From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Rachel Shelley (born on 25 August 1969) is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A. Hons in English and Drama. She played Elizabeth Russell in the Indian Hindi film Lagaan and Helena Peabody on the television show The L Word. Shelley lives in Notting Hill, grew up in London and moved from Swindon at age one. She is married to Mathew Parkhill, and gave birth to a daughter on September 8, 20 ...