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Christmas time is all about sharing precious moments with family and friends, from the youngest babies and innocent children to the older generations of Grandparents (and if you’re very lucky) Great-Grandparents. Our house has always been packed to the rafters with brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews – food and drink flowing with plenty of party games, quizzes and laughter. Seeing all the wonderful festivity through Hugo’s eyes this last six years has been extra special. Sadly…inevitably, this all comes with a however. There is one very central person in my life that is yet again this year an empty chair at the table, my beautiful Mum. For every toast that is raised there is a glass missing, for every joke there is one person’s laughter not ringing out across the room and the absence aches across the whole family even if nobody says a word. Christmas without my Mum is undoubtedly one of the hardest times of year. Born Jane Elizabeth Styles she was one of Frank and Janet Styles’ four children. Growing up they were a close and happy family even if they didn’t have very much.
For my Mum however it was when she met my Dad that the fairy-tale truly began. She was such a natural beauty, always immaculately made up but miraculously someone who seemed to be able to look amazing in no time at all. My parents always made such a handsome couple at every stage of their life together. They were together four years before they got married on a snowy Winter’s day on 20th December, 1969. Soon after they had my eldest brother Norman followed by Laura, Edward and finally me; Charlotte Emily in 1980. My Mum was a truly amazing woman – popular, dynamic and in possession of an infectious zest for life. Although she dedicated herself to bringing up her four children she always found time to party and socialise with the best of them! One of my fondest memories was her picking me up from school, seeing her smiling face beaming through the school gate although it’s closely followed by being allowed to mop up some fillet steak on a Friday night if I snook down into their romantic meal! Our childhoods (and adult lives!) were all about home cooked food, impulsive trips to the beach, an open and cosy house with clear boundaries if we misbehaved! She was the perfect mix. When I went to secondary school Mum decided to go back to University and studied Nursing at Canterbury Christchurch. She did this whilst still being a fabulous wife and Mum, getting up at 4 a.m. to study and then getting us all ready for our day when we came downstairs – I don’t know where she found the energy! Mum had a wicked sense of humour, her laugh was a cackle and it was the kind of laugh that you just couldn’t help but laugh with her. As the years passed we grew even closer as friends as well as Mum and Daughter. She supported me through all of my career – she came to all of my informal concerts at school where I used to sing and play the piano to my first West End show (she was more nervous than me I think). We shared bubbles, nights at the theatre, chats, spas, lunches in Harrods and a love of karaoke after a few drinks at home! She was just the best. As a Grandmother to her 5 Grandchildren she was amazing. She never said no to them and doted on them all at all times, they all loved her but respected her too! Nobody messes with Granny. (Although I swear I saw Hugo getting away with things that I would have been in trouble for when I was his age!) Sadly this is where our story takes a devastating turn. In April 2016 my Mum and I were out shopping for my Birthday when I noticed she couldn’t swallow her lunch properly... this was the first sign of a year long battle with stomach cancer. To say it tore me apart would be an understatement..... my world collapsed at that moment, all of my foundations suddenly shifted seismically and a new world was created – one with the fear and prospect of losing this special lady, the woman that bore me into the world and cradled me everyday since whether I knew it or not. Despite my own fear I was determined to support my Mum and Dad through this with all the positivity and love that I could muster…and that’s what we did. She lost all of her hair through the chemotherapy (albeit she looked great with a bald head!). As she could no longer eat normally she had a nasogastric tube fitted for 8 weeks which gave her food and drink, she underwent a major operation to remove her stomach in a bid to beat the spread of cancer as well as endless scans and procedures. Mum bravely battled the whole ordeal with a smile and never uttered a single word of complaint. She was going to beat this, that was her sole determination. This picture of Mum and Dad below was taken at an Easter family dinner about 6 weeks before she sadly died. Four weeks later she was given a terminal diagnosis and passed away peacefully 2 weeks after that. Poignantly we were all by her side, a moment I will never forget.  Each day is still hard. I’m not ashamed to admit I sought help from both a councillor and a doctor to help me through the darkest days. I have an amazing husband and son, Dad, siblings, wider family and not forgetting some dedicated friends.
