Australian actress Rachael Carpani, best known for her role on the drama series McLeod’s Daughters, has died “unexpectedly” at the age of 45.
Carpani’s parents announced the sad news in a statement that was published by her sister, singer Georgia, on her Instagram account today.
“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,” the statement 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.”
Carpani is best known for her role as Jodi Fountain on the Australian TV drama McLeod’s Daughters, which she starred in from 2001 to 2009. Her leading role in the series earned her two Logie nominations, both in 2007: The Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress and the coveted Gold Logie.
Elsewhere, Carpani appeared in films including Hating Alison Ashley and The Very Excellent Mr Dundee, and had small roles in TV shows like All Saints and NCIS: Los Angeles.
Her final on-screen role was as a recurring character on Home and Away, playing the role of Claudia Salini across the 2024 season of the show.
Carpani made headlines in 2021 when she was rushed to hospital with abdominal pain, telling her followers she had to undergo surgery for an unnamed illness.
“I was admitted to emergency with acute abdominal pain just over a week ago and spent a few days in the ICU. Was then then moved to the surgical ward.
“Basically it was a case of me not listening to my body and the pain (I tend to work through pain!!) and allowing myself to get quite ill,” she wrote.
The pinned post on Carpani’s Instagram account, shared in March 2024, also made reference to her illness.
The actress shared some snaps from a recent photo shoot and noted that it had been her first time in a while with “no hospital gown, no awesome surgery sock.”
