This story was originally published on The Spinoff
It’s been 31 years since a teenage Angela Bloomfield first stepped onto the set of Shortland Street, but those early days on the iconic New Zealand soap are still imprinted on her brain. “It feels like my DNA,” Bloomfield says of playing Rachel McKenna, the spoiled daughter of the hospital CEO who survived four marriages, alcoholism, an eating disorder, countless explosions and even being struck by lightning.
While Rachel McKenna is her most defining acting role so far, Bloomfield also starred in New Zealand films like Bonjour Timothy and The Frighteners, and later turned her talents to directing shows like Go Girls and Shortland Street and the award-winning Linda’s List. More recently, she’s also made several reality TV appearances on shows like Dancing With the Stars NZ, Great Kiwi Bake Off and Celebrity Treasure Island.
