Martha MacKenzie

Martha MacKenzie
Jodi Gordon as Martha MacKenzie (2009)
Home and Away character
Portrayed by	Burcin Kapkin (1988) Jodi Gordon (2005–10)
Duration	1988, 2005–10
First appearance	8 September 1988
Last appearance	9 June 2010
Introduced by	Alan Bateman (1988) Julie McGauran (2005)
Book appearances	Home and Away: Family Matters
Classification	Former, regular
Profile
Occupation	Electrician Pole dancer Farmer
Home	United States
Father Brett Macklin Mother Ruth Stewart Adoptive mother Pauline MacKenzie Brothers Michael MacKenzie (adoptive) Greg Mackenzie (adoptive) Husband Jack Holden (2006–07, 2008–09) Grandfathers Alf Stewart Gordon Macklin Grandmothers Martha Stewart Mrs. Macklin Uncles Owen Dalby Duncan Stewart Aunts Quinn Jackson Stacey Macklin First cousins Ric Dalby Bryce Stewart Other relatives Colleen Smart Morag Bellingham Bobby Simpson

Martha Jane MacKenzie (also Stewart, previously Holden) is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Jodi Gordon. Martha made her first on-screen appearance on 8 September 1988. She was originally played by Burcin Kapkin. In 2005, the character returned to Home and Away, played by Jodi Gordon. Gordon was a model and she took acting lessons before auditioning for the role. Gordon won a Logie Award for "Most Popular New Female Talent" in 2006 and she earned several more award nominations for her portrayal of Martha. Martha returned on screen on 30 March 2005.

Martha was described as being friendly, feisty and fun loving. Martha's appearance has evolved throughout her time in the show: she was initially a tomboy who loved sport, but she later became a stylish woman. Upon her return in March 2005, Martha's storylines saw her surviving a helicopter crash, having an abortion and a miscarriage, battling alcoholism, being diagnosed with breast cancer and becoming a widow after her husband was shot. In a controversial storyline Martha worked as a pole dancer; the scenes were criticised by the broadcasting regulator for their content. Whilst playing Martha, Gordon was at the center of a number of personal scandals, which put her future in the show in doubt. In January 2010, it was announced that Gordon was leaving the show and Martha departed on 9 June 2010.

The role of Martha was originally played by Burcin Kapkin upon her introduction in 1988. In 2005 the character returned to the show, played by the model Jodi Gordon. Gordon took acting lessons before successfully auditioning for the role. Gordon later revealed that she was initially nervous about auditioning due to her lack of acting experience. However, producers gave her two months prior to filming so she could learn her scripts and gain more acting skills. Gordon said, "I'd never done any acting. So I did a few little acting course things and then I kind of fluked the part".

During March 2007, Gordon was written out of the show indefinitely after her partner, Chris Burkhardt, died from cancer. The Home and Away writers had previously rewritten several scripts to allow Gordon to spend as much time as possible with Burkhardt.

In 2009, Gordon became the center of media attention due to a series of scandals in her private life. The serial's home network Channel Seven decided to support Gordon through the ordeals. The scandals cast doubt over whether Gordon would be staying with the serial and it was reported that she wanted to leave Australia for other roles. However, it was later confirmed she would be staying with the show and a spokesperson said, "Jodi is looking forward, not backward, and is hard at work on the set of Home and Away". Gordon was backed by her fellow cast members and fans of her character, who voiced their support for her. At the time Gordon was signed to appear in the serial for another two years after she had signed to a three-year contract.