Pastor’s girl and devout Christian Naomi Scott is set to join big-screen A-list after seeing off Little Mix star to win star role in Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin

SHE’S the pastor’s daughter who made the move from an unremarkable ­London suburb to Hollywood — now Naomi Scott is set to join the big-screen A-list.

With no formal acting training, the former church singer saw off Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall and thousands of other auditionees to win the star role alongside Will Smith in Guy Ritchie’s forthcoming live-action movie Aladdin.

And Hollywood producers have backed Naomi by lining up even bigger roles for her.

Naomi, who is married to Ipswich Town defender Jordan Spence, has already been announced as one of the stars of the Charlie’s Angels reboot.

Former pop star Kelle Bryan discovered Naomi by chance when she was just 12. Kelle explained: “With everything she gets, she’s still refreshingly surprised.

“She goes, ‘Oh my God, I landed it, I can’t believe it’, and I’m like, ‘No, you’re super-talented’.

“Naomi is just hard-working and loves what she does.

“But equally she loves her friends and family just as much.”

Naomi, 25, was born in Hounslow, West London, to English dad Christopher and mum Usha, a Gujarati Indian born in Uganda.

The family moved to Woodford, East London, and Naomi’s parents started running Bridge Church, in nearby ­Redbridge.

While today she could be shopping on Rodeo drive, being chauffeured to the studio and eating at the finest restaurants, her childhood home is a world away from Hollywood.

Growing up in the gentle commuter enclave on the edge of Essex, young Naomi — a devout Christian — was happy just singing at her parents’ Pentecostal church.

Then the chance meeting set her on the path to stardom.

Kelle, a former singer with Nineties girlband Eternal, told the Sun: “I was speaking at her mum and dad’s church and I heard this person singing in the background.

“I said, ‘I want to sign her’. I hadn’t seen her, I didn’t know what she looked like, I just heard her voice.

“Later on I arranged a meeting with her parents and I was like, ‘I think you’re amazing. I don’t look after singers but I’d really like to represent you as an actress’.

“She was like, ‘But I don’t act’. I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, we’ll work on that — you will’.”

Guided by Kelle, Naomi got her first acting break at 15 by appearing in Disney kids’ comedy sketch show Life Bites.

She had to fit filming in between trips to Africa and India, where she helped out with missionary work.

Those who knew her at that time say she was always destined for bigger things.

Nicola Posener, who co-starred with her in Life Bites, said: “She’s one of those people who stood out.
“She’s very multi-talented. We all knew she had a sensational singing voice and she had that spark and personality — very witty and fun.

“She was definitely a standout. I think we all knew she was going to do well.”

Naomi met future ­husband Jordan at church in 2010. The Ipswich defender — who was on the books of West Ham at the time — had grown up in Woodford like Naomi.

The devoted couple married in 2014 when Naomi was 21.

They may know what it is like to be occasionally recognised when walking down the street, but Naomi’s life as a movie actress is very different to her husband’s career as a Championship footballer.

Jordan, 28, has seen her move from small telly roles to a starring part in Steven Spielberg’s 2011 futuristic sci-fi series Terra Nova, and on to her breakout film role in last year’s Power Rangers movie.

She played pink ranger Kimberly in the film — and just months later it was announced that she had won the role of a lifetime as Princess ­Jasmine in Aladdin.

Out in May next year, the retelling of the 1992 animated favourite is being tipped as Disney’s biggest release of the year.

Hollywood execs have pumped millions into the musical blockbuster, which stars Will Smith as the Genie and Canadian newcomer Mena ­Massoud in the title role.

It is expected to smash the ­incredible box office figures of last year’s Beauty And The Beast — the musical romance starring Emma Watson which earned $1billion worldwide to become 2017’s highest-grossing film.

Just a fortnight after Aladdin’s release, Naomi will be back in ­cinemas for her second huge role in Charlie’s Angels.

Studio bosses hope the action movie reboot matches the performance of the film’s previous ­version starring Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore, which made more than £200million when it was released in 2000.

Naomi has grabbed the attention of casting directors and is now being tipped for other huge roles in 2020.

Kelle adds: “She is an absolute ­natural. She learnt on the job and full credit to her.

“She didn’t have any formal training. She is just a naturally gifted actress.”

But despite becoming one of the most in-demand movie talents in the world, she does not plan on sticking to acting for ever.

Blessed with an impressive singing voice, Naomi has already worked with Xenomania — the production team behind Girls Aloud’s hits — and released two EPs in 2014 and 2016.

Speaking last year, she said: “Acting is an avenue that has opened doors.

“I will eventually switch gears to solely music, but at the moment it is both. It is simply a matter of right timing.”
With her growing success in Hollywood, it doesn’t look like that moment is coming any time soon.

Surprise success

OLIVIA COOKE, 24, was turned down by EastEnders and Hollyoaks but now the Oldham-born actress counts that as a blessing.

Catapulted to fame by her role in Spielberg blockbuster Ready Player One, she said of her soap snub: “Thank God, thank God, thank God – I’d still be there now, five years later.”

Daisy Ridley, 26, from central London considered quitting acting before storming to success in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She will reprise the role of Rey in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX.

John Boyega, from South London, was an unknown when he landed the role of Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. John, 26, has since starred in Pacific Rim Uprising and will return with Daisy in the ninth Star Wars film.

Rachel Shenton, best known for playing wannabe glamour model Mitzee in Hollyoaks, the actress from Stoke, 30, won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film this year. Rachel wrote and co-starred in The Silent Child, which was inspired by her deaf father.

Daniel Kaluuya, from North London, has seen his career take off since playing posh Kenneth in Skins. He starred in Black Panther and was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for Get Out.

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