British-Moroccan Actress Laila Rouass Overcomes Adversity: From Racism to Resilience

Racism, two failed marriages, a jailed spouse, a television scandal, surviving a terrorist attack... Laila Rouass has a tumultuous life. Born in Stepney, East London, and raised by her Moroccan father and Indian mother alongside her four sisters and two brothers, she was a victim of racism at school. She even needed a police escort at lunchtime and was regularly the target of mockery in her residence. "As a family living in a poor neighborhood in East London with many other immigrants, we were victims of terrible racism. Even dog feces were left in front of our front door," she said to The SUN in 2011.

Failed love relationships. Laila has shared the lives of several men. In 1990, Laila married for the first time at the age of 16 to a close family friend, Abdeslam Rouas, in a Tower Hamlets registry office in East London. A platonic relationship that ended in divorce in 2003. "I got married when I was 16 or 17, I don’t remember anymore. That’s how much it meant to me. [...] This guy was a close family friend. It’s something I did when I was very young. I never slept with him." After the separation, she returned to the UK and found love in the arms of businessman Nasie Khan. They organized a lavish wedding party at the private Home House club in 2005, but the marriage was never official. Together they had a daughter named Inez, now 17 years old.

Fourteen months later, the couple separated after Laila accused her husband of having an affair with her cousin. In 2011, Khan was jailed for nine years for his role in a £250 million VAT fraud. A year earlier, the actress had a relationship with TV chef James Petrie. Like her previous relationships, this one also ended in failure. In 2012, she began dating six-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan. The following year, they got engaged but never married. The couple, who briefly separated in 2022 before getting back together, are now wearing Laila’s engagement ring again.

Laila is one of the survivors of the Barcelona terrorist attack that killed 14 people and injured 80. A painful episode. Ronnie helped her recover from this ordeal just as she supported the snooker star in his battles with mental health. Last July, the actress found herself at the heart of a controversy. A historic dispute between British model and actress of Moroccan origin Laila Rouass and her former dance partner Anton Du Beke had just resurfaced.

In 2009, the British actress of Moroccan origin participated in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show with Anton Du Beke as her dance partner. Her participation was, however, marred by incidents. Anton made her cry when he told her she "looked like a p***" during rehearsals. At the time, Anton had also dared to make a joke about Laila’s North African heritage, asking her if she was a terrorist. The relationship between the dancers had deteriorated, but not for long.