Jessica Marais facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jessica Marais
Born	Jessica Dominique Marais (1985-01-29) 29 January 1985 (age 40) Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Nationality	South African Australian
Education	John XXIII College, Perth St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls, Perth National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2008–2020
Known for	Packed to the Rafters Love Child The Wrong Girl
Height	175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Partner(s)	James Stewart (2009–2015)
Children	1

Jessica Dominique Marais (born 29 January 1985) is an actress from Australia. She was born in South Africa. Jessica is famous for her roles in popular Australian TV shows. She has won 5 Logie Awards and was nominated many other times for her acting.

Jessica studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Her first big role was Rachel Rafter in the TV show Packed to the Rafters (2008-2013). Later, she acted in the American series Magic City (2012-2013). She also starred in Australian dramas like Love Child (2013-2017) and The Wrong Girl (2016-2017).

Early Life and Education

Jessica Marais was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her family moved to Perth, Australia, when she was nine years old. Her father passed away shortly after they arrived in Australia. Jessica and her younger sister, Clara, were raised by their mother, Karen.

Jessica went to John XXIII College and later St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls in Perth. She then studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), a famous drama school in Australia. She graduated in 2007. While still at NIDA, she got her first major TV role.

Acting Career Highlights

Jessica Marais became well-known for playing Rachel Rafter in Packed to the Rafters. This show was very popular in Australia.

• In 2009, she won two Logie Awards for her role: Most Popular New Female Talent and Most Outstanding Newcomer.
• She left Packed to the Rafters in 2011 but made a few guest appearances later.

After Packed to the Rafters, Jessica moved to the United States.

• She starred in the American drama series Magic City. This show was set in Miami in the 1950s.
• She also appeared in the film Two Fists, One Heart and the TV series Legend of the Seeker.

Return to Australia

Jessica returned to Australia and continued her acting career.

• In 2014, she played a transgender entertainer named Carlotta in a TV movie.
• She also took on the lead role of Dr. Joan Millar in the TV series Love Child. She was in all four seasons of this show.
• From 2016, Jessica starred in The Wrong Girl on Channel Ten.
• She was nominated for the prestigious Gold Logie award in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, Jessica took a break from acting for personal reasons. Her most recent film role was in Chasing Wonders in 2020.

Personal Life

Jessica Marais was engaged to her Packed to the Rafters co-star, James Stewart. They have a daughter together, born in May 2012. In 2015, Jessica and James announced that they had ended their engagement. They remain friendly.

In 2020, Jessica's mother, Karen, passed away. Jessica moved back to Perth in 2022. She lives in Mosman Park, in her late mother's home. Jessica still has family in South Africa, where she visits them.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations