>Annie is most certainly a focused woman and, according to Sarah, quite similar to herself. As Sarah explains, she tends to get asked to play strong, career minded women who are juggling work and family.

"I tend to play characters who are quite driven, which is great because they are always such interesting parts," says Sarah. "A lot of the parts I have played are similar: they are all strong in different ways, however. Allie in Cutting It was strong in a very vulnerable, sweet way. She looked after her family even though her mother was horrible to her. She tried to support everyone and make them all happy.

"Annie is strong in a more insular way; she is very focused on herself. It’s not that she’s being selfish, or a bad person, it’s just that she’s focused on one thing at a time, whereas Allie could deal with a million things at once. As for Amanda in Hearts and Bones, she was just a bit of a bitch!"

So, can Sarah identify with any elements of the characters she plays? "Annie is very similar to me insofar as I have a very unattractive quality of being quite controlling and a bit manipulative. I like to get what I want, but in a roundabout way. When I read Trust I thought, ‘Oh that rings a bell!’"

In Trust, Sarah is part of an ensemble cast which includes Robson Green, Neil Stuke and newcomer Chiwetel Eijofor. Sarah reveals that during filming the cast were far from serious. "I loved it," giggles Parish. "Neil Stuke nearly set me up good and proper with Ian McShane. He said, ‘Go up and ask him if he’s bought any antiques recently - go on’. Of course I had forgotten that he was in Lovejoy. I didn’t say anything, luckily!

"Robson Green is a gem; I can’t wax lyrical enough about him. He’s just the loveliest man, and brilliant to work with. We had a great chemistry, we got on brilliantly. He made me laugh hysterically and he’s just incredibly supportive. It’s very rare in the acting business that you come across somebody who is that supportive and that generous to other actors."

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