Before Posy Sterling found herself in every scene of Lollipop—a powerful new British drama about a young mother navigating the brutal aftermath of prison—she was just a teenager in Leicestershire, learning her craft in community theatre groups.
“I didn’t know this path was possible,” the actress reflects. “All I knew growing up in Market Harborough was musical theatre. That’s what we did at the Market Harborough Youth Theatre. Later, I joined a brilliant group called Parsnips, where we learned about acting in plays. That’s where it all began.”
Picture credit: Ruthie Philip-Smith
It was in these early years that Posy discovered a deep curiosity for people— their pain, their joy, and what makes them tick. “I’ve always been fascinated by people and why they are the way they are,” she tells Pukaar.
“Leicestershire gave me the space to explore that, to play and imagine. I wouldn’t be the actor I am today without those roots.”
Sterling’s portrayal of Molly in Lollipop has drawn early praise for its raw emotion and piercing honesty. But the performance wasn’t born overnight.
“I started the audition process at the end of 2021, and we began shooting at the end of 2022,” explains the actress. “I’ve been a part of this for nearly four years. It’s been a challenge, but also the most rewarding role of my career so far.”
Coming from a theatre background, Sterling embraced the rare chance to discover her character over time. “In theatre, you get weeks of rehearsal. With film, you don’t. But because of how Daisy-May [Hudson, the director] worked, each audition became part of that rehearsal. I got to dig into Molly a little more each time. That’s a real gift for an actor.”
Molly isn’t just a character for Sterling—she’s a vessel for the real women she met and learned from during her research. “Molly is so many women wrapped up into one. This story affects thousands of women in the UK—women losing custody, trying to rebuild their lives after prison, navigating impossible systems,” she explains.
Her work with Clean Break, a theatre company supporting women with lived experience of the criminal justice system, was key to that understanding. “I did a project with them called Sweatbox, performing in a prison van. I played a pregnant woman being transported to jail, and during that research I learned so much I didn’t know. I kept going with that research even after the project ended. So by the time Lollipop came around, I already had this fire in me.”
Despite the deeply emotional nature of Lollipop, the film isn’t without warmth—and even humour. Sterling credits the improvisational style, shaped by Hudson’s documentary background, for giving the film its emotional texture. “Each scene had an improvised version. I love improvising. It keeps you so present—there’s no room to hide.”
To handle the emotional intensity, Sterling took care of her physical and mental wellbeing. “I was doing ice baths at 4am before 5am call times,” she laughs. “It was extreme, but it helped me show up fully.
“ I felt a deep responsibility to tell this story truthfully—for all the ”women for whom this is a lived reality.“
At the heart of Lollipop is not just struggle—but joy, community, and resilience. Sterling’s onscreen bond with Idil Ahmed, who plays Molly’s best friend Amena, feels deeply real. “I genuinely love Idil as a person, so that sisterhood came naturally. Amena’s line in the film—‘You can’t take my joy’— that says it all. There’s joy in the darkest places, and this film never loses sight of that,” she says.
Working with the two children who play Molly’s kids was another highlight. “We had bonding days before filming—trips to Hackney City Farm, just playing and laughing. By the time we shot, we trusted each other completely. The spontaneity and the lightness they brought—it was magic.”
Picture credit: Lollipop
In June, Lollipop premiered in cinemas and a special screening was held at Leicester’s Phoenix Cinema. “A lot of my local friends and supporters were there, and I felt so proud,” says Posy. “It feels full-circle.”
And for audiences planning to see Lollipop, she offers this promise: “It’s real. You will feel it. You’re with Molly the whole time. You might be cracked open, but there’s also so much hope. It’s about motherhood, yes—but also womanhood, sisterhood, and family. And that connects us all.”
Sterling’s performance is already turning heads. Recently, she was named as one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow – an honour previously given to people like Benedict Cumberbatch and Emily Blunt.
Picture credit: Screen International
She recently starred opposite Hollywood star Saoirse Ronan in the film The Outrun, and appeared in BBC One’s acclaimed World War II series World on Fire, sharing a scene with Disney star Jonah Hauer-King. She also played the female lead in Channel 4’s Person of Interest alongside Asim Chaudry, and featured in ITV’s psychological thriller Playing Nice with James Norton.
But in her heart, she’s still that young actor from Leicestershire, driven by stories that matter and people who inspire. “When I watch the film now, I feel every moment again. I remember every crew member, every cast member, and how much love was poured into it, she reflects. “I’m proud of the story—but more than anything, I’m proud of the people who held it with me.”
Lollipop will be available to view on BBC platforms later this year.
