Jackie Woodburne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jackie Woodburne
Woodburne in 2023 at the Neighbours Celebration Tour
Born	Jacqueline Ann Woodburne (1956-02-05) 5 February 1956 (age 69) Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980–present
Known for	Neighbours as Susan Kennedy
Notable work	Prisoner as Julie "Chook" Eggbert The Young Doctors as Maggie Gordon Cop Shop as Gina Rossi 1915 as Dianne Bendetto

Jacqueline Anne Woodburne (born 5 February 1956) is a famous Australian actress. She is best known for playing the character Susan Kennedy in the popular TV soap opera Neighbours. A soap opera is a long-running TV show about the lives of different characters.

Woodburne was born in Northern Ireland but moved to Australia with her family when she was three years old. After deciding to become an actress, she studied at the National Theatre Drama School. She has appeared in many well-known Australian TV shows, including The Young Doctors, Cop Shop, and Prisoner.

Early Life

Jackie Woodburne was born in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. She has two older brothers, John and Stephen. Her father was a police officer. When Jackie was three, her family moved to Australia.

They hoped her father could join the Australian police force, but he was not able to because of different rules. Woodburne grew up in Victoria, Australia. She went to several schools, including Forest Hill Primary School and Monterey Secondary College.

Acting Career

Starting on Television

When she was 22, Woodburne decided to become an actress. She enrolled in the National Theatre Drama School in Melbourne and graduated in 1980. Soon after, she got a role as Maggie Gordon in the TV show The Young Doctors.

In the early 1980s, she starred in several miniseries, which are short TV series with a complete story. For her role as Dianne Bendetto in the miniseries 1915, she was nominated for a Logie Award. This show was about how World War I affected people's lives in Australia.

Woodburne became a familiar face on Australian television. She had roles in shows on every major TV network, including Cop Shop and A Country Practice.

Famous Soap Opera Roles

Woodburne is famous for two major roles in long-running soap operas.

Her first big soap opera role was in 1985. She played Julie "Chook" Egbert in the show Prisoner. Her character was a very smart person who ended up in prison for stealing. She did it to get money to send her sick mother on a special holiday.

Her second, and most famous, role began in 1994. She was cast as Susan Kennedy in the TV show Neighbours. She has played this character for many years, making her one of the most well-known actors on the show. Interestingly, the actor who plays her husband, Alan Fletcher, also played her brother in Cop Shop years earlier.

Other Work

In 2014, Woodburne starred in a science-fiction comedy audio series called Night Terrace. In the show, she voiced a character named Dr. Anastasia Black, who she described as being like a "female Doctor Who." The series was very successful and won an award.

In 2015, she appeared in a special TV documentary called Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary.

In July 2025, it was announced that Woodburne was part of a new TV series called Imposter.

Selected Roles

Here are some of the TV shows and movies Jackie Woodburne has appeared in.

See also

In Spanish: Jackie Woodburne para niños