So I dedicate this blog to my beautiful Mum - Jane Elizabeth Mounter. There are few like her, a bona-fide one in a million. Thanks for reading everyone. Here’s to a good 2020! Much love, Charlotte Xxxx Hi all, I can’t honestly believe I am writing my last blog of 2019! I will be doing a special Christmas blog later on in the month which will be dedicated to my beautiful Mum whom we lost in 2017. I've thought about it for a while and although I talk about her every day I think it will be a cathartic process for me to write something special in which I can dedicate to her, especially at this time of year. 💕 Since my last blog it has been a busy few weeks of castings, tv pilots and shoots so I better get on with it! In my last blog I mentioned that I had been filming for a Pet Insurance commercial, I’m really pleased with how the advert has turned out and I have attached the link below. Hopefully it will get you in the Christmas spirit as it's been optioned for a TV run this month so keep your eyes peeled! From adverts to TV pilots, I was delighted to be cast in Dorian alongside a very talented bunch of actors. Dorian is based on The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde which tells the story of a man obsessed with beauty and how this obsession eventually leads to his own corruption. This is a modern adaptation of the narrative and I play one of Dorian’s lovers Gwen. We have a powerful scene and it was a closed set due to the nature of the filming so behind the scenes pictures were not allowed. I did however manage to get hold of a couple of pictures which I have attached below. Finally I had a nice little commercial job in Market Harborough recently, it was a really fun shoot with a lovely team and I can’t wait to see the final adverts! Here are a few cheeky behind the scenes pictures. Thanks as always for reading!
Love Charlotte xxxx Hi all, It’s been a little while since my last blog so I thought I must sit down and write something this morning! Work has been really busy for me recently which is brilliant, especially in a profession that can have big peaks and troughs Let’s start with Slovenia, I was lucky enough to be cast by the German brand Verivox for their latest adverts. They are being broadcast over in Germany and we had great fun filming them! I got to work with an amazing cast and crew, stay in some lovely hotels and see a beautiful country. Although I feel very lucky I always miss my boys so much though! Some pictures and the advert itself below. I came back from Slovenia and straight into filming my part in brilliant new Sci Fi movie Dune Drifter directed by the excellent Marc Price! I’m not going to lie, it was really tough filming it. It was cramped and I could hardly breathe in my helmet, but sometimes filming something amazing can be brutal (ask Di Caprio in The Revenant!), it can't all glamour and red carpets...can it?! Aside from the discomfort it was really exciting to make 😅 I’m looking forward to seeing the end result. Some behind the scenes below. On the other end of the spectrum I also had a great corporate job where I got to work with a smashing presenter and we got along really nicely! Chemistry is obviously really important and I felt we did a good job together... well I hope so anyway! Some pics below. With Christmas not that far away it’s only fair that I share some behind the scenes of another of my recent commercials. I had a ready-made family for the day and got to stay in the beautiful city of Bath whilst filming! Advert out very soon. FINALLY on the work front (I know!) the board game advert for “Sort it Out “ is now out on the TV, keep your eyes peeled for it as I’m sure it will get a lot of play before Christmas! Before I go, I got to spend the weekend with my best friend recently. True friends are hard to find and I’m so lucky to have such a lovely friend in Barbie!! We had a day out in Blackpool and did all the tourist attractions! I got told off by a man for sorting out my tea by his slushie counter.... ooops!! Here are a couple of pictures from our Western Photoshoot. Blog soon.
Charlotte xxxx Hi all, It’s been a little while since I blogged because my little one has been off school for the Summer so I went into Mummy mode and we had a fantastic time! Now he is back at school I’m talking full advantage of catching up with chores and of course this blog!! 😃 Its always so varied as an actress and I consider my myself very fortunate and lucky to be doing what I do! Hugo, being a huge fan of the films and ipad game, was delighted when I told him I was going to be starring in a commercial for Angry Birds. Things never stand still in this profession, we were shooting for the VR game where you put on a Virtual Reality head set and can see all the way around you! We had a really fun day filming despite the fact that it was the hottest day of the year...don’t be fooled by these fresh faced pictures though, we were melting! 😂 From Angry Birds to Murder Maps! I was delighted to get a part in the new series of Murder Maps for UKTV! I’m not sure when my episode is due to air but I played Polly Nichols, one of Jack The Ripper's victims. Here are a few behind the scenes pictures, it wasn’t glamorous at all butI loved every minute of it! I always count myself lucky but laying on a cold floor over several hours isn't everyone's cup of tea ;) The filmmakers recreated a derelict Victorian house and street and I had to be made up to be the alcoholic lady of the night left to a gruesome demise by the infamous killer. After Murder Maps I was delighted to get chosen for another commercial. This one was for a board game called “Sort It Out". It was all shot on a green screen which means we were acting to nothing, it was all going to be added in post production afterwards! I worked with a company called Premiere and they are fabulous to work with! It’s a great game and the advert is out soon. Some pics below from the shoot. That’s all for now! I will definitely blog again next month!!
