is a celebrated British actress, best known for her powerful portrayal of Suki Panesar on the BBC soap opera EastEnders. In this power issue Balvinder opens up exclusively to Grazia’s International Beauty Editor, Kaniz Ali.
Kaniz: Can you tell us what it was like growing up? Did you always know you wanted to be an actress?
Balvinder Sopal: Yes, I always knew I wanted to be an actress, or certainly involved in the creative industry. As a child, I loved to play and dress up, and I loved reenacting scenes from Indian films that I used to watch with my cousins and siblings. Even from a young age, I just loved stepping into someone else’s shoes. We would pretend to be teachers or shopkeepers, and we even used to play ‘Neighbours’ at home. We lived in a three- bedroom terraced house, with two people in each room at any one time, so each room was seen as a separate household. We’d spend hours entertaining ourselves, having little tea parties in each room.
Kaniz: When did you decide to pursue your love for acting professionally?
Balvinder Sopal: I think most children role- play as they grow because it helps explore different facets of their personalities. But through my play, my passion for creativity grew, and I thought, ‘Yeah, I could really see myself doing this.’ So, I began pursuing that career during my academic years.
At one point, it felt like it wasn’t going to happen because my mum and dad said, ‘Why don’t you do business or something more sustainable?’ So, I enrolled in a business GNVQ at school, and I thought it was the driest subject! [Laughs] There was no way I could study it for more than three years. My passion just kept growing stronger, and I knew I wanted to be creative. I want to tell stories, and acting allows you to connect with people on such a soulful and human level. That’s when I knew I had to do it.
Kaniz: Did you grow up in a big family?
Balvinder Sopal: I’d say we were a big family. I’m one of four siblings, and then there were Mum and Dad. All of my siblings are very close in age, although we’re all very different people. But we were absolutely a solid unit. With all of our added friends, everyone would pile into Mum’s house on a Saturday morning. They’d have paratha and tea and all that kind of stuff. It always felt like I came from a really big, boisterous, and expressive family.
Kaniz: Were your family supportive of you pursuing a career in acting?
Balvinder Sopal: I think initially, like all parents, they were a little worried that I wouldn’t be successful because they didn’t understand the industry—and I didn’t at the time either. But I’m so grateful that they never tried to discourage me. They only tried to advise me.
That’s one of the reasons I decided to study theatre studies with media studies as a joint honours degree at university, so I’d have something to fall back on. I thought I could possibly pursue journalism or another media-related job that still allowed me to be in a creative, explorative role—delving into human emotions and stories, just not in an acting sense. Thank God my mum and dad gave me the wings to fly and encouraged me to use them, because being at uni was one of the best, most transformative times of my life.
Kaniz: EastEnders has just celebrated its 40th anniversary. How did it feel to be part of that milestone?
Balvinder Sopal: It was amazing—an extraordinary, humbling moment. For little old me from Gillingham to be part of the history of one of the biggest institutions in this country was an honour. And to have witnessed what we’ve witnessed—not only as a viewer, but as an actual contributor to the show—I don’t think it gets better than that. It’s a real career highlight that will live on in the history of the show. Years from now, I can say, ‘I was there for the 40th, I saw how it was made, and I was a part of it.’
Kaniz: Did you watch the show growing up?
Balvinder Sopal: We used to watch it all the time. We’d watch it on weekdays, and then on Sundays we’d watch the omnibus repeat. Even though we knew what was coming, we were still completely enthralled.
Lofty, Michelle, Angie, Den, Sue, Ali— these were all really relatable characters. My dad was a taxi driver for a while, and there was a local pub where he’d go and play darts with his brother. We went there as a family a few times, so it all felt very familiar. EastEnders was really part of our family fabric.
On Sundays, we’d do our house chores and then sit down together to watch it. We’d have fizzy drinks and snacks, while Mum and Dad made a roast dinner we’d all eat as a family.
I’ve got really fond memories of that time. My brother Hardeep is actually an avid fan. He used to sit on the armchair, watching while twisting his hair—he absolutely loved it. To this day, he’ll often video call me and say, ‘Oh, I’ve got someone here who wants to say hello to you.’ Often, I’ve just put on a face mask or something, but that’s their pride—and I love that.
Kaniz: You’ve had a very successful career and played many roles. Which ones are your favourites?
Balvinder Sopal: That’s a really, really hard question because I’ve loved every single job I’ve done—whether it’s challenged me, made me cry, or even if I’ve breezed through it.
Mind you, I’ve never really breezed through any of my roles. There’s always that tunnel you have to go through when you crack open a character—there’s a whole history of trauma, pain, love, and loss to explore.
I choose my jobs very carefully, so I’ve loved every one of them. I tend to gravitate towards roles that help our community and society. I think a lot of art is about that anyway. I love roles that are evocative and question morals and values—especially within our South Asian community — which then feeds into other communities, because we’re cross-cultural, multicultural, 3D human beings. Everything happening in the world gets brought into the work we do.
Kaniz: Outside of acting, how do you relax and unwind? Do you have any hobbies?
