Big screen roles for ex-soap stars

Former EastEnders actor Jack Ryder has teamed up with ex-Hollyoaks babe Jodi Albert for new flick Popcorn. He plays comic-loving nerd Danny, who falls for girl of his dreams Suki (Albert) and makes a desperate bid to be close to her. He gets a job at the cinema where she works - only to find his first day is her last, prompting a race against time for Danny to bag the woman he's head over heels for. Although the movie is a romantic comedy, Ryder insisted he wasn't looking for a laugh (Advertisement) with every line. Speaking to The Sun, he said: "I played the role straight and dead-pan. I tend to get more results this way." He described his character as a Peter Parker type of chap - a far cry from baby-faced Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders. For Albert, the hardest part was the kissing scene. She admitted it was tough to do, thanks to the fact 20 people were in the room at the time. However, she added both she and Ryder are professionals and happy to get on with the job. The actress insisted her boyfriend, Westlife singer Kian Egan, understood what her day job entailed and was fine about her puckering up to lock lips with male co-stars. Ryder also revealed he had spoken to former on-screen girlfriend Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler) recently, and discussed the perils of the acting trade. Popcorn hits UK cinemas on March 2.