 Marsha Thomason (qv) originally auditioned for the role of Sam,  using an American accent. After the audition, when the creators were  told she was actually British, they called her back and asked her to  read the part in her native accent. They liked her so much, that  they rewrote the minor role of the a pit boss called the "Iceman"  who was Dannys Godfather, as the "Ice Queen", Nessa Holt, and gave  her the role.