Eva Rebecca Pope (born 16 November 1967) is an English actress, best known for her portrayal of longest-serving headmistress Rachel Mason in Waterloo Road, and appearances in Coronation Street, Dream Team, Bad Girls and Hetty Feather. Eva Pope was born in Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire on 16 November 1967. She trained to be an actress at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1988. Pope's first major role was playing the villainous Tanya Pooley in the ITV soap opera Corona ...