Rachel Shenton

“'Hollyoaks' really is such a great place to work, and there was nothing bad whatsoever about my time there. I loved my job, I loved everybody that I worked with, and I was blessed with great story lines.”

“I think I'd really enjoy doing some more theatre, because that's where I started off.”

“I'm so excited, and I feel very lucky, as to be working in L.A. is a bit of a dream come true for any actor. I definitely have to have a few 'pinch myself' moments as I'm driving to work in Hollywood!”

“Everybody should learn sign language or, at least, 'Hello, do you need help? How are you?'”

“Living in Los Angeles is pretty cool.”

“I like to think my accent isn't strong enough, but it's funny: I get people coming up to me in America and saying I sound like Mel B. She's from Leeds. They just hear a British accent and probably can't quite work it out.”

“I've done my fair share of fundraising over the years, and I know how difficult that can be, so I could only imagine people's reaction when I was asking them to part with their hard-earned cash for a movie.”

“Australia is on my to-do list - I have never been, and everyone says how wonderful it is.”

“My ideal would be to hop both sides of the Atlantic to work, as I'm sure every actor would.”

“I'm extremely proud of 'Hollyoaks.' No one could be flying the flag more happily.”

“I feel that Britain is a rather self-deprecating nation: you're almost considered egotistical to say you're good at anything.”

“For me, film is an extremely powerful way of conveying a message to a mainstream audience.”

“It's really important to remember that disability is diversity, and that disabled actors and disabilities are something that is hugely under-represented in film.”

“Inequality within the deaf and hard of hearing community is something I feel really passionate about and always will do.”

“I always say deafness is a silent disability: you can't see, and it's not life-threatening, so it has to touch your life in some way in order for it to be on your radar.”

“There are plenty of good drama schools and academies helping children and young people to learn to sing, dance, and act.”

“I've been involved in the deaf community for years, and my friends in the community that are actors or performers get very frustrated when they see hearing people portraying a deaf role.”

“The cause is very close to my heart, and I'm proud to be supporting NDCS in helping deaf children overcome the challenges they face in everyday life.”

“We need to be a bit kinder and more aware of what is really important.”

“I've seen a lot of people in my life base their self-worth on what job they book or don't book, what car they drive, or whether they can afford a house deposit or not.”