Jessica Napier

Jessica Napier
Napier in 2013
Born
Wellington, New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
Spouse
David Adler
​
(m. 2009)​
[1]
Children2
FatherMarshall Napier
RelativesJames Napier Robertson (cousin)

Jessica Napier 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.

Early life

Napier was born in Wellington, New Zealand. Her father, actor Marshall Napier, relocated the family to Australia when she was a child.[2]

Career

Napier had her first acting role 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 her father nominated her to fill in for a role when the girl who was booked for the job refused as the character was required to be submerged in a swamp.

It was not until Napier 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.

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. The cast included 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 Becky Howard on the Australian TV drama McLeod's Daughters from 2000 to 2003. Her father played Harry Ryan on the same series.[2]

She then starred in the tele-movie The Alice. Following its success it went on as a series with Napier 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 Napier 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. Napier was cast as the lead actress in the second of these telemovies, titled Underbelly Files: Infiltration, opposite Sullivan Stapleton. Infiltration follows Victorian police officer Colin McClaren's investigation into the local Calabrian mafia in which he infiltrates their group. It also stars Valentino del Toro, Henry Nixon, Tottie Goldsmith, Buddy Dannoun and Glenda Linscott. In 2021 Napier appeared in a small role in Moon Rock For Monday,[3] an AACTA-nominated feature film directed by Kurt Martin.[4]

Personal life

Napier and her husband, David Adler, at the premiere of The Lucky One in 2012

Napier married David Adler on 28 November 2009.[5] They live in Sydney together with their children Emily and Oliver.[6]

Napier is a vegetarian, and supports various animal rights foundations.[2] She has also supported the use of Taronga Zoo in Sydney for retired circus elephants.[7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Love SerenadeDeborah 'Debbie' Feature film
1997 BlackrockRachel Ackland Feature film
1998 War StoryPrincess Short film
2000 CutRaffy Caruthers Feature film
2000 City Loop (aka Bored Olives) Sophie Feature film
2000 TwitchJane Short film
2000 AngstJade Feature film
2001 Jet SetLouise
2002 New SkinLyra
2002 Stuffed BunnyGerman Girlfriend Short film
2002 Sweet DreamsShort film
2004 PostJessica Short film
2005 The Illustrated Family DoctorChristine Feature film
2006 Safety in NumbersJen Feature film
2007 Ghost RiderBroken Spoke Waitress Feature film
2007 Don't PanicKimberly Short film
2011 Savages CrossingKate Feature film
2012 The LetterSophia Short film
2020 Moon Rock For MondayNurse Roz Feature film
2023 TransfusionDoctor Williams Feature film
TBA Day of CarnageJane Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Police RescueTherese / Tracey TV series, season 1, 2 episodes: "L.P.G.", "One for Dad"
1995 Echo PointEdwina Amadio TV series, 130 episodes
1996 Police RescueZoe TV series, season 5, episode 9: "The Only Constant"
1996 Twisted TalesMichelle TV series, season 1, episode 9: "Night of the Monster"
1997 Water RatsVanessa TV series, season 2, episode 25: "The Witness"
1997 Murder CallBrodie Cochrane TV series, season 1, episode 5: "Who Killed Cock Robin?"
1997–98 WildsideGerry Davis TV series, 40 episodes
1998 StingersConstable Kaye Kelso (Emily Shaw) TV series, season 1, 5 episodes
2000 The Lost WorldGladys TV series, season 2, episode 7: "London Calling"
2001 Head StartAmy TV miniseries, episode 5: "Making Music"
2001 Child Star: The Shirley Temple StoryKlammie TV film
2001–03 McLeod's DaughtersBecky Howard TV series, 70 episodes
2004 The AliceJess Daily TV film
2005–06 The AliceJess Daily TV series, 22 episodes
2007 Chandon PicturesAnnabelle TV series, season 1, episode 5: "Private Dick"
2007 All SaintsPam Elton TV series, season 10, episode 10: "Life's Little Miracles"
2009 All SaintsElyse Leine TV series, season 12, episode 23: "Out of Control 2"
2009 Sea PatrolSimone Robsen TV series, season 3, 5 episodes
2009 Rescue: Special OpsNicole TV series, season 1, 4 episodes
2010 Cops L.A.C.Natalie TV series, season 1, episode 11: "Illegal Dumping"
2011 Underbelly Files: InfiltrationJude Gleeson / Narrator TV film
2014 Janet KingCaroline Martin TV series, season 1, 3 episodes: "A Song of Experience", "Lurking Doubt", "Overtime"
2018 Bite ClubPia TV miniseries, 4 episodes
2021 HarrowJade Freeman TV series, season 3, episode 9: "Quam Innocentum Damnari"
2023 C*A*U*G*H*TTania Towers TV series, season 1, episode 5: "The Greatest Show, Man"

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2000Love LettersMelissa GardnerNIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney

[8]

References

  1. ^"Instagram".
  2. ^ abcFiona Rae (3 October 2002). "Passing muster at McLeod's Daughters". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  3. ^Kornits, Dov (4 November 2019). "Moon Rock for Monday Hits the Road". Film Ink.
  4. ^Frater, Patrick (31 October 2021). "'High Ground' and 'Nitram' Lead Australia's AACTA Awards Nominations". Variety.
  5. ^"Instagram".
  6. ^"EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Napier leads tributes for McLeod's Daughters star". 22 August 2022.
  7. ^"Actress against elephant imports". Television New Zealand. Australian Associated Press. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  8. ^"AusStage".
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