Rose Ayling-Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 November 1994 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2011–present |
Rose Lucinda Ayling-Ellis (born 17 November 1994) is a British actress. Deaf since birth, she is a British Sign Language user. She is known for playing Frankie Lewis in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2020–present). In 2021, she became the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, and with professional Giovanni Pernice, won the nineteenth series.
Ayling-Ellis was born on 17 November 1994,[1] in Shepway and grew up in Hythe.[2] She was born deaf.[3] As a child, she took part in a filming weekend run by the National Deaf Children's Society.[4] During the weekend, she met deaf film director Ted Evans, who later cast her in his award-winning short film The End.[5] She then applied to Deafinitely Youth Theatre.[6]
Ayling-Ellis's first role was in a short film called The End directed by deaf filmmaker Ted Evans. The 25-minute short is summarised as: "Starting in the 1980's, The End follows four deaf children over 60 years."[7]
She has taken part in a number of stage productions, including Mother Courage (Royal Exchange);[8] Faith, Hope And Charity R&D (National Theatre) and Herons Workshop (Lyric Hammersmith). Her television credits include Summer of Rockets and Casualty.[9] She appeared in The Vamps music video for "Middle of the Night", and in the short film Almost with Vilma Jackson.[10] Since 2020, Ayling-Ellis has been playing Frankie Lewis in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Her character was originally written by the deaf journalist and scriptwriter Charlie Swinbourne.[11]
In 2021, Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf contestant on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.[7] She participated in and won the show's nineteenth series, with professional Giovanni Pernice.[12][8] In an interview before the start of the series she said:
I have a hearing aid, so I pick up some of the music and I can hear the beat. I can hear someone singing, but I can't identify exact words. I also feel the vibrations.[13]
Ayling-Ellis and Pernice scored 40 (full marks) for their tango in week six, which was the earliest "perfect score" in the show's history.[14] In week eight, their Couple's Choice dance featured a period of silence, included as a tribute to the deaf community. Described by judge Anton Du Beke as "the greatest thing I've ever seen on the show",[15][16] it earned them the 2021 Heat Unmissables Award for TV Moment of the Year.[17] On 18 December they won the series.[18][19]
In an interview with the National Deaf Children's Society, Ayling-Ellis explained that she often has to perform using Sign-supported English (SSE) to reflect her own communication style and make it clear for audiences. Her deafness has not stopped her from enjoying music, and she told The Guardian that her favourite artists are Dolly Parton and Stevie Wonder, and that she is a big fan of soul music.[7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The End | Sophia | Short film |
| 2015 | The Quiet Ones | Charlotte | Short film |
| 2017 | Casualty | Bianca Sinclair | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Reverbations | Josephine | Short film |
| 2019 | Summer of Rockets | Esther | Main role |
| 2020 | Almost | Sarah | Short film |
| 2020–present | EastEnders | Frankie Lewis | Series regular |
| 2021 | Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Winner |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee/work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Soap Newcomer | EastEnders | Third | [20] |
| 2021 | National Television Awards | Newcomer | Nominated | [21] | |
| 2021 | Heat Unmissables Awards | TV Moment of the Year (shared with Giovanni Pernice) | Silent Dance on Strictly Come Dancing | Won | [17] |
Presented content of the Wikipedia article was extracted in 2021-12-23 based on https://en.wikipedia.org/?curid=67618243