The British actress, who played Mitzeee Minniver in the Channel 4 soap from 2010 to 2013, won for her short film The Silent Child.
Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph presented her with the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, and viewers were stunned by her acceptance speech.
“I made a promise to our six-year-old lead actress that if we won, I’d sign this speech, but my hands are shaking,” she said.
She then proceeded to deliver her thank-yous – using sign language the whole time.
Fans were made-up for her, with one saying: “Mitzeee from Hollyoaks won an Oscar! This is amazing.”
“OMG Rachel Shelton won an Oscar!!! That’s crazy! Go Mitzeee! #Hollyoaks #Oscars,” wrote another.
“Rachel Shenton using sign language during her speech was truly beautiful. #Oscars90,” gushed a third.
Yet another post said: “Wow how amazing, congrats on your Oscar win 🙂 @RachelShenton.”
The Silent Child starred Maisie Sly as Libby, and is about a profoundly deaf young child.
Shenton stars in the film and also wrote it, based on her own experiences as the child of a parent who became deaf.
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