Welsh actress Gwyneth Keyworth, who plays detective Janie Mallowan in the BBC crime drama Death Valley, describes her recent ADHD diagnosis as a turning point that deepened her appreciation for her acting career. Diagnosed approximately two years ago, the recognition has helped her understand both her own strengths and the neurodivergent qualities she portrays in the show's second series, which concluded in June.

Keyworth struggled throughout her schooling in 1990s Aberystwyth, where ADHD—particularly in girls—received little recognition or support. Teachers misinterpreted her difficulties as insufficient effort, yet she now recognises that traits like spontaneous thinking, talkativeness, and creative generation, which seemed problematic in academic settings, are natural strengths in performance work. She has deliberately chosen to present her character's neurodiversity as an unremarkable aspect of her personality rather than a narrative focus or source of pathos.