I was lucky enough to be trained by the brilliant Priscilla John – my mentor (and friend )from 1991 for five years during which I had the brilliant opportunity (and baptism by fire) of working for Directors like Ridley Scott, David Fincher, Roland Joffe, Bernardo Bertolucci, Brian De Palma and Francis Ford Coppola ….. This followed through when i became a Casting Director … My first film as CD was Brothers in Trouble – Dir : Udayan Prasad and once again leaping in the deep end my second was Fifth Element which i worked all the way through filming with the prolific legend Luc Besson – then subsequently the likes of Tony Scott, Alfonso Cuaron, Chris Nolan, Guy Ritchie, Wolfgang Petersen, Brian Helgeland etc Working with all these genius talents truly shaped me and I feel i am so blessed I love what I do and my career has been a path filled with luck and great people – Knowing how amazing but incredibly difficult and vital this job is I still cannot believe Casting doesn’t have a place on the map as regards recognition and awards …..Casting makes or breaks a film..we know that. I hope that by the time i say goodbye between myself and my fellow Cds our legacy will be that Casting has the respect and accolades it truly deserves.