Nico Mirallegro shocked by schizophrenia
Sunday, 17th August 2008.
The actor who plays Emo introvert Newt in Hollyoaks - Nico Mirallegro - has admitted his disbelief at the effects of schizophrenia.
The 17 year-old's character in the Channel soap is beginning to experience symptoms of the mental illness.
So Nico took it upon himself to do 2 months of research into schizophrenia in books and on the web so he'd know how to act appropriately.
He also spoke to real-life sufferers, but wasn't prepared for what he'd discover.
Nico told the Liverpool Daily Post newspaper: "I didn't know anything about this illness at all, nor did any of my friends.
One person in 100
"But I've found out that around one person in 100 will experience it at some time, and so, in an average secondary school with 1,000 pupils, there are about 10 that could be affected.
"That really shocked me, and had me thinking 'maybe I already know someone who could be affected and I don't even realise it'.
"It's really opened my eyes to the suffering that people go through and what a terrible effect this illness can have on someone's life."
"I was not expecting it at all.
"But while it's been an incredible opportunity for me I've also been conscious of what a responsibility it is to try to accurately portray what a young person with this illness can go through."
Photo: Channel 4
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