Jessica Marais
Marais in 2011
Born	Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Education	John XXIII College, Perth St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls, Perth National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2008–2018; 2020
Known for	Packed to the Rafters Love Child The Wrong Girl
Partner	James Stewart (2009–2015)
Children	1

Jessica Marais is a South African-born Australian actress. She is best known for her roles in Australian television. Her accolades include fiveLogie Awards and nine nominations, as well as twoEquity Ensemble Awards nominations.

Marais, aNational Institute of Dramatic Art graduate, had her first role as Rachel Rafter in theSeven Network comedy drama series,Packed to the Rafters (2008-2013). She also had a recurring role inSam Raimi's American fantasy series,Legend of the Seeker (2008-2010). In 2012-2013, she co-starred in the American drama series,Magic City onStarz. She later appeared in theNine Network drama series,Love Child (2013-2017) and theNetwork 10 drama series,The Wrong Girl (2016-2017).

Born inJohannesburg, South Africa, Marais grew up inBenoni.^[1] The family left South Africa when she was three years-old, living in Canada and New Zealand.^[1] They eventually settled inPerth inWestern Australia, when Marais was nine years-old.^[1] Her father Tony, a university dean, diplomat and economist, took up a post at theUniversity of Western Australia.^[1] Six months after arriving in Australia, Marais's father Tony died from a heart attack while returning from a family picnic. Marais was raised by her schoolteacher mother Karen.^[2][3] Marais later said: "So my mum and my sister and I were accidental Australians because we moved here for his job and then we were sort of marooned, but mum loved Perth, it was such a safe place to bring two little girls."^[2]

She attended a Catholic co-educational schoolJohn XXIII College inClaremont for a year, before transferring toSt Hilda's Anglican School for Girls inMosman Park.^[4][5]

Marais attended theNational Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and graduated in 2007. NIDA appearances included Ophelia inWilliam Shakespeare'sHamlet and Charity inSweet Charity. While still completing her final year she was cast inPacked to the Rafters, along with co-star and fellow NIDA graduateHugh Sheridan.^{[citation needed]}

Marais was attendingNIDA when she was cast in the role of Rachel Rafter on the television comedy drama seriesPacked to the Rafters. She went on to earn several accolades for the role. In 2009, she won theLogie Award for Most Popular New Female Talent for her role, beatingMargot Robbie and also won theLogie Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer.^[6] She was nominated for theLogie Award for Most Popular Actress in 2010 and 2011, losing out to her screen-motherRebecca Gibney andAsher Keddie.^[6] The show was a ratings success in Australia, garnering 2 million viewers each week.^[7]

In February 2011 it was announced that Marais had left the show, with her final episode airing on 23 August 2011.^[8] Marais starred in the series fromSeason One untilSeason Four from 2008 to 2012. Marais made cameo appearances in the final episode of season 4 on 20 March 2012 and in the series finale on 2 July 2013.

Marais also starred in Rai Fazio's filmTwo Fists, One Heart with fellowPerth actorTim Minchin andDaniel Amalm which was released in March 2009.^[9] Marais guest-starred in the American series,Legend of the Seeker filmed inAuckland New Zealand, playing the role of theMord'Sith Mistress Denna. Marais underwent some fight training to do fight scenes with Richard Cypher. To mimic the character in the books, a custom catsuit, gloves and eight inch wedge boots were made for her.

After departingPacked to the Rafters, Marais relocated to the United States to pursue acting opportunities stateside. Marais was cast inMagic City, aStarz drama series created byMitch Glazer and set in 1959 Miami, Florida, in the wake of theCuban Revolution. Marais starred alongsideJeffrey Dean Morgan andDanny Huston in the series that ran for two seasons.^[10][11]

In 2014, Marais starred in a new production ofCosì by Australian playwrightLouis Nowra and directed byDavid Berthold atLa Boite Theatre Building inBrisbane.^[12] Natalie Bochenski praised Marais in herSydney Morning Herald review: "She gives Julie vulnerability without being overwrought, and also puts a great spin on her second character, Lewis' self-righteous radical girlfriend Lucy."^[13]

After relocating back to Australia, Marais portrayed Australian transgender entertainer and activistCarlotta in abiographic telefilm forABCTV Australia.^[14] Its worldwide premiere was on 19 June 2014. It was the No. 10 show of the night, and nationally won its timeslot with 811,000 viewers.^[15] Also in 2014, Marais had the lead role onChannel Nine'sLove Child, where she played the character Dr Joan Millar. She has since appeared on all four seasons of this show.

Since 2016, Marais had the lead role inChannel Ten's dramaThe Wrong Girl. Marais was nominated for the Gold Logie in theLogie Awards of 2017 andLogie Awards of 2018.

Marais in 2018 stopped acting and withdrew from Channel 9'sHalifax: Retribution and Amazon'sBack to the Rafters for personal reasons.^[16][17][18] She revealed that she suffers fromdepression andbipolar disorder.^[19]

Her most recent screen appearance was in the 2020 film,Chasing Wonders.^[20]

Marais was engaged to formerPacked to the Rafters co-starJames Stewart in 2009.^[21] However, in May 2015 Marais announced that she and Stewart had ended their 5-year engagement amicably.^[22]

Marais and Stewart have one child. Marais was reported as saying she would return to work filming the second series ofMagic City while Stewart would be the baby's full-time caregiver.^[23][24]

Since 2020, Marais was working at a café in Sydney.^[25] Her mother Karen died in 2020.^[26] Marais relocated toPerth in 2022. She lives inMosman Park, having moved into the home of her late mother.^[27]

Marais still has family living in her native South Africa, whom she visits. Her family live inCape Town,Durban and across the border in Zimbabwe.^[1]

• Q&A with Jessica Marais on Playing Carlotta
• Jessica Marais atIMDb

• 1985 births
• Actresses from Johannesburg
• People from Benoni, South Africa
• Actresses from Perth, Western Australia
• Afrikaner people
• Australian film actresses
• Australian television actresses
• Living people
• Logie Award winners
• National Institute of Dramatic Art alumni
• People educated at John XXIII College, Perth
• People with bipolar disorder
• South African emigrants to Australia
• South African film actresses
• South African people of French descent
• South African television actresses

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