Cleopatra "Cleo" Demetriou (/ˈkl dɪmɛtˈr/; Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Δημητρίου; born 23 April 2001) is a Cypriot-born Olivier Award-winning British child actress most known for playing the main role in Matilda the Musical in London's West End.[1] She is also known for playing the role of Lily Hampton in the CBBC show So Awkward, and for singing the soundtrack "Made of Paper" to accompany the short film Mâché Man.

Cleo Demetriou
Born
Cleopatra Demetriou

(2001-04-23) 23 April 2001 (age 23)
Limassol, Cyprus
NationalityCypriot
British
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active2007–present

Early life and career

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Demetriou was born in Cyprus,[1] and lived in Putney in south-west London throughout her primary school years at Brandlehow Primary School; she subsequently attended Chailey Secondary School and later Imberhorne School.

She is best known for her role as Matilda in the musical of the same name, for which she received the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[2][3]

She made her professional stage debut in 2009 playing Gretl in the Sound of Music, and has performed on stage in Enron and Les Misérables.[4]

Demetriou made her television debut in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward playing Lily Hampton. The show, which was first aired on 21 May 2015, follows three socially awkward teenage girls at school who have the problems of fitting in, annoying parents, and boys to worry about.

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 What's Your News? Child Interviewer
2009 Katy Brand's Big Ass Show American Girl
2015–20 So Awkward Lily Hampton 77 episodes
2015 Brian the Brain Brain 1 episode
2017 Top Class 1 episode; celebrity special
2018, 2021 Saturday Mash-Up! Celebrity Guest 2 episodes
2021 Still So Awkward! Lily Hampton 13 episodes
2024 So Awkward Academy Lily Hampton 10 episodes

Theatre

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Year Production Role Notes
2008 The Sound of Music Gretl von Trapp London Palladium
2009 ENRON Daughter Royal Court Theatre
2011 Les Misérables Young Cosette Queen's Theatre
2011–12 Matilda the Musical Matilda Wormwood Cambridge Theatre
28 October 2011 – 18 August 2012

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Production Result
2011 WhatsOnStage.com Awards Best Actress in a Musical (shared with Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox) Matilda the Musical Nominated
2012 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress in a Musical (shared with Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox) Won
2018 British Academy Children's Awards Best Comedy So Awkward Won

References

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  1. ^ a b "Matilda the musical: Daughters on stage". guardian.co.uk. The Guardian. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Matilda star, 10, is youngest Olivier winner". BBC. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Young stars steal the show as Matilda sets Olivier records". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Can four Matildas fit into one Olivier?". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.