Famous People Who Went to Italia Conti

Before becoming one of the world’s most influential supermodels, Naomi Campbell trained at Italia Conti. She went on to redefine the fashion industry, appearing on countless magazine covers and working with many of the world’s leading designers.

Her career demonstrates how performance training can support confidence, stage presence, and professionalism well beyond the theatre.

Pixie Lott

Singer, songwriter and actress Pixie Lott also studied at Italia Conti before launching her music career.

She achieved multiple UK number-one singles and has appeared in stage productions, television programmes, and musical theatre, showcasing the versatility that performing arts training can provide.

Julianne Hough and Derek Hough

Siblings Julianne and Derek Hough both trained at Italia Conti before becoming internationally recognised dancers, choreographers, actors, and television personalities.

Both have enjoyed hugely successful careers in dance and entertainment, winning multiple awards and demonstrating how professional training can open opportunities across performance, choreography, television, and film.

Layton Williams

Layton Williams has become one of the UK’s most recognisable musical theatre performers.

Following his training at Italia Conti, he has appeared in numerous West End productions, television dramas, and entertainment programmes, such as Bad Education, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, and the West End hit, Billy Elliot.

Mimi Keene

Best known internationally for her work in television, Mimi Keene studied at Italia Conti before building a successful acting career. She has appeared in major television productions, most notably as the cool Ruby Matthews in Sex Education, Cindy Williams in EastEnders, and Kay Elliott-Strange in Towards Zero.

James Nelson-Joyce

James Nelson-Joyce has established himself as one of Britain’s rising screen actors, appearing in a growing number of acclaimed television dramas and films, such as The City is Ours and A Thousand Blows.

Jonno Davies

Actor Jonno Davies trained at Italia Conti before establishing a career across film, television and theatre.

He gained international attention for bringing the CGI version of Robbie Williams to life through motion capture in the musical biopic Better Man, a performance that earned him the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film. His other credits include Amazon Prime’s Hunters, Kingsman: The Secret Service, and the acclaimed stage production of A Clockwork Orange.

Dwane Walcott

Actor Dwane Walcott trained at Italia Conti before building a successful career across television, film and theatre.

He is known for appearing in television dramas including the BBC’s Our Girl and Sky’s A Town Called Malice. His extensive theatre career includes A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida Theatre and in the West End, The Hot Wing King at the National Theatre, Hamlet, and productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Posy Sterling

British actress Posy Sterling trained at Italia Conti before developing an acclaimed career across film, television and theatre.

Her leading performance as Molly in Lollipop earned her the BIFA Breakthrough Performance Award and a nomination for the 2026 EE BAFTA Rising Star Award. She has also appeared in productions including The Outrun, World on Fire, Playing Nice, and The Cherry Orchard.

Lucie Shorthouse

Lucie Shorthouse trained at Italia Conti before originating the role of Pritti Pasha in the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Her performance in the Sheffield and West End productions earned her the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

She has since become known for playing Momtaz in Channel 4’s award-winning comedy We Are Lady Parts, DC Siobhan Clarke in the BBC crime drama Rebus, and Zara in Henpocalypse!.

Adelle Leonce

Actress, director and performance coach Adelle Leonce trained at Italia Conti before building a wide-ranging career across stage and screen.

She is recognised for her television roles in Netflix’s Fool Me Once, A Discovery of Witches, Black Mirror, and Shameless. Her theatre work includes the West End production of Emilia and appearances at the National Theatre in productions including Amadeus, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, and Summerfolk.

Gemma Barraclough

Actress Gemma Barraclough trained at Italia Conti before securing her breakthrough television role as Mia-Louise Turner in the ITV comedy series G’wed.

She has returned to the role across multiple series of the Liverpool-based comedy and has also appeared in the BBC crime thriller The Cage, starring Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha.

A Legacy of Professional Performers

These are just a handful of the famous people who went to Italia Conti. Over more than a century, the school has produced thousands of graduates who have built careers throughout the performing arts industry, from the West End and Broadway to film, television, commercial dance, music, voice acting, choreography, and teaching.

As Italia Conti continues to grow, we’re proud to be training the next generation of actors, dancers, and musical theatre performers who will shape the future of the performing arts. Whether they go on to become household names or make their mark behind the scenes, our ambition remains the same: to equip every student with the skills, confidence, and creative excellence to make a lasting contribution to the industry.