Lollipop's Idil Ahmed: "I believe that being cast in this film saved my life"

But learning that her own mother gave them over to social services is cause for the film's initial heartbreaking moments, with the movie chronicling Molly's journey to regain custody of her children.

The sincere way in which this story unfolds makes it seem as though, at first, Molly is all alone in her battle to get her children back – that's until her childhood friend Amina (Idil Ahmed) sees her at the council office one day.

Much like her character, Ahmed is the embodiment of a breath of fresh air when we chat ahead of the release of the film. A complete newcomer to the world of acting, Ahmed admits that it feels "super overwhelming" to know Lollipop will be out soon, but that she's revelling in the positive reception to the film so far.

Unlike many rising stars, Ahmed's love of acting wasn't formed in classrooms at RADA or by virtue of being related to a high-ranking person in the industry. Rather, it was a feat of serendipity that casting director Lucy Pardee was contacting different Somalian community centres for the role of Amina and happened to reach out to the very one that Ahmed was working at.

Ahmed had always had an "artsy side" that involved everything to do with films and music, but explains that "because I became a young mom, everything had to be on hold".

Working at the time "to advocate for vulnerable women", Ahmed's community centre manager thought she'd be "lovely" for the role, and so passed her Pardee's details. And, well, the rest is history.

Within the context of Lollipop, Amina is a life-saving fairy godmother of sorts for Molly. But the film itself was almost like that for Ahmed, outlining it as "a self-discovery journey" to even say yes to the initial casting opportunity.

"At that time, I left the job and one of my daughters actually fell quite ill, so I was going through a really life-changing difficulty," the actress tells me.

"I'm going to say it as it is, I believe it saved my life – the actual casting and everything. It was like this little dream that I had that just kept me going.

"The script – you’d only have a little snippet of the script as you were getting casted. So every time I’d have a really bad day and then I'd get a text to say, 'Oh, you've gone through.' It was just something that I can't explain.

"It uplifted me, made me happy, it made me feel seen. I'm a parent to four daughters, so my life is quite busy, it's all about the kids. Sometimes, mums, we forget about ourselves, and it was something that was just for me."

The comfortability between Amina and Molly wasn't simply just for the film, though, with Ahmed telling me that her bond with Sterling was natural when they first met for a chemistry test. "We just clicked... like two best friends that hadn’t seen each other for a long time," she says.

While Lollipop is very much centred on Molly's story, Amina's becomes intrinsically linked to her friend's. Having been best friends in their teens, they lose touch only to meet again in circumstances that neither of them feel particularly proud of. But really, none of the semantics matter when it comes to these friends, with Amina extending her sole hostel room as a home for Molly.

As much as Molly needs Amina, Amina clearly also needed Molly. "I think you see it in how happy she feels when she sees Molly at the council office," Ahmed says.

"That was her prayer answered because she didn't have anybody. [Her ex] didn't want to help her with the kids, she wanted to succeed. I think that resilience and drive just to keep going when doors are being closed in your face – a lot of women can relate to that.

"I think it's so beautiful that she gets to get that from Molly. I feel like Amina was praying for something and then Molly came."

It's clear that Amina is not just any role for Ahmed. Not only is it her first, but Amina's positive outlook, bubbly nature and ability to fill the metaphorical cups of those around her is the kind of energy that clearly flows naturally from Ahmed.

"I resonate with Amina so much," she admits. "When I read the script, I was like, 'Wow, this is so beautiful. This woman is amazing.' She's so resilient, I can relate to that.

"I've had experiences with the same kind of things, like a hostel, being a single parent and stuff. So, that was quite touching and obviously representing her and her character, her joy and everything. I just kind of fell in love with her, to be honest."

There's a lot to Amina's story that we don't get to see on screen – the relationship with her ex, how he left her and the behind-the-scenes battles she's having to go through in order to make sure she and daughter Maya have a roof over their heads.

Despite having to incessantly ring her previous landlord to get her deposit back and not quite knowing what the future has in store for them both, Amina remains dedicated to ensuring the environment is a positive one for her daughter.

