|date=5 November 2020|access-date=5 April 2021|archive-date=4 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210404121218/https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/alina-pop-coronation-street-ruxandra-22964744|url-status=live}} For her role, she was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2019 Inside Soap Awards.{{Cite news|url=https://www.insidesoap.co.uk/corrie/coronation-street-video-exclusive-behind-the-scenes-at-the-inside-soap-awards-photo-shoot/|title=CORONATION STREET VIDEO EXCLUSIVE! Behind the scenes at the Inside Soap Awards photo shoot|work=Inside Soap|date=20 August 2019|access-date=5 April 2021|archive-date=6 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706101125/https://www.insidesoap.co.uk/corrie/coronation-street-video-exclusive-behind-the-scenes-at-the-inside-soap-awards-photo-shoot/|url-status=live}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2009 \| Aniela \| Eleonora \| Episode: "1.43"
2017 \| Desire \| Maya \| Short film
2017 \| Fault Condition \| Nurse \| Film
2018 \| Scurtcircuit \| Assistant 2 \| Film
2018 \| Aircrash Confidential \| Airplane Passenger \| 1 episode
2019 \| The Real Story Of... \| Luz/ Dancer \| 2 episodes
2019–2021, 2024– \| Coronation Street \| Alina Pop \| Series regular
2019–2021 \| Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star \| Herself \| Model
2024 \| Boarders \| Yelena \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2009

| Aniela

| Eleonora

| Episode: "1.43"

2017

| Desire

| Maya