Lots of love, Charlotte xxxx Hi all, Some of the eagle-eyed among you may have noticed I have had a couple of commercials that have come out recently! One was online for Microsoft and the other was for Replens which is being shown on the telly at the moment. I am really pleased with how both have turned out, here they are below. 🤗🤗 I also had a great photoshoot for the new Vauxhall Grandland X recently. I got to work with a super team, drive the car and get glammed up for two days! It was great fun and here are some pictures from the shoot. I also celebrated my birthday at the end of April! I was very spoilt by my hubby Mark and family and I have put on a few pictures of the celebrations below! Before I go I have made some nice update to my website so please check out the site of you click through. Always good to keep things fresh and updated. 😍
Thanks for reading! Charlotte xxx Hi all, Well April is finally here and I’m already looking forward to the lighter evenings and sitting in the garden with a glass of something bubbly! Roll on the warmer weather! I've had a really interesting mix of work and castings since my last blog, including a voice over for the Replens advert (ladies product) coming out next month. I went to a really nice studio in Soho and had lots of fun. I love voiceovers, you can just completely submerge yourself into the character and it doesn’t matter whether you look like you’ve just got out of bed! I did put a bit of lippy on for these pictures though 😋
I was also delighted to be offered a part in N.T. Nantha's latest feature film 120 Hours! His work is great, I played Lucy - a drunken lady causing trouble, some pictures below from the shoot. I definitely hope I get to work with Nantha again very soon! As some of you may already know, I did a commercial for Microsoft a couple of months ago. Here are some of the “behind the scenes” pictures from the day, it was a fun shoot and yes, those cakes were real! For anyone that knows me you’ll know I don't really exercise, ever! I do a lot of walking but that’s about my limit. So it was much to my husband's delight when I had to “Get Physical" Olivia Newton John style for my latest casting. Approximately 10 seconds into the dance I heard my hip pop! I carried on like a true pro, though needless to say I didn’t get the job. No more high kicks for me! 😂 Here is am rocking the 80’s look.  Before I go I just wanted to mention Mother’s Day. This is my second one without my precious Mum. I miss her everyday, the grief overwhelms me at times and some days I’m just extremely sad. I was spoilt by my boys, I still have a very close family and I have the most wonderful girlfriends you could ever wish for. The heart of our family has gone, Mum as you used to say to me “ I love you more than anything else in the whole wide world”. Love you too Mum.  That’s all from me.
Charlotte xxx Hi all, I’ve had quite a busy few weeks since I last blogged. With half term and this gorgeous weather I have been trying to spend as much time as possible outside with my boys! A couple of snaps below of us enjoying the sunshine! ( the pint picture of Hugo is a joke.... obviously 😜) Talking of my boys, we were all delighted to be invited on David Barry’s Imaginarium show on Channel Radio based in Kent to talk about our upcoming projects and juggling work and home life. We had great fun and Hugo even spoke on the radio too!! Some pictures below. :) The video for the Coutts Bank shoot I did in January is finished and the official video is out now! The link is below if you fancy checking it out.!! :) Finally, I finished my filming on the feature The Curse of Halloween Jack with the super talented Andrew Jones, I had a great time and the whole team were lovely! We stayed in a lovely big mansion with a hot tub and sauna! Alas I didn’t get time to use those facilities but I did get some very cosy nights sleep! It was so dark and peaceful there. 🎃🎃 The film will be released on DVD in October this year. Be sure to look out for it. That’s it from me- Blog again very soon! Thanks for reading as always and don't forget to pick up your copy of Fistful Of Lead on 4th March.  Charlotte xxxxx Hi all, January has gotten off to a very busy start for me in 2019! There have been auditions galore so fingers crossed from those auditions. I was absolutely delighted to audition for the feature film The Curse of Halloween Jack and get the part of the Mayor's wife Annie Boyle!!! I am over the moon to be a part of this production and can't wait to start shooting in February with the brilliant director Andrew Jones.  My first job of 2019 was a voice over, I have said this before and I’ll say it again I absolutely love doing voice overs! Because it's a not on camera I love the fact that I can turn up and look how I want too haha!! 😂 Below is a behind the scenes from the day!  From Voiceovers to Commercials, I was delighted to be asked back by Coutts Bank to appear in another one of their commercials. I played a millionaire customer and I got to wear some fantastic clothes and have my makeup done by some great professionals - it was fun to do something glamorous rather than be covered in the usual blood, dirt and tears...the life of an actress! A few pics from the shoot below. Finally it was the premiere of Ready For My Close Up, a great little comedy in which I star alongside Lynn Lowry (Shivers/ The Crazies), Gary Shail (Quadrophenia), George Sweeney (Jack the Ripper/The Sweeney) and Dawn Perllman (The Omen). The film had some some great feedback and I had a blast with the producers of the film; the fabulous Stuart and Jen Morris from Misty Moon Productions, the writer Michael Haberfelner and the Director Jason Reed. Some pictures below from the night! That’s it from me, I’ll be sure to blog again next month!
