Nina Lucas is the niece of cafe proprietor Roy Cropper, taken in by her uncle after her sickly father Richard Lucas passed away in 2019.
A kind-hearted but complex young woman, Nina is rarely seen without her Goth attire and make-up, which she considers a part of her identity. In 2021, she and her boyfriend Seb Franklin were brutally attacked by Corey Brent and his gang, an attack which cost Seb his life. As the pair had been targeted due to Nina's appearance, Nina had a crisis of self, ditching the Goth clobber for a while. She overcame this in time to testify against Corey on a murder charge, but it wasn't enough to convict and Kelly Neelan was sent down for the crime instead. The conviction was quashed several weeks later when new evidence was found proving that Corey was the attacker.
Nina earns her keep by working at Roy's Rolls, which Roy transferred into her ownership along with the rest of his estate in 2021. Her real interest is in fashion design. In 2020, Underworld employed her to design lingerie, and in 2021 she enrolled at Weatherfield College in fashion textiles.
After her ordeal with Corey, Nina rekindled her relationship with girlfriend Asha Alahan and began undergoing mental health healing via counselling. In 2024, Asha ended their two-year relationship when Nina kissed her twin brother Aadi, following months of mistrust between the women. She continues to live with Roy at 16a Victoria Street.
Biography
In November 2019, Roy began playing online Scrabble with Richard Lucas, who he had learned was the product of his mother's affair with Raymond Parrott and therefore his half-brother. Roy became concerned when Richard wasn't online for several days. Having been persuaded by his friend Carla Connor to track Richard down, the pair were turned away by Nina, who pretended that she didn't know who Richard was. Later, Nina lied to her father about who had been at the door and made an excuse as to why he couldn't use his laptop any more. Roy and Carla later returned looking for Richard's new address, where they came across a nurse who explained that Richard suffered from pulmonary fibrosis. Roy told Richard that he was his brother and the two began to bond, to Nina's chagrin.
One morning Richard and Roy persuaded Nina to return to college, but when Roy subsequently popped out Richard collapsed and died. Nina blamed Roy for allowing her father to die alone and refused to have anything to do with him, however the situation soon became untenable when she was forced to sleep on the streets. Nina moved into Roy's flat 16a Victoria Street as well as finding employment at his cafe, Roy's Rolls, and uncle and niece formed a close relationship.
After a brief relationship with Asha Alahan, which ended when Nina felt pressured by Asha's family, she got together with local handyman Seb Franklin. In May 2021, the two were attacked by Corey Brent and his gang. The couple were severely beaten and hospitalised, with Roy by Nina's bedside. Nina eventually came round, but shortly afterwards Seb died. Nina was devastated and blamed herself, with Seb's mother Abi also pointing the finger at her. However, after a visit from Roy, Abi softened and invited Nina to Seb's funeral.
Nina later returned to where the assault had happened in an attempt to piece her memory together, as she felt it was the last thing she could do for Seb. She realised it was Corey's mates Eli Higginson and Jay Dowling who attacked her, while Corey viciously kicked Seb despite Kelly Neelan begging him to stop. However, when Corey and Kelly's case went to trial, Corey's lawyers did their best to discredit Nina and she was devastated when Corey walked free, with Kelly found guilty instead.
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Personality
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Relationships
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Background information
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2019: Publicity shot of Mollie Gallagher as Nina Lucas
Nina first appeared in Episode 9923 in November 2019. Mollie Gallagher's casting was only announced a week prior to the episodes airing on 5th November, with Gallagher commenting "Nina is a really interesting character, she is a bit of an outsider and although she is reluctant to let Roy into her life she soon realises they have more in common than she first thought." [1]
In 2021, Nina was an integral part of a hate crime storyline which saw she and her boyfriend Seb Franklin brutally assaulted at the hands of Corey Brent and his mates. The story was inspired by the real-life case of Sophie Lancaster, a 20-year-old Goth woman who was murdered in 2007. Sophie's mother Sylvia said: "Coronation Street covering this issue means such a huge amount to me." [2]
The hard-hitting storyline helped Mollie Gallagher win Best Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards in September 2021. Nominees she beat to the honour included fellow Street co-star Sally Carman, who plays Seb's mother Abi Webster. She followed this up that November by winning Best Partnership at the Inside Soap Awards, alongside on-screen uncle Roy Cropper (David Neilson), while Nina and Seb's attack won Best Storyline at the same ceremony.
First and last lines
"Yeah?" (First line, to Roy Cropper and Carla Connor)
Appendices
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List of addresses
| Address | Duration |
|---|---|
| Flat 5, 4 Thorn Road | unknown date to late December 2019 |
| 16a Victoria Street | 5th February 2020 to 11th September 2023 |
| 7 Coronation Street | 11th September 2023 to 12th January 2024 |
| 16a Victoria Street | 12th January 2024 onwards |