A biography for Rose Ayling-Ellishasn’t been written yet.
“I grew up in Kent and we didn't have theatres with BSL or captions. I went to a pantomime once and it was quite entertaining, but I had no idea what was going on.”
“I knew a big part of why 'Strictly' approached me was because I am deaf.”
“If it wasn't for 'EastEnders,' I would never have gotten 'Strictly,' and 'EastEnders' were the ones that were brave enough to hire a deaf, regular actor for the first time ever, and just creating a storyline that isn't about deaf issues.”
“It's so important for children to be able to see themselves represented in the toys they play with.”
“I am a big believer of getting yourself out of your comfort zone, because that's where you grow.”
“Me being deaf isn't the problem. There is nothing wrong with being deaf; it's society that is the problem.”
“They're really supportive, and I love my family to bits, but I did feel, growing up, that I would love to have a deaf brother or sister, or someone deaf in my family. I was very lucky I had deaf friends and deaf people around me. But I wish I'd had a deaf role model.”
“What I do know is that disabled people shouldn't be responsible for curing non-disabled people of their ignorance.”
“I was thrown to suddenly find myself considered a deaf pioneer, the poster girl for the deaf community. It came with new pressures that I'd never experienced before.”
“As a deaf actor, doing Shakespeare feels quite scary. But I feel like I get braver all the time.”
“I feel really glad that I knew who I was from a very early age. I never ever once thought: 'I wish I could hear.' Because if I was hearing, I'd be a completely different person. I wouldn't have the life experience that I have. I'd just be really normal. I don't want to be normal - that's boring.”
“Saying 'no' is a privilege most people take for granted, I knew I would be the first deaf dancer and saying 'no' to that felt wrong. This was a big platform, I knew how popular 'Strictly' was, so, in the end I said yes - I would do it for the deaf community. Little did I know how magical and beautiful it would also be for me personally.”
“When I was little, I would draw hearing aids onto my Barbie dolls to make them look like me, so I am thrilled that Mattel is releasing more dolls that encourage kids to celebrate and embrace their differences.”
“I have heard so many stories about deaf people going to a doctor, they ask for an interpreter, and they don't refer them an interpreter, so they end up needing their child to translate, or a family member.”
“I love being deaf because it's given me a purpose, it's given me something to aim for.”
“False promises have become the norm for me, and I often underestimate and dismiss how much I put up with.”
“It's so normal for disabled people that we're used to fighting all the time, so it's nice not to.”
“We hear a lot about being female and how women appear in the dating scene, but as a deaf woman, it's a very different experience.”
“It's almost like, I am political, without asking to be political.”
“Just hiring a deaf actor is not a job well done.”