Rachel Shenton
Shenton in 2009
Born
Rachel Joy Shenton

(1987-12-21) 21 December 1987 (age 36)
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
OccupationActor
Years active2004–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2018)​

Rachel Joy Shenton (born 21 December 1987[1]) is an English actress and writer. She gained prominence through her role as Mitzeee Minniver in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks (2010–2013). She is also known for her role as Courtney in Waterloo Road and has starred in the ABC Family drama Switched at Birth (2014–2017), the BBC2 sitcom White Gold (2019), and the Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small (2020–).

In 2018, Shenton won an Academy Award for her short film The Silent Child, which she wrote, produced and starred in. She is fluent in British Sign Language and American Sign Language.

Early life

Shenton attended two secondary schools, one in Cheadle. Shenton went on to study performing arts at Stoke-on-Trent College (Burslem Campus). In between studying and acting roles, she volunteered at her local charity, Deaflinks.[2][dead link]

Career

Early career

Shenton started her career at Edinburgh fringe festival, where her play received critical acclaim.[3] Shenton's acting career began with small recurring parts in various television series such as Holby City and Waterloo Road.[4] She also filmed various television commercials for the Ministry of Defence, DFS and Sega Superstars Tennis and appeared in two British films.[5] She continued recurring appearances in 2008 appearing in Nickelodeon's series Genie in the House and Five's Sophia's Diary, playing Sofia's wayward sister 'Trisha'.[5]

Hollyoaks

In April 2010, it was announced that Shenton had been cast in Hollyoaks as Mitzeee Minniver, an aspiring glamour model.[6] Shenton described her character as being the complete opposite of her.[7] Her casting came as part of new producer Paul Marquess' major revamp of the serial. Before her character had appeared on-screen Shenton received media attention for her image, with tabloids reporting on her likeness to Cheryl Cole.[8] Shenton described the attention and comparisons as "very flattering".[9] On 20 December 2012, Shenton announced her decision to leave Hollyoaks. Shenton's final scenes as Mitzeee aired on 15 February 2013, when the character moved to the United States.

Further roles and The Silent Child

On 28 April 2014, it was announced that Shenton would make her US television debut in season 3 of the ABC Family drama Switched at Birth playing young student teacher Lilly Summers. Shenton went on to shoot season 4 and 5 which was when the show ended. The final season aired in February 2017.

In August 2017, Shenton appeared in The Silent Child, a film which she created and co-produced with her husband Chris Overton. The film was based on Shenton's own experiences as the child of a parent who became deaf. The film features profoundly deaf six-year-old first-time actor Maisie Sly as the titular child.[10][11] British Sign Language (BSL) is used in the film.

The film won best short film at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in August 2017. That made it eligible for the Oscars. In December 2017, the film was selected as one of the final ten films in the Live Action Short Film category for the 90th Academy Awards. On 23 January 2018, it was announced that The Silent Child had been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for the 90th Academy Awards, which it won. Shenton kept a promise she had made to the young lead actress and signed her acceptance speech.[12]

In March 2019, Shenton joined the cast of the BBC2 comedy series White Gold, playing Jo Scott, a motivational speaker turned window saleswoman, alongside James Buckley and Joe Thomas.

In September 2020, she began appearing as Helen Alderson in the Channel 5 and PBS adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small. Significant changes were made from the source material (both the previous television series and the memoir), allowing the role of Helen to be greatly expanded.[13] The programme was renewed for a second series, which aired in September 2021, with a third series broadcast in 2022.

In June 2023, she played Emily in For Her Sins, a TV drama broadcast on Channel 5.[14] Also in 2023, she starred in the short film In Too Deep, directed by Chris Overton.[15]

Rachel is due to star in the upcoming six-part scripted podcast series that she has written called 'Gladstone Girls.' The series tells the story of a group of female workers in the Stoke-On-Trent potteries. They fight to keep their factory traditions alive after a new boss comes along and tries to change things.[16]

Personal life

When Shenton was 12, her father became deaf after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Following the death of her father, Shenton learned British Sign Language. In 2011, Shenton was made ambassador for the National Deaf Children's Society and she continues to raise awareness of deafness in the UK.[17][18]

In March 2011, Shenton completed a skydive in aid of National Deaf Children's Society.[19] In February 2012, Shenton announced that she was due to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of the charity.[17] In May 2011, Shenton helped to launch a social networking website for deaf people named "Viewtalk".[20] In October 2012, she climbed the BT Tower in aid of Action on Hearing Loss.[21]

Shenton founded the Midlands Screen Acting School in 2013, creating opportunities for actors wanting to enter the industry in her home town of Stoke-on-Trent.[22][23][24]

In 2013, FHM featured her in its 100 Sexiest Women in the world list.

She married British actor and filmmaker Chris Overton in summer 2018.[25] The couple were engaged in March 2018 when she and Overton accepted the Oscar for best short film, live action.[26]

In November 2023, Shenton became an Honorary Doctorate of Arts at Staffordshire University for her work as an actress as well as helping aspiring actors through The Midlands Screen Acting School and her work campaigning for the deaf community.[24][27]

