Samia Smith
Plays Maria Connor
Born Samia Ghadie on 13 July 1982, Samia grew up in Eccles in Greater Manchester.
Samia’s mum, Patsy, is former cabaret star Bubbles Devine, who met Samia’s French-Lebanese dad, Joseph - a former diver - when she was touring the Middle East. The couple married and moved to Salford to run an off-licence and bring up Samia and her older brother, Tariq, but they are now separated.
Samia went to drama lessons from the age of six and also modeled for catalogues as a child. Her first TV role was as an extra in Corrie when she was eight, and her first speaking role was at age 11 in an episode of Cracker. She went on to play guest roles in various TV dramas, including Heartbeat and Doctors, and she had a regular role in kids show Children’s Ward, where she first met Corrie co-star Alan Halsall, who also starred in the show.
Samia’s big break came while she was doing her ‘A’ Levels as she was picked to star in Brit flick There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble, alongside Robert Carlyle. Samia was asked to play Maria soon after and made her debut in Corrie just after the film premiered at Cannes.
Samia dated fellow actor Ciaran Griffiths after meeting him on the set of There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble, and Ciaran later appeared in Coronation Street as tearaway Dean Sykes. Samia went on to meet property developer Matthew Smith and they married on 10 September 2005.
Related News & Gossip
- Tommy cops a beating from Rick in Corrie (VIDEO)
- Chris Fountain: Kiss with Michelle wasn't romantic
- Kym Marsh renews her contract on Corrie
- Coronation St's Brooke Vincent signs new contract
- See what drives Kirsty to attack Tyrone (VIDEO)
Related Interviews
Comments do not always reflect the views of What's On TV, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page
Coronation Street Current Cast
- A
-
Anna Windass
played by Debbie Rush
-
Ashley Peacock
played by Steven Arnold
-
Audrey Roberts
played by Sue Nicholls
-
Amy Barlow
played by Elle Mulvaney
- B
-
Bill Webster
played by Peter Armitage
-
Becky McDonald
played by Katherine Kelly
-
Betty Williams
played by Betty Driver
-
Blanche Hunt
played by Maggie Jones
- C
-
Carla Gordon
played by Alison King
-
Chesney Battersby-Brown
played by Sam Aston
-
Claire Peacock
played by Julia Haworth
-
Ciaran McCarthy
played by Keith Duffy
- D
-
Darryl Morton
played by Jonny Dixon
-
David Platt
played by Jack P Shepherd
-
Deirdre Barlow
played by Anne Kirkbride
-
Dev Alahan
played by Jimmi Harkishin
- E
-
Eddie Windass
played by Steve Huison
-
Eileen Grimshaw
played by Sue Cleaver
-
Emily Bishop
played by Eileen Derbyshire
- F
-
Fiz Stape
played by Jennie McAlpine
- G
-
Gary Windass
played by Mikey North
-
Graeme Proctor
played by Craig Gazey
-
Gail Platt
played by Helen Worth
- H
-
Hayley Cropper
played by Julie Hesmondhalgh
- J
-
Janice Battersby
played by Vicky Entwistle
-
Jesse Chadwick
played by John Thomson
-
Joe McIntyre
played by Reece Dinsdale
-
John Stape
played by Graeme Hawley
-
Julie Carp
played by Katy Cavanagh
-
Jack Duckworth
played by Bill Tarmey
-
Jason Grimshaw
played by Ryan Thomas
-
Joshua Peacock
played by Benjamin Beresford
- K
-
Ken Barlow
played by William Roache
-
Kevin Webster
played by Michael Le Vell
-
Kirk Sutherland
played by Andrew Whyment
- L
-
Liz McDonald
played by Bev Callard
-
Lloyd Mullaney
played by Craig Charles
-
Leanne Battersby
played by Jane Danson
- M
-
Maria Connor
played by Samia Smith
-
Michelle Connor
played by Kym Marsh
-
Molly Dobbs
played by Vicky Binns
-
Mary Taylor
played by Patti Clare
- N
-
Norris Cole
played by Malcolm Hebden
-
Nick Tilsley
played by Ben Price
- P
-
Pam Hobsworth
played by Kate Anthony
-
Peter Barlow
played by Chris Gascoyne
- R
-
Rita Sullivan
played by Barbara Knox
-
Rosie Webster
played by Helen Flanagan
-
Roy Cropper
played by David Neilson
-
Ryan Connor
played by Ben Thompson
- S
-
Sarah Louise Platt
played by Tina O'Brien
-
Simon Barlow
played by Alex Bain
-
Sally Webster
played by Sally Whittaker
-
Sean Tully
played by Antony Cotton
-
Sophie Webster
played by Brooke Vincent
-
Steve McDonald
played by Simon Gregson
-
Sian Powers
played by Sacha Parkinson
-
Sunita Alahan
played by Shobna Gulati
- T
-
Tina McIntyre
played by Michelle Keegan
-
Tony Gordon
played by Gray O'Brien
-
Tyrone Dobbs
played by Alan Halsall
-
Tracy Barlow
played by Kate Ford
- V
-
Vera Duckworth
played by Elizabeth Dawn
