Jessica Marais flies from Rafters coop
Jessica Marais is leaving Packed to the Rafters indefinitely to pursue US acting opportunities.
- Published by David Knox
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Another member of the Rafters family is on the way out.
Jessica Marais, who plays Rachel Rafter, is leaving the show indefinitely to pursue US acting opportunities.
Marais, who is considered one of the show’s brightest stars, is expected to remain on air until June. Her character is not being killed off in case she decides to return.
“After four seasons, Jess is taking a break from Rafters to explore some other acting opportunities,” a Seven spokesman told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. “Creatively, it’s great to stretch and grow as an actor.
“She has Seven’s full support and will always be a part of the Rafter and Seven family.”
Marais has spoken a number of times about pursuing a US career, including recent denials. In 2009 The Hollywood Reporter singled her out as one of 3 Australians named on its list of the ‘Next Generation of International Television.’ Former fellow castmate Zoe Ventoura also quit the show to try her luck in the US.
Fiance and co-star James Stewart plans to remain in the Seven drama.
The 25 year old Silver Logie winner will be the third regular cast member to exit the series, following Zoe Ventoura and Jessica McNamee. All three represent the show’s younger female principals.
Star Rebecca Gibney recently announced her own drama project which she expects to advance following a fifth series, although she has made no noises about quitting the series.
Source: Daily Telegraph
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- Tagged with Logie Awards, Packed to the Rafters
41 Responses
If any of the Rafters key players could make it in the U.S it would be her, so good for her, all the best to her!
IMHO Jessica Marias is our new Cate B or Nicole K.
Her acting is brilliant and now she needs experience overseas. I wish her all the best of luck.
Jess McNamee & Zoe Ventoura were never in her league. Perhaps Jess might return to the show after Jessica leaves.
They’re only halfway through filming Season 4, so I would expect her final scenes to air sometime in April, not June.
With Jess McNamee, Zoe Ventoura and now Marais in the US, why doesn’t Seven just send a second unit over there? They could call it “Rafters: LA”.
Of the three younger females who have quit the show, Ms Marais is by far the best actress. I thought Zoe V was terrible in her role and not a particulary good actress, so I don’t give her much hope in the US. Jessica has the ever popular blonde haired, blue eyed, very slender look, so I can see her having some success in Hollyweird. I think this is the beginning of the end – once key family cast members start quitting, the show will take a downward spiral. There are only so many cousins, long lost step-siblings, femme fatales, etc, that can be introduced before the central premise of this very family oriented series will be wrecked and the audience nose dives. If core cast members keep leaving, I give it 2-3 more seasons, tops.
A big mistake was made with the the Rafter children. The ages weren’t staggered. They are all in their 20’s, which means with a little success they’re out the door. They shoul’ve had some teenage characters which makes it more likely they’ll stay longer. Not looking good for the show. They’ll hope like heck the malle characters dont bail. Otherewise it will turn into Home and Away……..
@AJ- I would suggest you never actually watch Rafters. That way you will continue to know have a clue about the show.
Well we all knew this was coming. But i’m sure i read not long ago that she had no plans to leave yet, guess that was a lie. I hope they’re not planning on the Retta character to fill the female role, i can’t stand her.
my guess is her character will die from a car accident or health reasons. so 7 can promote road safety or health awareness with this death as the for runner for the promo
What took her so long? I predicted this at the start of year 2. She has star quality all over her. I can see her being the next Abbie Cornish overseas. The girl is beautiful and can act. Good luck to McNamee and Ventoura, but Marais is far more talented. The scripts have let her down over the past year – she has stayed too long at the fair. The show will survive – Hugh and Angus and Ryan are fine young actors. Yep, a female cousin or some narrative device will be required to keep the balance. More focus on Rebecca Gibney is always a good thing.
I wonder if Michael Caton could leave next? Please?
Having seen Jessica Marais play Denna on The Legend of the Seeker, complete with the red leather catsuit, I was almost tempted to watch Packed to the Rafters. Thankfully I didn’t.
Hopefully she pops up in a US production soon and I can once again watch her in a quality and entertaining program.
Jessica will be replaced by an actress who will move in next door and create a love triangle delema for Carbo… Packed to the Rafters will be jumping the shark soon…
I remember reading that she decided not to do this a few months ago because she was settling down with James, so it’s a little shock to see a backflip. The 4th season has only just started and already 3 out of the 9 original main cast have left or are leaving.
Well this has been a long time coming. I think it will be pretty easy to write her out with her job and playing a success driven character. But it will be interesting to see how they keep James Stewart on board. I was just starting to like him, she might have cost her fiancee his job.
I would assume her character gets a job offer out of Sydney which leads her to leave.
The first episode of this season was boring.
Now that Jessica is leaving, I don’t have a reason to watch the show anymore.
Looks like this is the beginning of the end for our so called best “drama”.
This is always the problem with tv drama series. Pivotal actors leave for whatever reason and then the show loses that “magic sparkle”. Viewers start to shed and before long the show is axed and is just a dim memory. But it had to happen. I say good on her for trying her luck overseas…there’s not much for an actor in this country….except for….unemployment……
They’re leaving before the bubble bursts…
What I want to know is they usually have 22 eps per season and started early so are they going to end about mid year or will they have a long mid season break to save some eps for the end of the ratings season?
Four or five seasons of any drama series in today’s competitive environment is a great achievement. When the “family” quits a family centered drama it’s time to wind the show up on a high note.
They need to do what the US soaps do and ‘age’ Ruby quickly. Maybe have Julie wake up and she is 16 already. This will work.
Too many females leaving at once, it’s going to throw the balance off on the show for sure, yeah they can replace her with more females (more cousins?) but will people warm to them? It’s sounding like it’s heading down Home & Away’s path.
I was watching her on the show last week and she has gotten really skinny, starting to look like Ruby Rose a bit.
Packed to the Rafters is starting to not look so “packed” with two core cast members moving on.
I wonder if this will hurt the show at all?
Rachel is always hot and cold for me! I like her one moment and think she whinger too much the next! But it will definately be sad to see her go.
I guess it was inevitable in the end. It’ll be interesting to see how she is written out of the show. It won’t be the same without her but I think the show will survive. They can’t afford to lose any more of the original cast though.