Vale Rachael Carpani – McLeod’s Daughters and Home and Away actress passes away aged 45
Following the sad passing of Australian actress Rachael Carpani on 7th December, we take a look back at her career.
Born on 24th August 1980 in Sydney, Rachael Anna-Marie Carpani grew up on a large property near Dural in the Sydney Hills district. Some years later, the family moved to North Sydney.
Rachael as Jodi Fountain in McLeod’s Daughters
Growing up, Rachael would ride motorbikes in Sydney’s north-west, but it was a chance enrolment in a drama class that piqued her interest.
“I did a drama class three days a week after school because my mum wanted me to get involved with a few extracurricular activities,” Rachael told TV Week in 2005.
“I rally only ever did dance and ballet and refused to go anywhere near sport because I’m really not sporty at all.
“She was at her wits’ end and enrolled me in a drama class—I think to just stop me annoying her in the afternoon—and I just loved it.”
Rachael was soon signed by an acting agent who spotted her in one of her classes. At 14, she was asked to audition for Home and Away, but turned it down as she was in an academic family and school always came first.
“I started going for auditions but my parents were very insistent on me concentrating on school. They wouldn’t let me go for any full-time roles,” she told TV Week.
“They never really gave me a choice, which I’m grateful for now, but at the time I really didn’t think it was fair.”
In her final year of high school, she studied drama; her marks in which landed her in the top 10 percent of the state in her HSC.
Following her graduation, Rachael enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts, Media and Cultural Studies at Macquarie University, majoring in writing. During this time, she also studied performance.
Whilst studying, she made her first appearance on Home and Away, playing an uncredited commune resident in Episode 2150.
Rachael in Episode 2150 of Home and Away
In 2000, Rachael was cast as Emily Martin in All Saints, a young woman who had been caught in a feud between her parents and her boyfriend and caught in the crossfire when she was injured by a knife.
Rachael as Emily Martin in All Saints
Later that year, she played Miranda on Home and Away, a young waitress at the Bayside Diner.
Rachael played Miranda on Home and Away in 2000
It was 2001 when Rachael received her big break. During casting of a new female-led drama series for the Nine Network, Rachael was cast on McLeod’s Daughters.
Originally auditioning for bad girl Becky Howard, Rachael believed the producers thought she looked too sweet.
Sonia Todd and Rachael Carpani as Meg and Jodi Fountain in McLeod’s Daughters
When she was offered the role, Rachael’s first reaction was “are you sure you’ve got the right person?”, adding that she was over the moon to learn that Sonia Todd would be playing her mother, Meg.
Rachael deferred university, and the rest was history.
Sonia Todd and Rachael Carpani as Meg and Jodi Fountain in McLeod’s Daughters
Rachael played the much-loved Jodi Fountain (later McLeod). In her character breakdown, Jodi was described as “an exuberant 17-year-old who has ambitions to be rich and famous.”
Rachael Carpani in McLeods Daughters
The daughter of housekeeper Meg, Jodi had just finished high school and was looking at every option, but resigned to working on the farm until she knew what she wanted to do.
The breakdown added, “Jodi thinks working on Drover’s Run will be a real drag but what she will learn is love, loyalty and a lot about who she really is… even if she doesn’t become famous for a week or two.”
The character of Jodi ended up staying on Drovers Run for the next seven years. It was in the series’ third season that Rachael’s acting abilities were awarded with an outback wedding.
“We wanted to do Rachael proud, she is one of the most wonderful people to work with, a true professional who never complains,” executive producer Susan Bower said of Rachael’s efforts at the time.
Speaking of her time on McLeod’s Daughters in 2004, Rachael told news.com.au “I feel a lot more confident with the role now. I was absolutely terrified for probably the whole first series and it wasn’t until after series two that I actually relaxed.”
The series not only made Rachael a household name in Australia and 194 countries around the world, but also saw her become the first break-out star when she was cast alongside Delta Goodrem in Hating Alison Ashley.
Following Bridie Carter’s departure from McLeod’s Daughters as Tess McLeod in 2006, Rachael took top billing alongside Simmone Jade Mackinnon, who played fiery Stevie Hall.
