Jessica Napier

Jessica Napier
Jessica Napier in April 2012
Born	(1979-04-04) 4 April 1979 (age 37) Wellington, New Zealand
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1993–present

Jessica Napier (born 4 April 1979) 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 ongoing role of Becky Howard in the Australian TV drama series McLeod's Daughters.

Napier was born in Wellington, New Zealand. As a child, her father, Marshall Napier, relocated the family to Australia.

Jessica had her first taste for acting 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 Marshall nominated Jessica to fill in for a role when the girl who was originally booked to do the job refused because the character was required to be submerged in a swamp.

It was not until Jessica 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. The improvisational-style series also launched the career of Abbie Cornish.