McDonald & Dodds actress Tala Gouveia’s life and forgotten EastEnders role

Tala Gouveia is best known for a TV role starring in new ITV cop drama McDonald & Dodds alongside telly stalwart Jason Watkins.

The detective drama is back for a third series which will air this weekend. The previous season saw Londoner DCI McDonald and long-serving West Country desk-bound cop DS Dodds, team up to investigate the death of a homeless man shot in a deserted mansion.

Tala was born in Nottingham and lived there until moving to London at the age of eight. As the daughter of two educational theatre professionals, Tala was raised in an environment full of actors and playwrights.

Before hitting the big time on McDonald & Dodds in 2020, Tala enjoyed a long and fruitful career in the theatre. Notably, she played Juliet in the 2014 Orange Tree Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet.

How did Tala Gouveia get into acting?

Tala is no stranger to the bright lights as her parents were both in theatre and educational theatre. Speaking to Nottinghamlife, she said: “So I grew up sort of running around Nottingham Playhouse and the Roundabout Theatre Company.

I was just brought up by a bunch of actors really. I think I understood from an early age that you could have political points in stories and talk about society using a fairy tale.

“Theatre can be fun but I also think it's a really important way to open conversations about change. I thought at one point I'd get a proper job and become a lawyer, but I was only 11.”

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Before her rise to fame on ITV’s hit drama the actress once appeared on BBC’s soap EastEnders. She played the role of Nurse Green between 2011 and 2013.Whilst it was a small role, it was the beginning of many to come for the actress.

Tala has since gone on to do a wide range of roles. Younger audiences my be familiar with her voice acting roles in the children’s shows Scream Street and Go Jetters.
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