Most Coronation Street stars' storylines are completely different to their real lives - but one was terrifyingly close to home for Ruxandra Porojnicu.
The Romanian actress, who has played Alina Pop on the ITV soap since 2019, has admitted she had never even seen Corrie when she moved to the UK on her own in 2015.
After spending time in America as part of her university course, Ruxandra saw a "different way of life" and was inspired to move away after receiving a degree in acting and puppetry.
Because of the limited career opportunities in her home country, which she loves, Ruxandra left Romania and was forced to "start over" when she arrived in London.
Ruxandra, who is now 28, was only 21 with just £300 to her name and dreamed of becoming an actress while working a number of jobs to make ends meet.
The aspiring actress had a stint in Pizza Express while trying to save enough money on the side to afford to go to acting lessons and auditions in her spare time.
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Ruxandra admitted to being "naive" when she arrived in the England and saw that she could've easily trusted the wrong people, especially when she was struggling to make ends meet.
While Ruxandra felt she was lucky with the choices she made, while others aren't, which was shown in her character's human trafficking storyline.
In April 2019, she told the Daily Star: "This is why it is such an important storyline because this really could've been me in Alina's situation.
"I was desperate to find work when I first arrived and looking back four years down the line, I had no idea how things worked in England."
The actress started working as an extra and a model, some of which was unpaid, so that she could build up an impressive portfolio.
After being signed to an agency which had an acting department, she successfully auditioned for the role of Alina.
"When I'm at Corrie I'm like 'Am I even working?'. It's just so much fun and everyone has been so lovely," said the soap star during her first few months on set.
Alongside the big acting gig, Ruxandra worked in a cafe while going up to Manchester to film.
In an emotional Twitterpost, she wrote: "And yes, it wasn't easy after 6 months of living any actor's dream to work on set full time.
"I wanted to quit and I cried a lot because it's so stressful working in customer service!
"Also, I couldn't believe I have to do it again. Imagine having a family to take care of! Is not easy being constantly with or without job. Is true it affects your mental health as an actor!!
"But hey! There was no other alternative right away, didn't know what the future will bring and I couldn't just wait without doing anything.
"There's no shame in working. I would rather feel ashamed being lazy and complain I don't have money or ask my family to provide for me."
Away from the soap, not much is known about Ruxandra's love life.
Alina has had many suitors in Weatherfield and been involved in two love triangles, one with Seb and Emma and her current one with Fiz and Tyrone.
And in 2019, some viewers believed the Seb and Alina stars could be dating in real life after Ruxandra an co-star Harry Visinoni were spotted out for a drink.
However, neither of the stars confirmed it was anything other than them hanging out as friends after they had finished filming.
Ruxandra has become a firm favourite on the cobbles and is set to get a contract extension due to her blossoming popularity with viewers.
Last week, the actress was feeling the love on Instagramwhen a fan reached out to to reveal the adorable comment her daughter made.
The woman wrote: "My 6 year old said, mummy alina doesn't sound like the other people so I told her about how you came from another country and she is fascinated!! X."
Ruxandra liked the comment and replied saying: "ah!!! thank you!!!," followed by several red heart emojis.
Before Alina and Tyrone's affair storyline even hit our screens, Alan Halsall admitted he feared being "clubbed" in the supermarket by fans taking it too literally.
While Ruxandra feared viewers would turn on her - and sadly she was proven right as she received vile racist abuse over the fictional soap drama.
"I've also had people saying, 'Go back to your own country', and calling me a homewrecker. I don't take those comments seriously," she said.
The actress has mostly had positive reaction to the work her character is doing to increase visibility of minorities, with Ruxandra adding: "I feel so privileged to have been given such a big storyline.
"I also feel proud to be representing my country. I've had a lot of people say how good it is Corrie is showing diversity with my character and it's important for television to show that."
Ruxandra's character is at the centre of horrifying scenes this week when pregnant Alina is put in grave danger.
Someone deliberately sets fire to the salon flat while tired Alina has an early night and Tyrone is up the pub having a few drinks.
Smoke starts creeping under sleeping Alina's bedroom door and her horrified neighbours raise the alarm just in time for the emergency services to save her.
Investigators initially blame a candle for the blaze, but they soon come to the worrying conclusion that the blaze was started on purpose.
With Fiz left shaken by the fire, Alina accuses Tyrone's ex of starting it in revenge, but there is another possible culprit.
Concerns grow that misbehaving brat Hope could be to blame as she has history of causing trouble with matches and has revealed she doesn't want a baby brother.
Who is responsible for trying to kill Alina?
*Coronation Street airs tonight on ITV at 7.30pm and 8.30pm
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