UK Beauty & The Beast star “manifests” living on the Gold Coast

Beauty and the Beast is set to debut in Brisbane with English star Jayde Westaby, who now calls the Gold Coast home.

Jayde Westaby is starring as Mrs Potts in Disney's Beauty And The Beast Australian production which is heading to Brisbane. Picture: David Caird

Growing up in England, theatre star Jayde Westaby was captivated by hyper popular Australian TV shows Neighbours and Home & Away, so The Beauty and the Beast star can’t quite believe her luck that she’s now living beachside on the Gold Coast.

“For me to live in a cul-de-sac a stone’s throw from the beach, I feel like I am living in an Australian TV show. Perhaps I manifested meeting an Australian man.”

Having spent the last nine months starring as Mrs Potts in the smash hit Disney musical in Sydney, Jayde is elated the production will debut at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre in February where she will be cheered on by her husband, fellow actor Sean Mulligan and their son Bay, 9.

Jayde Westaby stars as Mrs Potts in Disney's Beauty And The Beast the Musical. Picture: David Caird

“My husband is from the Gold Coast, so it was kind of inevitable that we would end up living there, and I mean, what a place to end up.”

With The Beauty and the Beast taking up residency in Brisbane, Jayde said she can now prioritise spending time with her young family.

“Sean is my hero, he does it all while I’m away and I just want to hit the ground running and help him as much as I possibly can between shows and be present and still and be mum. It breaks my heart just thinking about it because obviously I’m absolutely in love with my job and this role and this show, however working away from home has its challenges,” said Jayde.

“Being home, I will relish the mundane things like pick up and drop off and packing lunches and I just want to go jump in waves at Burleigh Beach. I am still commuting five days a week, so I know I will be tired, but tired and happy to come home to my bed every night and to my kid.”

Jayde Westaby in character as Mrs Potts. Photo: Ben King

Coincidently, Jayde’s first professional job was in a Beauty and the Beast production in England 22 years ago, where she played multiple minor roles include that of a plate, enchantress, wolf and a napkin.

“I am working with some of the same team from back. I walked into the audition and started singing and they just looked at me like, ‘You’ve been in our show before’. It was rather special.”