Their daily dance parties act as an uplifting respite in a film that will regularly leave you wanting to shake your head in despair. While it is yet another heartfelt detail to get bleary-eyed over, Ahmed actually informs me that music was a really important part of the film for director Hudson – and you can tell.

Along with the inclusion of every Londoner's favourite hype song (Giggs' Talkin the Hardest), Dusty Springfield's I Only Want to Be with You and garage anthem Body Groove, Ahmed also informs me that her on-screen daughter Maya is actually named after the '90s/'00s R&B singer Mya.

When it came to things that Ahmed was forthright in wanting to get across within the characterisation of Amina, she tells me it was her unashamed swearing and feeling comfortable enough to say anything and everything in front of Molly.

Their bond is summarised at the end of the film, when Amina tells Molly: "You see me more than anyone in my whole life has seen me." It's yet another beautifully written piece of dialogue that cements their bond, with Ahmed telling me that line in particular was "so raw".

"It was coming from a real place of just acceptance. You don't see my hijab, you don't see my colour, you don't see anything, you just see my heart. I want to be a family with you. I want to raise my kids with you. I think that's so beautiful, and I don't want to get emotional, but I felt it from my soul, that line."

There's no escaping the fact that, for Ahmed, the role of Amina was not only her first dip into the expansive waters of acting, but also an opportunity to shine a light on her Somalian heritage.

While Ahmed can reel off a litany of '90s films that she grew up on that made her feel seen, there are a clear lack of examples when it comes to thinking of representation of Somalian characters in mainstream media.

However, when watching 2019's Rocks with her two older children, an emotional chord was struck within Ahmed after seeing the depiction of Sumaya's (Kosar Ali) family life.

"That was everything," Ahmed tells me. "I will never forget that day, just to be able to see a Somali family on screen. When they were home... it’s just so heartwarming just to see yourself on screen. It's just another level of joy and happiness."

The inclusions of Somalian culture within Lollipop may come in brief glimpses of injera and pre-dinner blessings, but it's the way in which Molly understands and recognises such details that are also integral to the film.

"That's the beauty of this film, actually seeing each other, our culture, our religion, everything," Ahmed explains. "I really appreciate it because I want to represent the Somali community. I'm Somali, but I'm British as well, I've grown up in this country. So, it's nice to have that balance of both."

Rather aptly, Lollipop is also being screened (with a Q&A) at The Castle Cinema in Homerton in a bid to be more easily accessible for East London's Somalian community, rather than opting for many films' usual central London locations.

When it comes to discussing how important it is for Ahmed to see a woman like Amina represented in a film like this, it's clear the emotion is naturally at the fore.

"I can't even express that," she replies when I ask her. "A lot of women from the Somali community are going to see this and just feel like it's so nice to just see someone that looks like you, someone who wears a hijab, someone who's Somali."

The only way is surely up for a career that starts off on such stellar footing, I tell Ahmed as we near the end of our conversation, with genuine admiration for not only her career pivot but also the much-needed down-to-earth manner in which she has approached the role.

While the subject matter may not be directly relatable for everyone, the themes of friendship, resilience, vulnerability and found family are ones that will undoubtedly strike a chord with many.

In terms of the kinds of stories and characters she'd hope to bring to life, Ahmed says it's hard to say as she's new to the game: "I would say stories that matter, stories that touch people’s hearts and stories that need to be seen. I don't really know at this moment what that might be.

"I feel like if it resonates with me and I feel like it is something that I need to do, then that would be something that I might do, hopefully.

"I would say [projects] to do with being a mum and those difficulties. Lollipop has touched on that, but there's so much more that needs to be spoken about. I think roles that are really touching, and also maybe humour, I love comedy."

But most importantly for Ahmed is also to continue representing her Somalian culture as authentically as she can. "I'd love to represent different roles that show different sides to our community; the humour, the difficulties as a community that we face. Just to be represented is a major thing, and I think we will get there," she says.

"We deserve it. We're part of society. We should be able to see someone that looks like us on screen, and I think it wouldn't be fair if it wasn't."

Lollipop will be in cinemas nationwide from Friday 13th June. You can sign up to a Q&A screening at The Castle Cinema on Saturday 14th June with Idil Ahmed, Daisy-May Hudson and Posy Sterling.

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