Quick Facts
Biography
Rachel Shelley (born 25 August 1969) is an English actress and model. She is best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series The L Word and Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic Lagaan.
Early life
Rachel Shelley was born on 25 August 1969 in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, and was brought up primarily in London. After graduating from the University of Sheffield with a B.A. Hons in English and Drama, she joined a local theatre company in Edinburgh and set up a community theatre company in Sheffield before moving to London to further her acting career.
Career
Shelley is perhaps best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series The L Word. Other parts include Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood film Lagaan in 2001, and the beauty whose tragic loss drives Charles Castle mad in the 1997 film Photographing Fairies. In 2012 and early 2013, she played the recurring role of Yvonne Rippon, a police superintendent who had a relationship with established character Nick Jordan, in popular BBC medical drama Casualty. Shelley left the series on 19 January 2013.
Apart from acting, Shelley has written articles for The Guardian and DIVA Magazine.
Personal life
Shelley lives in London with her partner Matthew Parkhill, who is a TV writer, director and producer. They have a daughter, born on 8 September 2009.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Broken Heart | Isabel | Short film |
| 1997 | Photographing Fairies | Mrs. Anne-Marie Castle | |
| 1999 | B.U.S.T.E.D | Clare | |
| 1999 | Lighthouse | Dr. Kirsty McCloud | |
| 2000 | Canone inverso - making love | Jeno's Mother | |
| 2000 | Calling, TheThe Calling | Shelly Woodcock | |
| 2001 | Lagaan | Elizabeth Russell | Bollywood Film |
| 2003 | Bone Snatcher, TheThe Bone Snatcher | Mikki | |
| 2004 | Seeing Other People | Lauren | |
| 2006 | Gray Matters | Julia Barlett | |
| 2008 | Children, TheThe Children | Chloe |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Royce | Alana Maxwell | TV film |
| 1997 | New Adventures of Robin Hood, TheThe New Adventures of Robin Hood | Boadicea | Episode: "Heroes" Episode: "The Birthday Trap" |
| 1997 | Wycliffe | Sarah | Episode: "Dance of the Scorpions" |
| 1997 | Bugs | Jenna Spinks | Episode: "Renegades" |
| 1997 | Highlander: The Series | Sophie Baines | Episode: "Avatar" |
| 1998 | Bill, TheThe Bill | Maggie Hamilton | Episode: "For Your Love" |
| 2001 | Baddiel's Syndrome | Marcia | Episode: "Huffa" Episode: "Hair Today" |
| 2001 | Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story | Harmonia | TV film |
| 2002 | Heartbeat | Sue Dixon, aka Denise Hurley | Episode: "Sympathy for the Devil" |
| 2002 | American Embassy, TheThe American Embassy | Mandy | Episode: "Long Live the King" |
| 2002 | Coupling | Samantha | Episode: "Remember This" |
| 2002 | Cruise of the Gods | Yasmina | TV film |
| 2002 | Dinosaur Hunters, TheThe Dinosaur Hunters | Mary Mantell | TV film |
| 2003 | Sparkling Cyanide | Rosemary Barton | TV film |
| 2003 | Miss Match | Rebecca Hanley | Episode: "Something Nervy" |
| 2004 | Licensed by Royalty | Linda Kubrick | TV series |
| 2005-2009 | L Word, TheThe L Word | Helena Peabody | 54 episodes |
| 2006 | Ghost Whisperer | Kate Payne (uncredited) | Episode: "Cat's Claw" |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Kate Payne | Episode: "Speed Demon" Episode: "The Collector" |
| 2008 | Under | Det. Underhill | TV film |
| 2008 | Ghost Whisperer | Kate Payne | Episode: "Deadbeat Dads" |
| 2011 | Episodes | Kendra | Episode: "Four" |
| 2011 | Strike Back | Maggie | Episode: "Project Dawn No. 5" Episode: "Project Dawn No. 6" |
| 2012-2013 | Casualty | Supt Yvonne Rippon | Recurring, 2012-2013 |
| 2012-2016 | Once Upon a Time | Milah | Episode: "The Crocodile" Episode: "Manhattan" Episode: "Devil's Due" |
| 2013 | Toast of London | Commander Scott-Gorham | Episode: "Submission" |
| 2013 | Rogue | Shelley Morrison | Recurring |
| 2014 | Grantchester | Pamela Morton | Episode: "Episode 1" |