Jacqueline Boatswain feels the entertainment industry has been "demoted" during the coronavirus pandemic.
Jacqueline Boatswain
The 58-year-old actress - who previously played Simone Loveday in 'Hollyoaks' - claimed the industry has been neglected by the UK government in recent months, and suggested more financial support has been filtered towards other areas of the economy.
She said: "I find it so disheartening that the government don't seem to understand how much the industry brings financially to the country.
"It feels like we've been demoted to some amateur drama class we all signed up for. That's not what this empowered industry is.
"But we have to be optimistic about the future of the arts. There are many wonderful initiatives aiming to save the sector. It can't be allowed to just slip away."
Jacqueline is also eager to see more diversity within the entertainment industry.
The star - whose family are from St. Vincent in the Caribbean - told HELLO! magazine: "When I was 16 I did a ballet class with Dance Theatre of Harlem. I remember being thrilled by the fact there were black girls like me wearing ballet shoes and tights in their own flesh colour.
"I'd spent my whole childhood doing ballet exams in the regulation pink balletwear. I hadn't realised the importance of seeing myself reflected."
Jacqueline noted it's important to build on the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement.
She added: "Black Lives Matter has been an extraordinary moment where the globe was in lockdown and people had to take notice of what was happening as there were no distractions. It highlights issues people hadn't noticed before, and that momentum has never happened before.
"This is a point where we can all come together and make a change for the future - we absolutely have to."