A Room for Romeo Brass: Vicky McClure and Shane Meadows forgotten film that was shot here in Nottinghamshire

These days it’s fair to say that most people in Nottingham have heard of Vicky McClure. 

The 40-year-old actor was born in Wollaton in 1983 and later attended Fernwood School. 

With her broad East Midlands accent, McClure is proud of her Nottingham roots and still lives in the city with her husband Jonny Owen. 

McClure is best-known for her roles in This is England and Line of Duty, but her successful career has been shaped by struggles and hardships. 

Despite successfully auditioning for the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts as a 14-year-old, her family could not afford the fees. 

McClure’s big break came in 2006 when she secured the role of Lol Jenkins for the Shane Meadows film This is England. 

But it was in fact eight years earlier, as a 15-year-old, that McClure and Meadows worked together for the very first time. 

In 1998, Meadows was in the process of selecting the cast for his new film called A Room for Romeo Brass. 

McClure auditioned and gained the role of Ladine Brass, the older sister of Romeo (played by Andrew Shim). 

The film focuses on Romeo and his neighbour Gavin Woolley, who have been neighbours for most of their lives. 

Filming took place in Calverton, near Nottingham, as well as Chapel St Leonards in Lincolnshire. 

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Without spoiling the rest of the film, the boys’ friendship is tested by an eccentric and dangerous stranger called Morrell, who takes a fancy to Ladine. 

The film received three nominations at the 1999 British Independent Film Awards and has become something of a cult classic over the years. 

McClure would go on to work with Meadows during the This is England film and three subsequent spin-off series.