Former Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton says 'needless struggles' that deaf people face inspired short film The Silent Child... after flick is shortlisted for an Oscar nomination

By Eve Buckland For Mailonline

Published: 09:58 EST, 5 January 2018 | Updated: 10:50 EST, 5 January 2018

Last month she received the joyful news that her short film had been shortlisted for a 2018 Oscars nomination.

And former Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton has opened up about her inspiration behind her project The Silent Child in an interview on Friday's episode of Good Morning Britain.  

The ex soap star, 30, wrote and starred in The Silent Child which is battling against 10 other films in the Live Action Shorts category.

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Oscar shortlisted: Former Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton has opened up about her inspiration behind her project The Silent Child in an interview on Friday's episode of Good Morning Britain

Oscar shortlisted: Former Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton has opened up about her inspiration behind her project The Silent Child in an interview on Friday's episode of Good Morning Britain

Acclaimed: The ex soap star, 30, wrote and starred in The Silent Child which is battling against 10 other films in the Live Action Shorts category

Acclaimed: The ex soap star, 30, wrote and starred in The Silent Child which is battling against 10 other films in the Live Action Shorts category

The Silent Child - tells the tale of a deaf four year old girl (played by Maisie Sly) who lives in a world of silence until a social worker teaches her how to communicate. 

Appearing on the show with star Maisie, six and her father Gilson, Rachel said it was 'surreal' to be in the running for an Academy Award nomination and spoke about her personal motivation for writing the critically acclaimed film.

She said: 'My dad was profoundly deaf. He lived the last two years of his life profoundly deaf. He lost his hearing very suddenly. I saw then the first-hand effects that hearing loss can have.

'That gave me the impetus to then learn sign language, I quickly fell in love with the language and I have been heavily involved in the deaf community ever since. 

Candid:Chatty: Appearing on the show with star Maisie, six and her father Gilson, Rachel said it was 'surreal' to be in the running for an Academy Award nomination and spoke about her personal motivation for writing the critically acclaimed film

Candid:Chatty: Appearing on the show with star Maisie, six and her father Gilson, Rachel said it was 'surreal' to be in the running for an Academy Award nomination and spoke about her personal motivation for writing the critically acclaimed film

Star: Rachel found fame starring as wannabe glamour girl Mitzeee Minniver in Hollyoaks from 2010-2013

Star: Rachel found fame starring as wannabe glamour girl Mitzeee Minniver in Hollyoaks from 2010-2013

 'I've seen the needless struggles that deaf children and deaf people face and that gave me the impetus to write.'

 'A lot of the struggles are borne from a lack of education from hearing people, people don't know how to deal with it and not knowing the best way to deal with it and that's why access to services is a constant struggle. It doesn't need to be like that 

Speaking about the casting of talented Maisie, who is profoundly deaf,  she said: 'That particular character was so difficult to cast, we always knew it would be because the brief was so specific 

'She needed to be profoundly deaf, we did a  nationwide search, saw over 100 kids in total

 Inspiration: She said: 'My dad was profoundly deaf. He lived the last two years of his life profoundly deaf. He lost his hearing very suddenly. I saw then the first-hand effects that hearing loss can have'

 Inspiration: She said: 'My dad was profoundly deaf. He lived the last two years of his life profoundly deaf. He lost his hearing very suddenly. I saw then the first-hand effects that hearing loss can have'

Inspiration: She said:  'I've seen the needless struggles that deaf children and deaf people face and that gave me the impetus to write'

Inspiration: She said:  'I've seen the needless struggles that deaf children and deaf people face and that gave me the impetus to write'

 'Maisie walked in and we made our decision within 10 seconds, she was just perfect

Maisie was equally passionate about the experience and signed: 'It was fun, she's been like a big sister to me.' 

Her father Gilson said: 'It's been amazing, it was only a year ago that we were about to start filming. It proves that young girls can do whatever they want to do as long as they're supported in the right way

'The personal attachment we have with the film is massive, I can see a lot of myself in that film.'   

The Silent Child was directed by Rachel's fiancé Chris Overton

Cute: Maisie was equally passionate about the experience and signed: 'It was fun, she's been like a big sister to me'

Cute: Maisie was equally passionate about the experience and signed: 'It was fun, she's been like a big sister to me'

Rachel found fame starring as wannabe glamour girl Mitzeee Minniver in Hollyoaks from 2010-2013.      

Rachel announced the joyous news that the film had made the shortlist by retweeting a post from the movie's Twitter account, that read: 'Can’t believe we’re saying this - The Silent Child has made it to the Oscar Shortlist - last 10 films #GodBlessAmerica.'

She added: 'Very proud of this'.   

Rachel's late father became deaf after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer, and is an ambassador for the National Deaf Children’s Society.

Posing up: Rachel and Maisie posed for a sweet photo after the show 

Posing up: Rachel and Maisie posed for a sweet photo after the show 

 Speaking about her passion behind making The Silent Child, Rachel previously said: 'My brilliant father lost his hearing very suddenly when I was 12 and lived the last 2 years of his life profoundly deaf.

'I witnessed first hand the huge effects deafness has on a family. I also saw him for the first time seem vulnerable and I noticed how easy it was for people to leave him out.'   

Rachel recently returned to Britain after a period of living in Los Angeles to star in White Gold.

She will play alpha female saleswoman Joanne Scott in the second series of the BBC Two comedy about an Essex double-glazing showroom in the eighties.

The new role will dash fans’ hopes that Rachel, who has also appeared in Waterloo Road and Holby City, might return to Hollyoaks. 

New venture: Rachel recently returned to Britain after a period of living in Los Angeles to star in White Gold

New venture: Rachel recently returned to Britain after a period of living in Los Angeles to star in White Gold

 

 

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