Vicky Knight

Vicky Knight (also previously known as Vicky Chaundy; born 1996) is an English film actress and hospital healthcare assistant. She has starred in Too Ugly For Love and Dirty God (2019). Knight debuted as an actress from Sacha Polak's Dirty God, where she played an acid attack victim. Her role in Dirty God was met with critical acclaim.

Knight received burns to 33 per cent of her body from a 2003 fire in her grandfather's pub. Her two cousins died from the fire. She was saved by a local plumber, who later died from the injuries he received. The cause of the fire was arson. She was treated at Broomfield Hospital in Essex, where she now works as a healthcare assistant. If she receives no acting roles in films, Knight will continue to work in the hospital. She started a charity named "Scar Quality" to help others who have experienced burns improve their self-esteem. At her school, Knight participated in a sponsored 28 mi (45 km) walk, where she raised £1,000 for charity. Afterwards, she was named Student of the Year by Association of Colleges.

Her accolades include British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) for Breakthrough Brits, British Independent Film Awards for Best Performance by an Actress, British Independent Film Awards for Most Promising Newcomer, and Stars of Tomorrow by Screen International.

2003 fire On the evening of 27 July 2003, eight-year-old Knight, daughter of Kim Knight, After the children had gone to sleep, a fire started in the pub. The cause was arson. Kate Knight, whose two sons aged 4 and 10 died from the fire, was accused of starting the fire after having a dispute with her husband. She was cleared of the charges after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey. Vicky and her female cousin were saved by plumber Ronnie Springer, a regular customer at the pub, who entered the fire to save them. Springer later died from the injuries he received. She tried to conceal her scars as she was badly bullied at school and called a "monster". She later stated that she was deceived into appearing on the programme as the producers initially told her it would focus on the everyday realities of her life as a burns survivor. Although Knight is gay, she had to pretend to date a straight man for the show. The plot of the film centres around the character Jade, who is trying to recover from an acid attack. Her role in the film was praised by critics. Tara Brady of The Irish Times wrote, "Knight delivers a terrific performance that is as complex as the sometimes maddening, frequently stupid, and always sympathetic character that she plays." Playing the role was emotionally difficult for Knight, who said in an interview "I had quite a few breakdowns on set so all the tears that you see are real". After Knight heard she was nominated for Breakthrough Brits she started to "cry" and "screaming".

Personal life Knight was previously known as Vicky Chaundy. She also revealed she has had suicidal ideation, she said "I was self-harming and self-neglecting. I was a mess, I hit rock bottom. This has given me the opportunity to save my own life. My scars have actually helped me, and something good has come out of something bad". Knight set up a charity, "Scar Quality", in 2013, to help those who have experienced burns improve their self-esteem. Her interest in health care began in 2003, when she was being treated in Broomfield Hospital following the pub fire.

Accolades +YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult 2019British Academy Film AwardsBAFTA Breakthrough Brits British Independent Film AwardsBest Performance by an Actress in a British Independent FilmDirty God (2019) Most Promising Newcomer 2023 73rd Berlin International Film Festival Teddy Award Jury Prize Silver Haze