Balvinder Sopal: One of my favourite things to do is read. Reading is so soulful— it’s an act of self-care. You stay quiet, you choose your book, your bookmark, your annotating tabs, and you mark the lines or words that resonate with your soul.
If I’ve had a long day on set, I love coming home, having a cup of tea, and taking time to unwind. I might watch a bit of telly—I’m currently loving MAFS Australia, it’s incredible.
I love going for walks—they help you reconnect and ground yourself.
At the weekend, I love doing yoga and Pilates. I feel like the body needs to stretch, and it’s good to loosen up the limbs and create space between the mind and heart.
I also love going to coffee shops, sitting with a nice cup of coffee, and reading.
Kaniz: If you could have had any other job in the world, what would it have been?
Balvinder Sopal: I would have loved to be a dancer—maybe a ballet dancer—or even a gymnast. Dancing is a lot like acting; it allows you to tell stories. I love watching ballet or contemporary dance. Dance offers real elevation. Just like words, music can hit you deep and shift something within you. It’s like the penny drops and suddenly you know exactly how to tell a story or make a connection.
I’ve said it before, but I’d love to do Strictly Come Dancing if the opportunity came my way!
Kaniz: What is the best advice you’d give to someone starting out in acting?
Balvinder Sopal: Curiosity is so important. It allows you to delve deeper into your character, unpick the human condition, and find what you’re looking for in that role. Then you can rebuild it and tell the story.
Be curious about people and life in general—about motivations and human behaviour.
Resilience is key, too. A lot of acting is about handling rejection. You need a thick skin and have to remember that it’s not personal.
Also, have faith in timing. If something hasn’t worked out yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t. Timing is everything.
Work on yourself to become the actor you want to be—don’t impersonate or imitate others. Have a good work ethic, work hard, learn everything about your character, your job, and your industry. Then sit in that knowledge with confidence. That confidence will grow over time. Most of all, know yourself—what kind of actor you want to be and why you want to do it.
Kaniz: Do you have any beauty secrets?
Balvinder Sopal: I use coconut oil to remove my eye makeup, then I wash my face with a No.7 face wash. Don’t dry your face with a towel—they carry germs. I use a paper towel instead, which is cleaner and can be recycled. My gym instructor gave me that tip. After cleansing, I massage black seed oil into my face—40 upward strokes on each cheek, then 40 between my eyebrows and forehead to smooth lines and lift the face. I finish by brushing my hands from my nose outwards. I also drink lots of water to flush out toxins, and I believe that sleep and diet are just as important.
Kaniz: What are your three favorite makeup products and why?
Balvinder Sopal: I really love lip balm, especially Burt’s Bees Pomegranate lip balm, which adds a beautiful tint to the
lips. I also enjoy a pinky lip gloss, though I usually wear it only when I’m fully made up. One of my favorites is the No.7 eyelash curlers, and I also adore Charlotte Tilbury makeup. Their bronzer and Beautiful Skin foundation are especially great because the foundation can be applied with your fingers. Huda Beauty offers many fantastic products. Their powder absorbs shine beautifully and helps close up pores. I use the shade ‘Cinnamon Bun.’ I also love their Rose Quartz highlighter pot, which I use on my cheeks for a highlight, along the ridge of my nose, and as a beauty tip, a little on the cupid’s bow
to accentuate my lips. For my eyeliner, I prefer a brown shade at the corner of my eyes to create an elongated cat-eye look. I use NYX, but any pen liner works well.
Kaniz: If you could disappear to any country in the world, which country would it be?
Balvinder Sopal: I would love to live on an island, by the sea, eating natural food, with sand and hot sun. I recently visited Thailand, so maybe somewhere there. I know you can’t live on Maya Beach anymore, but a remote beach like that would be absolutely lovely.
Kaniz: If you could have a dream storyline/role, what would it be? Balvinder Sopal: I would love to play Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd. She’s such an interesting and curious character. I also love how people will do anything for love, and Mrs. Lovett is driven to put cats into pies just to bring Sweeney Todd back to life because of her love for him. She’s complex, quirky, and I would love to play a role like that. Who knows, maybe Suki could become like Mrs. Lovett! [Laughs]
Kaniz: Do you have a life motto, and if so, what is it?
Balvinder Sopal: I have a few! One is ‘live and let live.’ Another is ‘trust the universe,’ because I truly believe that when the time is right, things will come to you, you just have to be open to it. My mum also used to say a Punjabi saying, ‘Rab de ghar der hai, andher nahi,’ which means, ‘In the house of God, there is time but no darkness.’ It’s all about trusting time. You may experience delays, but the light will always shine through. What’s meant for you may take time, but it will eventually come.
CEO : Zahra Saifullah
Managing Editor: Nashmia Amir Butt
Creative Director: Kaniz Ali
Photography: OMJ Omer Janjua
Make Up & Styling: Kaniz
Hair: Iman Chana at KANIZ
MAKEUP Team Outfits: Bibi London
Jewellery: Heritage Jewels
Interview: Kaniz Ali
Editorial Associate: Sibgha Batool