Rachael Carpani and Simmone Jade Mackinnon
In May 2006, Rachael’s departure from McLeod’s Daughters was announced, with the actress signing on for a small part in the series’ seventh season to tie up her character’s arc.
Onscreen, determined to be with her long-term love interest Rob (Jonny Pasvolsky), Jodi agreed to go into witness protection, using a car bombing as a cover to begin a new life together.
However, when the series finished, Rachael reprised her role for one episode, revealing she and Rob were able to begin their lives again outside of police protection.
Rachael Carpani and Jonny Pasvolsky as Jodi and Rob on McLeod’s Daughters
It was her final year on the show that also saw Rachael nominated not only for Most Popular Actress at the 2007 Logies, but also the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.
Following her time on McLeod’s, Rachael took to the US and landed a role in a pilot, Law Dogs, opposite Janeane Garofalo in a legal drama. Speaking of her success was McLeod’s Daughters executive producer Karl Zwicky who touted the series’ best wishes to the Sydney Morning Herald in January 2007.
“She started as a very green actress with a lot of natural talent who has evolved into a consummate professional and a great character on the show.”
Whilst in the US, with then-partner and former McLeod’s co-star Matt Passmore, Rachael had a stint on crime drama The Glades.
She made appearances on several other series including NCIS: Los Angeles and Stalker. However, her most notable role was as series lead Chicago police officer Abby Kowalski on Against the Wall, a short-lived Lifetime drama series.
Rachael Carpani as Abby Kowalski in Against the Wall
It was four years later in 2015 that she was cast as lead character Cathy Dollanganger in the Lifetime movies, If There Be Thorns and Seeds of Yesterday, the third and fourth instalments of the network’s adaptation of VC Andrews’ infamous book series Flowers in the Attic.
Rachael Carpani in If There Be Thorns
Over the next nine years, Rachael made several appearances in film and television, including Seven Network series 800 Words, and in 2024, appeared on Home and Away as Claudia Salini, a customer of Justin’s (James Stewart), who drove a wedge between him and his new wife, Leah (Ada Nicodemou).
Rachael Carpani as Claudia Salini on Home and Away
Outside of television, Rachael was an active social media personality, often engaging with fans all around the world. Rachael used her platform to discuss issues facing women, such as endometriosis, an illness she battled with for some time, as well as domestic violence.
On a personal level, Rachael was an advocate of a dear friend Harrison James’ advocacy for child abuse survivors.
From a fan perspective, Rachael was generous with her time and more than happy to talk to her fans. Upon another friend Nicola finishing McLeod’s Daughters, Rachael sent a 15 minute long Cameo, talking about her time on the series, exuding warmth, vibrancy and genuine care for those who cared for her.
On 15th December 2025, Rachael’s sister Georgia shared the sad news of Rachael’s passing on her Instagram account.
“It is with great sadness that Tony and Gael Carpani announce that their beautiful daughter, beloved Australian actress Rachael Carpani, unexpectedly but peacefully passed away after a long battle with chronic illness, in the early hours of Sunday 7th December,” Georgia’s post read.
“The funeral will be a private event, to be held on Friday 19th December with close family and friends. The family requests privacy at this very difficult time and will be making no further statements.”
In the proceeding 24 hours, there has been an outpouring of grief for Rachael’s passing, and love for her family, including from several of Rachael’s former co-stars.
Bridie Carter posted on Instagram, “Rest In Peace our beautiful girl….the “baby” of our MD family…. We love you, we cherish you…..”.
Matt Passmore, who played Marcus on McLeod’s Daughters, echoed Bridie’s sentiments: “Farewell my friend All the love i have to the Carpanis, friends and family. The greatest gift you gave was knowing you”.
Jonny Pasvolsky posted “My beautiful, funny friend and screen partner from Mcleod’s daughters, Rachael Carpani has passed away. Way. Too. Soon. My heart is with her family in a time of unimaginable pain. Rest in peace Rach. You made me laugh (and you made me cry once😂)”.
Marisa Ramirez, who played opposite Rachael in Against the Wall, posted, “Another gem, an actual unicorn taken from us away too soon. Rest in peace to my first partner in solving crime @rachcarpani“.
My heart is like a river, my heart is like these hills,
They never change, I never change and I never will.
Vale, Rachael. You will be missed.