Much love, Charlotte xx Hi all, This will be my last blog of 2018 and what a year it has been. I won't lie, losing my beautiful Mum in 2017 was so devastatingly tough and my grief is a daily battle, however, my Mum had a great life and she wanted me and the rest of her family to carry on following our dreams. It's hard but I'm doing it Mum, and I'll continue to do so into 2019. In November and December I was lucky enough to land a commercial for Microsoft and a two-day photo shoot for the German brand Winkhaus. Microsoft was a great shoot, such a talented cast and crew! The advert should be out in the New Year some time so keep your eyes peeled. Some pictures and a short behind the scenes video from the day. I was delighted to work alongside the fabulous photographer Jon Cardwell again this month for Winkhaus. Jon is a great photographer and I always enjoy working with him, he brings a calmness and great vibe to the set. Some pics below. It was also a chance to reunite with my Ghost Nets co-star Lloyd Morris, you can watch the hubby's film Ghost Nets here ;)  We also shot a teaser trailer for feature film 8ish, due to start filming in the Spring of 2019. A few pics from behind the scenes below. December also saw the DVD release of Fistful Of Lead - the Wild West heist gone wrong directed by Marc Price. For those interested you can buy the DVD here :) I had a lovely Christmas surrounded by family and friends. It's a difficult time of year without Mum but my Angel was right behind us all- every step of the way!  Happy New Year everyone and here's to a healthy and happy 2019. Much love Charlotte xxxxx Hi all, This will be my penultimate blog of the year, 2018 where have you gone!! The Autumn is flying by and I've had a fun few weeks with some fabulous jobs, so here we go :) In the acting profession there is so much uncertainty, most people don't see the toil behind the scenes as a self employed actress. You have to make it happen every day and trust that someone believes in you every single time so when you get it, it's a wonderful feeling!! What I love the most is the variety of work I get to do. From commercials, to voiceovers and films - I love it! This month I did a really fun commercial for Tile Choice, day 1 was filming with my onscreen family but I spent the best part of day 2 laying in a very hot bath (someone has to do it right?! 😜) . We filmed up in Birmingham and Shropshire and I got to stay at a lovely hotel for a couple of nights! Some pics below. I had the pleasure of working with two of my favourite film people - Stuart and Jen Morris (from Misty Moon Film Society) on their short film, Ready For My Close Up! It’s a fun, camp horror film and I starred alongside my good friend (American horror legend) Lynn Lowry, Quadrophenia's Gary Shail, The Omen's Dawn Perllman and Jack The Ripper's George Sweeney. It was written by the fabulous Michael Haberfelner and directed by the super talented Jason Read. Some pictures below from our most fabulous cast and crew night out at the Phoenix Artist Club. Once we'd all slept off the bubbles and showbiz it was time to get on with the serious business of making the film! Some behind the scenes shots and the trailer below :) From camp horror to serious money, I filmed for Coutts bank recently for their new commercial! It was an exciting job to get (pretending to live the life of a millionaire) and I've been lucky enough to work with the director Simon Ross before. With such a talented team it should look great! Some pics below from the day. I want to wrap this blog up with some very exciting news! The feature film Fistful of Lead is set for release on December 3rd 2018 with a USA release too. It will be available to buy on DVD so keep your eyes peeled! Here is an official film picture of me playing the vengeful Mrs Timms.  Blog again soon!
Charlotte xxxxx |
AuthorCharlotte Mounter |
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