Crossword Genius

Inauspicious start in stage debut of hyped actress (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

leigh

'actress' is the definition.
(I know that Leigh is or was a actress)

'inauspicious start in stage debut of hyped' is the wordplay.
'start' indicates taking the first letters.
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'stage' becomes 'leg' (a leg is a stage of a competition).
'debut of' indicates taking the first letters (I've seen 'debut' mean this).
The first letter of 'inauspicious' is 'i'.
The initial letter of 'hyped' is 'h'.
'i' put into 'leg' is 'leig'.
'leig'+'h'='LEIGH'

(Other definitions for leigh that I've seen before include "Vivien -, actress (Gone with the Wind)" , "Town near Manchester" , "Vivien ---; --- Hunt" , "See 17" , "Lancashire town" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.
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