Earlier this morning, it was announced that Australian actress Rachael Carpani had passed away earlier in December at the age of 45.
Her family shared a statement on social media, with her sister Georgia, a musician, posting on Instagram on behalf of their parents Tony and Gael Carpani.
"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," it read. It doesn't specify the cause of death any further.
"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."
Rachael's career
Born in Sydney, Rachael made her screen debut in 2001 in an episode of the Australian medical drama All Saints, also appearing in a pair of episodes of Home and Away before landing her most notable role to date in the drama series McLeod's Daughters.
She played Jodi Fountain-McLeod, the daughter of McLeod housekeeper Meg Fountain. It is not revealed until much later in the series that she was born from an affair between Meg and the home's patriarch Jack McLeod, who passes away at the start of the show. Her eventual discovery of her parentage was one of the show's longest running and most significant storylines.
The show made her a star in her native Australia, but she left after its seventh season to find more success in Hollywood, making several appearances between 2007 and 2015 in American TV shows and movies.
Her most notable credits include a recurring turn in the first season of Cane, an appearance in a 2009 episode of NCIS: Los Angeles (the first spin-off of the parent NCIS series, starring LL Cool J, Daniela Ruah, Chris O'Donnell and more), three episodes of the drama The Glades, plus two 2015 TV movies as part of the Flowers in the Attic series.
In 2024, she was cast in a recurring role in the series Home and Away, which is listed as her final credit before her passing, playing Claudia Salini.
Life off-screen and tributes
Not much is known about Rachael's personal life, although she was quite active on social media (her last post was shared on November 18, a few weeks before her passing). Her McLeod's Daughters co-star Bridie Carter was among the first to share a tribute on Instagram.
"This is the most difficult post…In love and respect, for our beautiful Rach, in prayer and with the deepest sorrow and profound sympathy for the Carpani family…," she penned. "Rest In Peace our beautiful girl….the 'baby' of our MD family."
She continued: "We are better people for having the privilege of sharing time with you. We know Rach will not only be missed immeasurably by her family, by us, but she is loved and will be missed by you all, around the world. We love you, Carpani. We miss you Rach. May your blessed spirit, so vivid, so full of life, laughter, joy, generosity, unique talent, energy, fervour, intelligence, resilience, courage and great humour, and a gentle humility, may you rest in peace…"