Gillian Elizabeth Thomas (born 10 August 1953) is a Welsh actress, singer, and comedian. Early in her career she was known as Gillian Elisa Thomas.
Early life and education
Elisa was born in
Carmarthen, Wales, and brought up in
Lampeter;
she began acting before she started school. As a sixth-former at
Ysgol Gyfun Llanbedr-Pont Steffan in Lampeter, she co-wrote a Welsh-language musical, ''Yr Enfys (The Rainbow)''. After leaving school, she studied at the
Welsh College of Music and Drama
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, established = 1949
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, undergrad ...
in
Cardiff.
Career
In 1975, she was chosen by producer
Endaf Emlyn
Endaf Emlyn (born 31 July 1944) is a Welsh musician, film, and television director.
Early life
Emlyn was born in Bangor, Caernarfonshire, Wales. He was brought up in Pwllheli and played violin in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales alongside ...
to play the lead in a
Welsh-language rock opera.
Since that time, she has been a well-known figure on Welsh-language television.
On
S4C
S4C (, ''Sianel Pedwar Cymru'', meaning ''Channel Four Wales'') is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking ...
television, she played (1974–2010) the part of Sabrina Daniels in the long-running
soap ''
Pobol y Cwm'' and the comic character "Mrs O.T.T." in the variety entertainment programme ''
Noson Lawen''. She appeared in the gangster drama series ''
Y Pris''. She has performed one-woman comedy shows at the
Edinburgh Festival. As a singer, she has completed three albums of new and traditional Welsh songs – ''Rhywbeth yn y Glas'', ''Haul ar Nos Hir'', and ''Lawr Y Lein,'' as well as appearing on a number of other recordings.
She is best known to English-speaking audiences for her leading role in the 2018 drama series ''
Hidden'', which was filmed in both Welsh and English,
Elisa travelled around Wales with fellow actress Ruth Jones as part of the Welsh language show Iath Ar Daith, which shows celebrities learning the Welsh and putting it to practice.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
Official website
Chortle: Gillian Elisa With Jo's HeatwaveEquity Wales: Gillian Elisa
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gillian Elisa
1953 births
Alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Living people
People from Carmarthen
Welsh musical theatre actresses
20th-century Welsh women singers
Welsh-speaking actors
Welsh television actresses
Welsh women comedians
People from Lampeter