Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama acting graduate Kimberley Nixon, from Pontypridd, has been snapped up by Universal studios to appear in new feature film Wild Child.

The boarding school comedy, which tells the story of a rebellious American teenager, stars Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson and Shirley Henderson, and is due for release next summer.

Kimberley plays English girl Kate who brings the female protagonist and new girl at school down to size.

Even prior to graduation, this July, Kimberley had been commissioned by the BBC to appear in their prestige period drama series, Cranford Chronicles, alongside a cast of A-listers including Dame Judi Dench CH DBE, Imelda Staunton OBE and Sir Michael Gambon CBE.

The five-part drama series depicts a small rural Cheshire town on the cusp of change and charts the absurdities and tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford.

Kimberley’s road to success started when she was spotted at a College performance of The Comedy of Errors, at The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival, by agent Ken McReddie Associates.

Kimberley said, “After seeing me in The Comedy of Errors, and then at the Sherman Theatre in a College performance of Quadrophenia, Ken McReddie Associates signed me. I really liked the agent and having such big, high profile projects lined up before I officially graduated was an amazing position to be in. I really trust them, they are so experienced, and valuing their judgment has helped me to pick the right projects.”

Kimberley studied BA (Hons) Acting at the College alongside other successful music and acting graduates like Rob Kendrick, who is starring in a production of Nicholas Nickleby at the Gielgud Theatre, and Roderick Howie who is now playing Oboe in the Ganzhou Symphony Orchestra.

Kimberley went on to say, “At the College we would often work on performances six or even seven days a week. That is what it is like when you are in the industry, so in that respect the College was great grounding, very realistic and it helped me to understand the balance between working and a private life. I notice that people who haven’t had professional training struggle with the amount of work.”

“The College also drum in to you the importance of little things like punctuality, discipline and taking care of yourself. You may be the best actor ever, but you are not going to get employed if you are always late.

Kimberley has just returned from Los Angeles where she completed filming on Wild Child, and Cranford Chronicles is due for broadcast in the autumn.

And hot off the press is the news that Kimberley has been cast in Paramount’s film adaptation of number one bestselling author Louise Rennison’s teen comedy ‘Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging.’ Kimberley will play indulged and pampered Lindsay – one of the lead girls.

“I have been on location for quite a long time, mainly staying in hotels, so I haven’t been home for a while, but can’t wait to spend some to with my family back home in Pontypridd.”