Sara Sugarman (born 13 October 1962) is a Welsh actress and filmmaker whose work includes Disney's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004) and Very Annie Mary (2001). She has also appeared in films including Dealers (1989) and Those Glory Glory Days (1983). Biography Sugarman was born in Rhyl, Denbighshire, Wales, into a Jewish family. As a young teenager, she played in a punk outfit called The Fractures, managed by local musician Mike Peters. During this period, she played the rebellious SAG (School Action Group) leader Jessica Samuels in the children's drama TV series Grange Hill (1978–1979). In London, Sugarman attended both the Arts Educational School and then Barbara Speake Stage School in Acton. She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from 1986 to 1989, where she won the Best Actress medal. In 1992, she married the actor David Thewlis. They divorced in 1994. In 1994 she won a place at Bournemouth Film School and scripted and directed three short films, nominated for a BAFTA, BAFTA CYMRU and won twenty three International film festivals. She won International Film maker's prize at the Sundance Film Festival and HBO film maker prize at HBO comedy festival and the Orange Prize for screenwriting. As of 2010, Sugarman was living in Los Angeles. In 2012, Sugarman wrote and directed Vinyl, a British comedy film based on the true story of Welsh musician Mike Peters of The Alarm who in 2004 released the single "45 RPM" under the name of a fictitious band "The Poppy Fields". Much of the film was shot on location in Sugarman's hometown Rhyl. Selected work Filmmaker Midas Man (2022; director, replaced Jonas Åkerlund) Save the Cinema (2022; director) House of Versace (2013, director) Vinyl (2012; writer, director) Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004; director) Very Annie Mary (2001; writer, director) Mad Cows (1999; director) Film appearances Mr. Nice (2010) Anthrakitis (1998) (short film) Dealers (1989) Straight to Hell (1987) Escape from Sobibor (1987) (TV) Sid and Nancy (1986) Those Glory Glory Days (1983) Television appearances A Very Peculiar Practice (1986) Happy Families (1985) Minder (1984) Juliet Bravo (1980) Grange Hill (1978–1979) as Jessica Samuels References External links 1962 births Living people Welsh film actresses Welsh women film directors People from Rhyl Welsh television actresses 20th-century Welsh actresses 21st-century Welsh actresses Alumni of RADA British expatriate actresses in the United States Welsh Jews Alumni of Arts University Bournemouth