seiyuu
Shelley, Rachel
Personal Information
Born on 25 August 1969 in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, Rachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She gained significant recognition for her portrayal of Helena Peabody in the Showtime series The L Word, as well as for playing Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic Lagaan. Following her graduation from the University of Sheffield with a B.A. Hons in English and Drama, Shelley joined a theater company in Edinburgh and established a community theatre group in Sheffield before relocating to London to advance her acting career. While best known for her role as Helena Peabody, Shelley has appeared in various other productions. These include Elizabeth Russell in the 2001 film Lagaan and the role of the beauty whose tragic loss drives Charles Castle mad in the 1997 movie Photographing Fairies. Additionally, she portrayed Yvonne Rippon, a police superintendent involved with the character Nick Jordan, in the BBC medical drama Casualty during 2012 and early 2013. She departed the series on 19 January 2013. Beyond her acting work, Shelley has contributed articles to The Guardian and DIVA Magazine. She resides in London with her partner, Matthew Parkhill, a television writer, director, and producer. The couple has a daughter who was born on 8 September 2009.
