a toddler has landed a role as elizabeth i in the bbc's wolf hall   after producers put out a last minute appeal for a ginger curly haired child casting bosses searched through thousands of children on acting registers but couldn't find a suitable young actress to play the future queen of england red haired abi ward, now three, from cardiff, was recommended by a friend who saw the plea on facebook and within days the tot was on set alongside her on screen dad damien lewis scroll down for video  abi ward is pictured on set with her mother, debbie, actor damien lewis, centre, and father rob  like many toddlers, abi ward loves dressing up and hear swaps elizabethan costume for a tradtional welsh dress (left) and a witch's outfit  while she was initially frightened of the dark and atmospheric sets   which also attracted complaints from viewers   she soon settled into the royal tudor role the mini actress had her own trailer and got vip treatment from the cast, including actress claire foy   her tv mum anne boleyn   who read abi stories between takes proud parents debbie and rob, both 35, had no idea the show would be so successful and can't wait to show abi recordings of her acting debut when she's older 'it has been such a lovely experience,' said debbie, a full time mum 'she tells everyone she was filming with damien and claire, but she's completely oblivious to the fact that she has worked with some of the biggest names in tv 'we couldn't be more proud of her' three year old abi was playing the part of a very young elizabeth i in the bbc tv series wolf hall  the young actress is shown off to the crowd by damien lewis as henry viii in a scene from wolf hall  the youngster has a good look around her while playing a young elizabeth i while in the arms of damien lewis  show makers initially searched through casting companies in search of a little pale skinned girl with curly red hair to play elizabeth, but couldn't find anyone suitable a runner on the show put out a plea on facebook in may last year and it was spotted by a friend of debbie and rob's who instantly thought of abi the pair sent in photos of their daughter, along with height measurements, and after a meeting, they were called to their first day of filming at montacute house, somerset little abi as elizabeth i is pictured with her on screen mother anne boleyn (claire foy) in a scene from wolf hall  the property was greenwich palace in wolf hall and abi filmed a scene where henry viii   damien lewis   introduces his daughter to various nobility 'it happened very randomly because a friend of a friend was working as a runner on the tv show,' explained debbie 'they were looking for a ginger haired girl and abi was the right age and hair colour 'she put out an sos to friends for a little ginger haired girl and put abi forward it was completely out of the blue 'we had to send in some photos and her height and age   but it was mostly about her hair colour and then they asked us to come down to meet them the youngster even had her own trailer while she was on the set during filming  'within a matter of weeks we had to go to somerset for filming 'it was very surreal we went down the night before and damien came down to see abi, so she could meet him before filming, and the following day she did a bit of filming 'it was with damien and he was holding her and walking around the room, with everyone bowing down to her, introducing her to everyone 'damien was lovely he was really, really nice and friendly 'he came down to see her before filming and not in costume so abi wouldn't be scared of him 'abi cried a lot to start with i felt a bit bad about that she was ok in the end though it was just quite dark and atmospheric, and i think it gave her a fright the tot takes a break and relaxes far way from all the fun of filming wolf hall  'but she loved the costume because she's a typical girl who loves dressing up in long girly dresses' abi's final day of filming took place at barrington court, somerset, which was dressed as the home of cromwell's mentor and friend cardinal wolsey, in june the episode's opening scene saw abi sit on anne boleyn's knee and took place during a period when the pair's relationship hit the rocks 'they were talking about some embroidered hats it was when they weren't getting along so well,' said debbie proud parents debbie and rob, an it analyst, watched abi's debut at home with a bottle of champagne, while the little actress slept upstairs, blissfully unaware she said: 'we didn't realise how big it was going to be with us just being there for two days, we didn't really know what the whole thing was about 'it was just me and my husband   she was upstairs asleep 'it was quite surreal to see her on tv we forgot how young she looked' mark rylance as thomas cromwell and claire foy as anne boleyn in wolf hall  attributed to painter william scrots, this portrait is of elizabeth i as a princess in 1546 7 
facebook abi ward damien lewis
casting bosses hunted in vain for a little girl with curly, ginger hair . runner on the show posted a facebook plea to find a tiny star . parents of three year old abi ward spotted the appeal and sent in picture . tot plucked from obscurity to star alongside leading man damien lewis 