From starring alongside Hollywood A-listers to attending Cannes Festival and now winning a BAFTA , it’s fair to say Mia McKenna-Bruce is on the rise.

But the 26-year-old actress, who grew up and went to school in Kent, says she could have never envisioned her newfound fame. Reporter Davina Jethwa talks to Mia about swapping her brown school uniform for red carpet glamour.

The award-winning actress has received critical acclaim for her breakout role in Molly Manning-Walker’s hit indie film ‘How to Have Sex’ but Mia’s path to fame stretches back to more humble beginings.

The Bexley-born talent moved to Maidstone as a pre-teen when she attended Maidstone Grammar School for Girls in Buckland Road.

Mia told KentOnline: “I was really lucky that I did work from the age of about seven but acting as a child to doing it as an adult is a very different thing.”

While still a student, Mia regularly featured in the reboot of British children’s show Tracy Beaker Returns, and its spin-off, The Dumping Ground.

During this time she would spend half of the year on set filming and the other half knuckling down on her school work.

“MGGS were amazing at letting me balance it all – obviously, coming back to school and trying to catch up with the work was a bit mental, but they were great,” she explained.

“I didn't go to drama school or anything like that. I didn’t expect any of this – I think that makes it all the more special.”

Since leaving school, Mia has gone on to star in Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Austin’s Persuasion alongside A-listers like Dakota Johnson, Richard E. Grant and Henry Golding.

She has also appeared in The Witcher alongside Henry Cavill and in The Last Train to Christmas opposite Michael Sheen.

Mia added: “I remember a few years ago, one of the bus stops outside MGGS had this poster and I was on it for this show that I was doing at the time.

“I was just like’ What on earth?’ - there are no words. I'm just so grateful.

“I just think it's so exciting now kind of getting to look back at little me walking in my uniform into town and not imagining any of this.”

But it’s her performance as ‘Tara’ in her latest movie which has seen Mia hit new levels of success.

At the British Independent Film Awards, she won the Lead Performance Award and the Breakthrough Performer Award at the London Critic’s Circle Film Awards.

And, last month it was revealed Mia had been nominated for the EE BAFTA Rising Star award – the only public-voted category – which she took home.

She was up against four others, including Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, and Saltburn and Priscilla actor Jacob Elordi.

“I got told way back in November it was all NDAs, not allowed to say anything to anyone and I was on a rush-hour train back from London to Kent and got the call.

“I just wanted to ring my mum and be like ‘Mum I’ve been nominated for a BAFTA!’ but I couldn't so I had to sit with it for 40 minutes trying not to cry,” laughed Mia.

The honour is the most beautiful thing she has experienced, she says.

“Just getting to go to the BAFTAs and be in the room with people that I've looked up to who have kind of made me want to do this is a dream in itself.”

But, watching those from her childhood rally together has been special to witness.

On Facebook people have been commenting, messaging and sharing posts about voting for her.

“For me, that's the win more than anything, just seeing these people who have been a part of my life be a part of this, it’s like they're right there with me.”

But, it’s not just Mia who is getting the praise and support. ‘How to Have Sex’ won the Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard award.

It has also been nominated for the Outstanding British Film and Best Casting categories at the BAFTAs.

“This was just a small-scale British indie that's kind of gone on this trajectory that none of us could have expected and we're grateful for,” she said. “It's chaos in the best way possible.”

The plot revolves around three teenage friends who jet off to Malia on the Greek island of Crete for a boozy rites-of-passage holiday after finishing their GCSEs.

On the surface, it is a coming-of-age movie most British teens would relate to but the film also delves into grey areas as Mia’s character Tara, who is a virgin, faces questions around sexual pressures and consent.

“When I was reading the script I was like I haven't seen a film like this before,” she added. “It was something that I wish I kind of had growing up.”

The actress says the movie being made and people wanting to see it shows they want to talk about it.

If we can show that these films matter, then hopefully more of them will get made

She hopes it means the conversation around these taboos are moving forward.

“It's very bittersweet because we all knew it was very important and it was something that would resonate with a lot of people but, I don't think we were prepared for quite how many,” adds the former Kent pupil.

“It feels like everyone who's seen the film has a version of Tara's story - so you know that's hard to hear the reality of it.”

And though the new mum is hoping to take a short break from acting to spend time with her baby, she says she wants to continue being a part of telling stories that make a difference.

Mia said: “If we can show that these films matter, then hopefully more of them will get made.”

“If people would like to vote for me, that would be absolutely incredible and mean the world because this has come off the back of a film that has been making a lot of people feel seen.”

How to Have Sex is streaming on MUBI now.