Jessica Napier

Jessica Napier (born 4 April 1979) is a New Zealand-born actress based in Australia. She has appeared in a number of feature films, including Love Serenade, Blackrock, Cut, City Loop, Angst, The Illustrated Family Doctor and Ghost Rider, and is well known for her role of Becky Howard in the Australian TV drama series McLeod's Daughters.

Jessica Napier
Jessica Napier in April 2012
Born (1979-04-04) 4 April 1979
Wellington, New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present

Early life

Napier was born in Wellington, New Zealand. Her father, actor Marshall Napier, relocated the family to Australia when she was a child. [1]

Career

Jessica had her first taste for acting at age 9, when she played her father's daughter on the long-running Australian TV series Police Rescue. A year later she reappeared in another episode, when Marshall nominated Jessica to fill in for a role when the girl who was originally booked to do the job refused because the character was required to be submerged in a swamp.

It was not until Jessica was 15 that she decided to be an actress. On her first serious audition she won the lead role of Edwina on Echo Point. Her first feature film was in Shirley Barrett's award-winning Love Serenade (with Miranda Otto), followed by the critically acclaimed Blackrock, where her character's brother was played by Heath Ledger in his first prominent film role.

Small parts in a string of other popular Australian TV shows, including Water Rats and Murder Call, followed; she played the role of Gerry Davis in the highly acclaimed Wildside, alongside Aaron Pedersen, Rachel Blake and Tony Martin. The improvisational-style series also launched the career of Abbie Cornish.

Napier then appeared in Stingers (with Peter Phelps) and City Loop before landing the lead role of Raffy in Mushroom Pictures' film Cut. The cult Australian slasher film was her first lead in a feature film and also saw Molly Ringwald, Kylie Minogue and Stephen Curry.

She then starred in Angst and appeared in the made-for-TV film Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story.

Already a household name in Australia, Napier then played the Becky Howard on the Australian TV drama McLeod's Daughters from 2000–2003. Her father played Harry Ryan on the same series.[1]

Napier then starred in the tele-movie The Alice. Following its success it went on as a series with Jessica reprising her role in the tele-drama.

In 2009, Napier guest starred in both the popular third season of TV series Sea Patrol and the new Rescue: Special Ops.

The thriller Savages Crossing was released in 2010 and saw Jessica star in an ensemble cast of other Australian favourites including John Jarratt, Craig McLachlan, Sacha Horler and Chris Haywood.

In 2010 the Nine Network announced that they would be continuing with their successful Underbelly franchise by producing three separate stand-alone crime telemovies which would be known as The Underbelly Files. Jessica was cast as the lead actress in the second of these telemovies, titled Infiltration, opposite Sullivan Stapleton. Infiltration follows Victorian police officer Colin McClaren's investigation into the local Calabrian mafia in which he infiltrates their group and also stars Valentino del Toro, Henry Nixon, Tottie Goldsmith, Buddy Dannoun and Glenda Liscott.

Personal life

She is married to David Adler. They have a daughter Emily and a son Oliver. Both Jessica and her father Marshall are vegetarians and support various animal rights foundations.[1] She has also supported the use of Taronga Zoo in Sydney for retired circus elephants.[2]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Love Serenade Deborah 'Debbie'
1997 Blackrock Rachel Ackland
1998 War Story Princess Short
2000 Cut Hillary "Hallie"
2000 City Loop Sophie AKA, Bored Olives
2000 Twitch Jane Short
2000 Angst Jade
2001 Jet Set Louise
2002 New Skin Lyra
2002 Stuffed Bunny German Girlfriend Short
2004 Post Jessica Short
2005 The Illustrated Family Doctor Christine
2006 Safety in Numbers Jen
2007 Don't Panic Kimberly Short
2011 Savages Crossing Kate
2012 The Letter Sophia Short
20?? Day of Carnage Jane Post-production

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1991 Police Rescue Therese / Tracey "L.P.G.", "One for Dad"
1995 Echo Point Edwina Amadio Main role
1996 Police Rescue Zoe "The Only Constant"
1996 Twisted Michelle "Night of the Monster"
1997 Water Rats Vanessa "The Witness"
1997 Murder Call Brodie Cochrane "Who Killed Cock Robin?"
1997–99 Wildside Gerry Davis Main role
1998 Stingers Kaye Kelso Recurring role
2000 The Lost World Gladys "London Calling"
2001 Head Start Amy "Making Music"
2001 Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story Klammie TV film
2001–03 McLeod's Daughters Becky Howard Main role
2004 The Alice Jess Daily TV film
2005–06 The Alice Jess Daily Main role
2007 Chandon Pictures Annabelle "Private Dick"
2007 All Saints Pam Elton "Life's Little Miracles"
2009 All Saints Elyse Leine "Out of Control 2"
2009 Sea Patrol Simone Robsen Recurring role
2009 Rescue: Special Ops Nicole Recurring role
2010 Cops L.A.C. Natalie "Illegal Dumping"
2011 Underbelly Files: Infiltration Jude Gleeson / Narrator TV film
2014 Janet King Caroline Martin "A Song of Experience", "Lurking Doubt", "Overtime"
2018 Bite Club Pia Recurring role
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References
  1. Fiona Rae (3 October 2002). "Passing muster at McLeod's Daughters". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  2. "Actress against elephant imports". Television New Zealand. Australian Associated Press. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
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