Fair City star Amilia Clarke Stewart has told how her older brother Martin inspired her to play a gay teen in the show.
The TV actress who arrived in Carrigstown in May plays Katy O’Brien, 17, who hiding her sexuality from her father.
But schoolgirl Katy is also finding it extremely difficult to keep her unrequited crush on fitness instructor Laura Halpin – both featured above – secret.
She said: “Katy has a crush on Laura who is an older woman. It is unrequited which is something most teenagers experience at some point.
Celebrating: Amilia taking part in anniversary bash | RTE
“I know I did when I was younger, so you really feel for her. And the fact it’s a girl is getting a good bit of attention.
“I was really excited when I saw the storyline – my brother is gay so it is something I have always understood because he is so much older than me.
“My whole life it was a case of Martin having a boyfriend. My sisters and all, they have boyfriends as well. So I never thought anything was unusual with it until I went to school.
“And then I was like, ‘Oh mam? Is it not normal that Martin has a boyfriend?’ And my mam said, ‘It’s fine and you love who you love.’
Shoulder to cry on: Michael comforts Katy, played by Amilia | RTE
“So I was excited getting Katy as a character so I could show that it is normal. It’s not an issue any more, not as much as it would have been a few years ago.”
And Amilia, 21, said she loves being contacted by people to say the storyline is helping them.
“I think it’s fantastic a character can do that as some are saying they are having a hard time,” she said.
“You can’t really reply to them all and I don’t know what to say sometimes as I want to help without getting too involved.
“But people have let me know about their stories and reading them and knowing that it’s helping is great. It’s nice that you can make a difference.”