Five Fast Facts About British Soap Star Laila Morse

Laila Morse is a British actress who is best known for playing Mo Harris in EastEnders on-and-off for nearly 20 years.

Along with her work on the British soap, Morse has also appeared in television shows such as The Bill and Great Expectations. From where she was born and raised to working with her Oscar-winning brother, here are five fast facts about the actress.

Who Is Laila Morse?

Morse was born as Maureen Laia Oldman on August 1 in Dorking, Surrey, England, which is also where she was raised. She got her stage name — Laila Morse — thanks to her brother, Academy-Award winner Gary Oldman. He was dating actress Isabella Rossellini and figured out that “Laila Morse” is an anagram of “mia sorella,” which is Italian for “my sister.”

Sibling Collaboration
Morse’s film debut came when she appeared in the movie Nil by Mouth, which was released in 1997. The film was written and directed by her brother, and it ended up winning Morse the award for Most Promising Newcomer in any Category at the British Independent Film Awards in 1998.

Soap Career
Morse was cast in EastEnders as Mo Harris in 2000. She decided to temporarily leave the show in 2016, though she hinted at wanting to come back the very next year. She did indeed return in December 2017 and has been back ever since.

Cancer Survivor

Morse was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2001, shortly after joining EastEnders. Thankfully, she underwent a lumpectomy and recovered within the year. She has been cancer-free ever since.

Getting Personal With Laila Morse
She was married to Gerald Bromfield from 1962 to 1970 and the former couple has two children together. Their daughter, Tracy, was born in January 1964 and their son, Gerry, was born in March 1969.

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