Rachel Leigh Blakely (born 28 July 1968) is an Australian actress. Her works include films such as Love Until, Young Hercules and Counterstrike, as well as guest appearances on television shows such as Xena: Warrior Princess,[2] State Coroner and Flipper. She is best known for her role as Gaby Willis in Neighbours,[3] Marguerite Krux on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World,[4] and as Glenda Fry in the Australian series Mortified.[5]
Rachel Blakely | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rachel Leigh Blakely 28 July 1968[1] Borneo, Malaysia |
| Occupation(s) | Model, actress |
| Years active | 1991–2013 |
| Spouse |
Peter Craig
(m. 1990, divorced) |
| Partner | Sean Rigby (1997–present) |
| Children | 2 |
Personal life
editRachel Leigh Blakely was born on 28 July 1968 in Brunei, Borneo.[4] Her father, Harold Blakely, is an American, and her mother was Australian. Due to her father's oil business, the family, including younger sister Ruth, moved to several countries over the years until settling on an Australian farm when Blakely was twelve.[4]
Before she became an actress, Blakely worked as a nightclub bouncer, a model and a short order cook; it was her ex-husband's suggestion that she audition for a role on Neighbours.[6]
In her spare time, Blakely enjoys camping, sewing, painting, cooking and sleeping. Her favourite authors are Margaret Atwood and Tracy Chevalier, and her favourite movies are Queen Margot and Breaking the Waves.[6]
Blakely married fellow actor Peter Craig in 1990, but they divorced some years later. She met her current partner, stuntman Sean Rigby, on the set of Tales of the South Seas. Their first child, Cooper Lee Rigby, was born in September 2003, and their second child, Nash Rigby, was born in early 2009.[7]
Career
editBlakely was a successful model, before she was spotted by the Neighbours casting director and asked to audition for the role of Gaby Willis.[1] Blakely was introduced to the show as Gaby in August 1991.[8] In October 1993, David Brown of TV Week reported Blakely would be leaving Neighbours.[9] She filmed her final scenes the following month.[9] Blakely later reprised her role of Gaby for Neighbours' 20th anniversary episode broadcast in July 2005.[10]
Blakely then moved into films - mostly made for television - and guest appearances on well-known television shows. The actress has also been part of the leading cast on several programs, including Blue Heelers,[11] City Life and The Lost World. She also joined the cast of Mortified, playing Glenda Fry. In 2000, Blakely appeared in four episodes of Search Party and five episodes of Hollywood Squares, as herself.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Love Until | Madeline | |
| 1997 | Mr. Nice Guy | Sandy | |
| 1998 | Young Hercules | Alcmene | Video |
| 2010 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Gael's Mum |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–1994 | Neighbours | Gaby Willis | Main role |
| 1993 | The Feds: Deception | Victoria Payne | TV film |
| 1995–1997 | Blue Heelers | Gina Belfanti | Recurring role |
| 1996–1997 | City Life | Siobhan O'Halloran | Recurring role |
| 1997 | One Way Ticket | Deborah Carter | TV film[11][12] |
| 1997 | Xena: Warrior Princess | Penelope | "Ulysses" |
| 1997 | State Coroner | Lisbeth Christi | "Blood Sport" |
| 1997 | Flipper | Melisand | "Mermaid Island" |
| 1998–2000 | Tales of the South Seas | Isabelle Reed | Main role[13] |
| 1999 | Tribe | Lucille Fournier | TV miniseries[14] |
| 1999–2002 | The Lost World | Marguerite Krux | Main role; 66 episodes |
| 2000 | Max Knight: Ultra Spy | Ricki / Claire | TV film[15] |
| 2002 | Counterstrike | Brittany Cooper | TV film |
| 2003 | The Turner Affair | Natalie Turner | TV film |
| 2005 | Neighbours | Gaby Willis | "Friends for Twenty Years" |
| 2006–2007 | Mortified | Glenda Fry | Recurring role |
| 2010 | Sea Patrol | Fiona Douglas | "Ransom" |
| 2010 | Accord'n to Jordyn | Jordyn's Mum | Unsold TV pilot[16] |
| 2013 | Reef Doctors | Megan | "1.9" |
References
edit- ^ a b "Profile - Rachel Blakely". Inside Soap (29). Attic Futura (UK) Ltd: 36. January 1995.
- ^ "The eighth wonder; One to Watch" by James Joyce, The Newcastle Herald (1 May, 1998) [late edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 364986319
- ^ "Screen test turns up the right address" by Penny Cowell, The Gold Coast Bulletin (28 June, 2008) Retrieved from ProQuest 376384311
- ^ a b c "Good neighbour is now one of us" by Ben Dorries, The Courier-Mail (27 Jan, 2001) Retrieved from ProQuest 354691339
- ^ "Mortified kids are a class act" by Taylor Fry, The Herald Sun (10 July, 2008) Retrieved from ProQuest 361094039
- ^ a b "August 2001 Interview with Rachel Blakely". Solitaryphoenix.com. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
- ^ Dyer, Renae (5 June 2009). "Gold Coast actor Rachel Blakely's ban on babywear". goldcoast.com.au. News Limited. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
- ^ Cockington, James (11 August 1991). "Neighbours". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 11. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
- ^ a b Brown, David (23 October 1993). "Scott free". TV Week (17). ACP Magazines: 15.
- ^ Green, Kris (14 April 2005). "More Neighbours returns confirmed". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ a b "Love on the Run" by Glen Humphries, Illawarra Mercury (25 July, 1997) [Late Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 364322466
- ^ "Suburban Commando" by Stan James, The Advertiser (12 April, 2001) [1 STATE Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 355931308
- ^ "Fantasy island; Teletopics" by Rachel Browne, The Sun-Herald (2 Jan, 2000) [Late Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 367205827
- ^ "Actor's getting tribal" The Evening Post (31 Jan, 2000) [3rd Edition] Retrieved from ProQuest 314659268
- ^ Max Knight: Ultra Spy review by Ramin Zahed at variety.com
- ^ "Accord'n to Jordyn". Camzent.com.au. Retrieved 1 August 2010.