sentences:  In 1996, she appeared in the film "Beautiful Thing" as Leah Russell, the next-door neighbour of the main characters.Empson worked alongside Linda Henry, both of whom would eventually join the cast of "EastEnders"; in 1998 she appeared as the love rival to the main character in the film "Babymother".Empson is an experienced theatre actress having performed as Billie in the original cast of "Our House", a musical featuring songs from the ska/pop band Madness, which premiered at The Cambridge Theatre in October 2002 and ran on until August 2003.