Bio
Jessica Marais is a South African-born Australian actress best known for her starring role as Rachel Rafter in the comedy-drama television series Packed to the Rafters, from 2008-2012.
Originally born in South Africa, Jessica and her family also lived in Canada and New Zealand before relocating to Perth when she was nine.
While she's the first member of her family to pursue an acting career, her parents cultivated a supportive creative environment for her and her sister.
After completing drama and speech classes in primary school, the role of Wendy in a Year 7 production of Peter Pan cemented her desire to perform.
Jessica performed a number of plays with the Midnight Youth Theatre Company in Perth and several school productions before graduating high school. She then began an Arts degree at the University of Western Australia, majoring in history, before venturing to Sydney to audition for NIDA.
Jessica performed in many NIDA student theatre productions, including the title role in the 2007 Graduation Production of Sweet Charity. Her standout performance earned her rave reviews and won her a GLUG Award for Young Performer of the Year.
She sang in a band throughout high school and studied dance – ballet, modern and hip-hop – until she was 16.
After graduating from NIDA, she completed her first feature film Two Fists One Heart in Perth, a film based on the life of boxer Rai Fazio.
While at NIDA, she became instant friends with fellow student Hugh Sheridan, who plays her on-screen brother Ben in Packed to the Rafters.
During a production break, Jessica guest starred as dominatrix Denna in the US sci-fi series Legend of the Seeker. Filmed on location in New Zealand, it's the brainchild of acclaimed American director Sam Raimi.
In 2011 she left Packed to the Rafters and relocated to the USA. Before long she landed a starring role in the Starz original drama series Magic City, in 2012.