'The 28 Years Later make-up was terrifying'
BBCA supermarket worker chosen to portray one of Danny Boyle's "Infected" in 28 Years Later said she hopes the film, shot mainly in north-east England, will lead to more opportunities for local talent.
Laura Fulguzi, from Gosforth in Newcastle, was stacking shelves in Asda when she got the message she had been chosen to appear in the third instalment of the popular movie franchise.
She said the whole production had been "really exciting", but admitted the make-up made her "terrified" of some of the people she was working with.
More than 80% of the film has been filmed at North East locations including Holy Island, Hexham and Waskerley in County Durham.
Ms Fulguzi plays one of the victims of the lab-leaked Rage Virus, which was last shown reaching Europe at the end of Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later.
She said she had learned she had got the role while working her day job at Asda but could not tell anyone, adding: "I just had to carry on my shift as normal."
The extras were all trained in how to move and speak as an "Infected", Ms Fulguzi said, while the make-up she wore for the role had rendered her "completely unrecognisable".
North East Screen official Gayle Woodruffe said the movie highlighted the North East as a versatile place to film.
"You can be in a city centre, 20 minutes later you're on a beach, 20 minutes later you're in a castle, countryside all that," she said.
As well as attracting future projects, Ms Woodruffe hoped the film would lead to a boom in tourism as people seek out 28 Years Later locations.
Ms Fulguzi also looked to the future, adding: "Hopefully the film leads to more opportunities for North East actors."