Who is Lily? John Lewis Christmas advert girl revealed as adorable North Londoner

John Lewis has unveiled its Christmas advert, a heartwarming two-minute clip that tells the story of a little girl who tries to contact a man who lives on the moon and is forced to spend each Christmas alone.

While it’s clear from Twitter that several tears have been shed across the country this morning, there’s no doubt that the star of this year’s advert is the character of Lily, who magically reaches out to the elderly man 238,855 miles away.

But if you’re wondering just who the rising star is, the little girl in question is played by a six-year-old named Orli who was picked for the role from one of London’s top child modelling agencies.

According to her representatives, Bruce & Brown, Orli of North London started modelling at just 18 months and had her first drama lessons at three years old.

Her hobbies include running, swimming, gymnastics, reading, drawing and watching films.

Alongside Orli, the Man on the Moon is played by 77-year-old French stage actor Jean.

The advert was inspired by the fact that there will be a full moon on Christmas day this year and John Lewis’s official Christmas charity partner Age UK.

According to the charity, a million elderly people can go for a month without speaking to a soul and the ad has been made to raise awareness, particularly during Christmas.

The advert gets its TV premiere during tonight's episode of Gogglebox, but is available to watch on YouTube now.

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