Filmography

Acting

Year Film Role Notes
2004 Kiss & Tell Claire Short film[28]
2005 Holby City Katrina Hobsbawn 1 episode: "Doing the Right Thing" (7.52)[29]
Agnosia Tania Short Film[28]
Xlitherman Shade Girl Feature Film[28]
2006 Doctors Sadie Slade 1 episode: "Positively Blooming" (7.115)[29]
2007 Waterloo Road Courtney 3 episodes[29]
Doctors Jade Hearn/Robertson 1 episode: "Careers Day" (9.111)[29]
2008 Storyville English storyteller Ident[28]
Sophia's Dairy Tricia 1 episode[28]
Genie in the House Amy 1 episode: "Curse of the Genie Ring" (3.09)[29]
2009 Money Kills Anya Feature film[28]
2010–2013 Hollyoaks Mitzeee Minniver Regular cast member (234 episodes)[4]
23 July 2010 – 15 February 2013
2011 Blood and Bone China Anna Fitzgerald 10 episodes
2014–2017 Switched at Birth Lily Summers 19 episodes
2017 The Silent Child Joanne Short film; also writer
2019 White Gold Joanne Scott
2019 A Very Yorkshire Christmas Jessica Bailey Hallmark style
2019 A Glimpse Jess Short film
2020–present All Creatures Great and Small Helen Alderson TV series
2023 For Her Sins Emily TV series
2023 In Too Deep Carol Short film

Voice over

Year Film Role Notes
2005 NSPCC Eye Opener Abused teenager Voice over[5]
2006 Bulldog Broadband Presenter Voice over[5]
2009 Selston Cosmetic Clinic Presenter Voice over[5]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2011 British Soap Awards Sexiest Female[30] Hollyoaks Nominated
All About Soap Bubble Awards Best Newcomer[31] Hollyoaks Nominated
TV Choice Awards Best Soap Newcomer[32] Hollyoaks Nominated
Inside Soap Awards Best Newcomer[33] Hollyoaks Nominated
2012 Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Female[34] Hollyoaks Nominated
National Television Awards Serial Drama Performance[35] Hollyoaks Nominated
2017 London Independent Film Festival Best Actress The Silent Child Won
Overcome Film Festival Won
Academy Awards Best Live Action Short Film[36] Won
2019 New Renaissance Film Festival Best Actress A Glimpse Won
2020 Bristol Independent Film Festival Best Actress A Glimpse Won

References

  1. ^ "Rachel Shenton". IMDb. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  2. ^ Harp, Hayley (16 April 2010). "Rachel joins Hollyoaks as girl looking for fame". The Sentinel. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  3. ^ "Rachel Shenton - Biography". IMDb.
  4. ^ a b "Mitzeee (played by Rachel Shenton)". E4. Channel 4 Television Corporation. July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Rachel Shenton – Reasume". RachelShenton.com. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  6. ^ Green, Kris (12 April 2010). "'Hollyoaks' announces raft of new castings". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  7. ^ Missim, Mayer (22 June 2010). "Shenton: "Mitzeee's the opposite of me"". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Cheryl Cole lookalike Rachel Shenton to join Hollyoaks as wannabe WAG". Metro. Associated Newspapers Ltd. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  9. ^ Green, Kris (16 July 2010). "Rachel Shenton (Mitzeee, 'Hollyoaks')". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  10. ^ "Profoundly deaf Maisie Sly is the star of a short film which might be nominated for an Oscar". BBC News. 20 January 2018.
  11. ^ Angelini, Daniel (23 January 2018). "Oscar nomination for short film starring Swindon six-year-old Maisie". Swindon Advertiser.
  12. ^ "Deaf British girl's film wins an Oscar". BBC News. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Here's how the new All Creatures Great and Small builds on the original books and TV series". Radio Times. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  14. ^ Palmer, Katie (6 June 2023). "For Her Sins star pays tribute to 'formidable' Rachel Shenton". Daily Express. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  15. ^ "In Too Deep". Slick Films. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  16. ^ Yossman, K. J. (13 July 2023). "Oscar Winner Rachel Shenton Unveils New Podcast Drama 'Gladstone Girls' Set in 1970s England (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  17. ^ a b Kilkelly, Daniel (9 February 2012). "'Hollyoaks' Rachel Shenton plans Kilimanjaro charity climb". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  18. ^ Lagnado, Alice (19 December 2011). "Rachel Shenton, who played Mitzeee in the television series Hollyoaks, said she adored playing a character so different from her". Action on Hearing Loss. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  19. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (28 March 2011). "'Hollyoaks' stars complete charity skydive". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  20. ^ "Hollyoaks star launches 'deaf Facebook'". Liverpool Echo. 5 May 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  21. ^ "Oaks' Shenton reaches new heights". MSN. 27 October 2012. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  22. ^ "MIDLANDS SCREEN ACTING SCHOOL | ALL AGES WELCOME FROM BEGINNERS TO PROFESSIONALS". Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Oscar-winner Rachel Shenton accepts honorary doctorate". BBC News. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Rachel Shenton - Honorary Graduate - Staffordshire University". www.staffs.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  25. ^ Shahid, Sharnaz (19 October 2018). "Ex-Hollyoaks star and Oscar winner Rachel Shenton confirms she's married Chris Overton". Hello!. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  26. ^ "Deaf British girl's film wins an Oscar". BBC News. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  27. ^ "Oscar-winner Rachel Shenton recognised by Staffordshire University". BBC News. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  28. ^ a b c d e f "Spotlight: Rachel Shenton". The Spotlight. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  29. ^ a b c d e "Rachel Shenton". IMDb. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  30. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (7 March 2011). "British Soap Awards 2011 voting opens". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  31. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (27 March 2011). "In Full: All About Soap Bubble winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  32. ^ Wrightman, Catriona (18 May 2011). "In Full: TV Choice Awards 2011 – Nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  33. ^ Love, Ryan (11 July 2011). "In Full: Inside Soap Awards 2011 Nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  34. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (17 September 2012). "'Coronation Street' leads Inside Soap Awards 2012 shortlist". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  35. ^ Wrightman, Catriona (27 September 2011). "National Television Awards 2012: The nominees". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  36. ^ Dodd, Rachel (23 January 2018). "Adorable Little Deaf Girl From Plymouth Gets Nominated for an Oscar". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

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