Centre Stage: Louisa Connolly-Burnham on Sister Wives, Wolfblood, and Her Love of “Messy Women”

Louisa Connolly-Burnham has been on our screens since childhood, but these days, she’s more than just a familiar face from Wolfblood and House of Anubis. She’s writing, directing, and building her own legacy in the world of indie filmmaking. Sitting down with her is equal parts nostalgic trip and deep dive into her latest project, Sister Wives—a short film that blends coming-of-age, coming out, and cult aesthetics into a genre-defying, pastel-hued fever dream. The film, starring Mia McKenna-Bruce (How to Have Sex), has been met with critical acclaim and is making its rounds at festivals worldwide.

In her conversation with New Wave, Louisa talks about everything from childhood stardom to her love of dark, complex female characters, and yes, even Anthony Hopkins’ TikTok prowess.

Louisa’s love for performing started young—fueled by a family of extroverts who, as she puts it, were “always wanting to make each other laugh.” She was the kid who grabbed the mic on holiday karaoke nights, the one who signed up for every school play. So it’s no surprise that she found her way to a local stage school (which just happened to have an agency attached!)

“I just absolutely loved it straight away,” she recalls. “It was one of those places where kids could let off steam, give their parents a break, and do some singing, dancing, and acting. And before I knew it, I was auditioning for professional jobs.”

By her late teens, she was booking work—and soon, she landed the roles that would define an era for British kids glued to CBBC.

Wolfblood Cast Reunion

Talk of Wolfblood causes Louisa’s face to light up. It’s obvious just how enamoured she is with that era of her life. And judging by the sheer chaos that erupts on TikTok whenever the cast reunites, she’s far from alone.

“We’re all still really good friends, particularly the Wolfblood gang. We really are all still best friends.”

For Louisa and her co-stars, filming Wolfblood as teenagers was a unique experience. “None of us really went to university. At the age everyone else was heading off to uni, we moved to Newcastle to shoot Wolfblood. That was our uni experience.”

Though the show ended in 2017, the fandom has never truly died down. Louisa teases, “I think we’re all up for doing another series. Or a movie. Something.” (Cue the collective gasps of Wolfblood fans everywhere.)

From childhood stardom, the conversation shifts to something a little broader: how film and TV have changed over the years.

“I think we’ve seen a wonderful increase in female filmmakers,” she muses. “And more people of color, more queer people getting to tell their stories. It’s becoming a broader, more exciting time. Films like Call Me By Your Name and Portrait of a Lady on Fire prove there’s an audience for all types of storytelling.”

She also has a particular soft spot for the horror genre’s recent renaissance. “I’m a big horror fan, and there’s this really exciting surge happening right now. People want to see more horror.”

She talks about the rise of morally complex female characters, lighting up as she speaks. “I love seeing messy, dark female characters leading films. That’s my bag. When people ask me what I want to write, it’s that. Messy women.”

Same, Louisa. Same.

Louisa’s transition into writing and directing came from frustration—namely, the lack of complex, meaty roles she was being offered.

“It was a slow moment in my career,” she admits. “I was getting auditions, but the roles were never the dream ones. They often felt one-dimensional. Even a little dull.” 

So, she did what any self-respecting creative would do: she wrote something better.

She was working at a call center when inspiration struck—thanks to a bizarre customer who seemed a little too eager to befriend her over the phone. That odd experience led to her first short film, The Call Centre.

Initially, she had no plans to direct. “I thought, ‘I’ll just write this, someone else will direct it.’ But the more I thought about it, I realized I knew what I wanted it to look like, sound like, smell like. So I gave it a pop.”

That led to her next project, Sister Wives, which has been praised for its unique blend of period drama, thriller, and queer coming-of-age storytelling.

Mia McKenna Bruce, Louisa Connolly-Burnham - Sister Wives

One of the most distinct elements of Sister Wives is its visual aesthetic—historical yet modern, warm yet unsettling. The muted backgrounds, the vibrant costumes, the eeriness lurking beneath the surface.

Louisa explains that the film was loosely inspired by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), an extreme sect of Mormonism.

“The FLDS live in these very plain, basic houses with no decor, no colour. And then you have these girls in these pastel dresses—they look like dolls, placed in these houses.”

Colour plays a crucial role. “The colour red is actually banned in the FLDS. They believe that when Jesus returns in the Second Coming, he’ll descend from heaven in a red robe, so they don’t wear red because they’re ‘saving it for him.’”

A little creepy? Yes. A fascinating choice for a film? Also yes.

Mia McKenna Bruce - Sister Wives

Louisa stars alongside Mia McKenna-Bruce in Sister Wives, and their on-screen chemistry is undeniable. But their connection goes back much further than the film.

“The Wolfblood set and The Dumping Ground set actually shared a location in Newcastle, so we always kind of knew each other from being ‘CBBC girls.’”

That familiarity deepened when they were cast in Vampire Academy together, living in Spain for eight months. “I just fell in love with her. She’s so funny, so kind, such a brilliant actress.”

When Louisa started writing Sister Wives, she had Mia in mind for the role of Galilee. “I never thought she’d accept, especially after the success of How to Have Sex and winning a BAFTA. But she said yes, and it was amazing.”

Both Louisa and Mia have experienced the challenges that seem to frequently arise when attempting to break away from the box child acting can place you in. “That’s actually why I made The Call Centre—because I wasn’t being seen for the kind of roles I wanted.”

But unlike some child actors who try to bury their past, Louisa embraces it. “I know that for the rest of my life, to some people, I’ll always be Shannon Kelly. And that’s fine—I love Shannon Kelly.”

When asked about upcoming projects, Louisa floats the idea of a full-length feature of Sister Wives - seemingly sooner rather than later.

“The goal is to shoot the feature film in late summer or early autumn 2025,” Louisa shares. “It’s a slow process—financing, casting, schedules, budgets—but I think it’s special. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

The conversation wraps up with a quick round of rapid-fire questions.

Dream dinner party guests?

“Céline Sciamma, Anthony Hopkins (because his TikTok is legendary), and Jordan Peele—because I really want to make a horror film.”

Unexpected Talent or Hobby?

“I collect thimbles.” (The name of her self-founded production company, Thimble Films, is a playful nod to this cherished yet quaint hobby.)

One film/tv show everyone should see at least once in their lifetime?

“Oh God, so many… but let’s go with The Sopranos.”

With Sister Wives making waves, a feature film on the horizon, and a clear love for complex storytelling, one thing is certain—Louisa Connolly-Burnham is just getting started.