Rachel was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1971 and raised by her adoptive Scottish immigrant parents John and Sheila House. She grew up in Kamo, Whangarei in the area known as Northland or Tai Tokerau at the top of the North Island. She is of Maori and European/Pakeha descent. Rachel graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1992 and has worked as an actor in film, television and theatre. She is also an acting coach and an award-winning theatre director. In 2012, House received a prestigious New Zealand Arts Foundation's Laureate Award given as an investment in excellence across a range of art forms for an artist with prominence and outstanding potential for future growth.
Trained in ballet for 11 years from the age of 5.
Acting coach for Julian Dennison and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne on Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Acting coach for James Rolleston on Boy, The Dark Horse and The Rehearsal.
Trained for two years in classical singing.
Studied up to Grade 6 Trinity College, London in Piano.
At the age of 19, she was the back up vocalist for Greg Johnson on the New Zealand hit Isabelle which peaked at Number 7 on the NZ charts. She was given a bottle of vodka as payment.
