Actor Eve Myles looks back: Early on, I was told I wasn't the typical leading lady. Now I realise my idiosyncrasies are what make me authentic'

"Born in 1978 in Ystradgynlais, Wales, actor Eve Myles trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama before landing her first major role as Ceri Lewis in the BBC Wales drama Belonging, which ran from 2000 to 2009. She became a mainstream name playing Gwen Cooper in Torchwood, the BBC's Doctor Who spin-off, from 2006 to 2011, and later won acclaim for her lead performance as Faith Howells in the thriller Keeping Faith/Un Bore Mercher."

"This photo, taken at my third birthday party, reveals that I was brought up on pork-based foods. For this special occasion, it was sausage rolls and chipolatas on sticks very posh, and the marker of any good celebration. My mother had obviously gone to town on that icing to hide the atrocity of the sponge cake that was buried under there. I would have been high as a kite after taking one bite."

Eve Myles was born in 1978 in Ystradgynlais, Wales and trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Her first major role was Ceri Lewis in the BBC Wales drama Belonging (2000–2009). She achieved mainstream recognition as Gwen Cooper in Torchwood (2006–2011) and later earned acclaim for her lead role as Faith Howells in the thriller Keeping Faith/Un Bore Mercher. She lives in Cardiff with her husband, actor Bradley Freegard, and their three daughters. A childhood anecdote recalls a third-birthday spread of sausage rolls and chipolatas, and an early obsession with stealing makeup from adults.

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