Christmas movie star is unrecognisable after 14 years – as she admits film is ‘cringe’

A CHRISTMAS movie star is unrecognisable after 14 years – admitting that the film she starred in is “cringe”.

Becca Maguire, now 23, played schoolgirl Saffron in 2009 hit Nativity! alongside Martin Freeman and Alan Carr when she was 8.

Becca Maguire is now 23 - and is unrecognisable from her days as a childhood star

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Becca Maguire is now 23 – and is unrecognisable from her days as a childhood starCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Becca looks unrecognisable as an adult

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Becca looks unrecognisable as an adultCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Becca Maguire starred in Christmas hit Nativity!

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Becca Maguire starred in Christmas hit Nativity!Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The eight-year-old starred alongside Martin Freeman

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The eight-year-old starred alongside Martin FreemanCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media

The film was shot at a school in Coventry during Becca’s summer holidays.

She then jetted off to LA for two weeks to shoot some extra footage for the movie.

Becca, from Guildford in Surrey, has now giving up acting – and instead plans to become an academic studying the history of art.

She said: “I have watched the first and second Nativity! films, but I don’t think I’ve seen the other two.

“Nativity is not my favourite Christmas film. I find it quite cringe.

“I don’t know if this is because I’m in it but it’s not my favourite – that would be Love Actually.

“But my mum and dad make us watch it every year as a Christmas tradition.”

Becca added: “I was only eight when I starred in the film.

“I just turned up to the audition and didn’t expect it to go anywhere.

“When I got the part, we weren’t sure if I was going to be an extra or a main part.

“We didn’t know about going to LA to film for ages. I remember feeling quite nervous when we there.

“There were so many producers, directors and cameramen and it was really nerve wracking.

“But I remember making so many new friends on set and the whole experience was so fun.”

Nativity! tells the story of a heartbroken primary school who wants Hollywood stars to come to his class’s Christmas play.

Becca and the child actors on set were deliberately not given lines to make their acting more natural.

They were allowed to choose their characters’ names – with the producers swapping Becca’s initial choice of Sapphire for Saffron.

She said: “No one in person seems to recognise me but when I was younger I sometimes used to get recognised on school trips.”

The young star said she used to get recognised - but not anymore

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The young star said she used to get recognised – but not anymoreCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
She revealed behind-the-scenes secrets

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She revealed behind-the-scenes secretsCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Her favourite Christmas film is in fact, Love Actually

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Her favourite Christmas film is in fact, Love ActuallyCredit: Alamy

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