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Why Jessica McNamee really quit Rafters

Lucy Chesterton
Monday, August 9, 2010
Why Jessica McNamee really quit Rafters
"When people see us together in the street, they always rush up to Jess Marais first, and they usually don’t even notice me standing there."
 
Lucy Chesterton
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In the mag

The young actress tells Lucy Chesterton why it was time to step out from behind the glow of golden girl Jessica Marais.

They’re all smiles on screen, but behind the scenes, Australia’s favourite fictional family, the Rafters, have been struggling with the real-life rivalry between actresses Jessica Marais and Jessica McNamee.

Jess McNamee, 22, will be seen in Packed To The Rafters for the last time this week after quitting – complaining that she feels overshadowed by the success of Jessica Marais, who plays her sister-in-law Rachel Rafter.

“It’s hard not to feel like you’re living in Jessica’s shadow,” the actress admits wryly, during an interview with Woman’s Day. “My character is definitely not as likeable as hers. “When people see us together in the street, they always rush up to Jess Marais first, and they usually don’t even notice me standing there.”

Playing opposite the golden girl, dark-haired Jess has been overlooked for many of the accolades showered on her popular co-star, who won two TV Week Logies after the series debuted in 2008 – the Silver Logie for Most Popular New Female Talent and the prestigious Graham Kennedy Award For Most Outstanding New Talent.

But while Jessica, 25, was busy accepting her double awards, the younger Jess was languishing in the secondary role of Nathan Rafter’s wife, the high-maintenance Sammy, a character she has often complained about.

Read more in this week's Woman's Day,
on sale August 9 2010.
User comments
Well, Jessica Marais is really amazing, who would'nt be jealous of her?! But anyways, that's a dumb reason to leave the show. Sammy was a really great character... So was Mel.
Hey Jessica i just want to write to you. I miss you on packed to the rafters as Sammy Rafter. You are my faviourite rafter i like the others to but ur my favourite and nathan is my second like i said i like all of you. I really miss you very much its not normal without u and now mel (Zoe Ventoure) gone its gonna b sad on tuesday mels funeral it was really sad on tuesday. From Natasha Ur BIGGEST fan.
I,m sorry that she chose to leave the show,I believe that we were all hoping that as Sammy, she & Nathan would get back together, after all we bond with the characters in a show & she has let the viewing audience down (a bit) by leaving. As for not liking the character, is not the true measure on an actor being able to play the the part of a character alien to that actor?
I am still hoping it's all gossip and she is really staying. She is my favourite on the show and has been from the start. I thought I read about some upcoming storylines for Sammy in a previous article Jess interviewed for, in another magazine. I for one am sure hoping for that one to be true!
Maybe she didn't choose to leave. Maybe the story lines had just dried up for her character. I think the character she played was actually meatier that the one she obviously coverted. Sounds like sour grapes to me.
I for one have gone off the rafters abit. The plot lines were starting to repeat themselves. As for Sammy & Nathan - why put such a emphasis on a couple only to have one leave. Replace Jessie with someone else and have the character Sammy still in place. I like Jessie but fairs fair.
who say she resigned anyway????
i love mcnamee great smile makes me happy reason i started watching
Oh please! Jessica McNamee is not living in the shadows of Jessica Marais. Yes she may have missed out on the logies nominations but she was on the last series of Dancing with the Stars and has an ever increasing fan base. There must be another reason she is leaving Packed to the Rafters.
She sounds very ungrateful in this article and very jelouse. If it was not for packed to the rafters noone would know who she was.. she should be thanking them not stabbing Jess in the back

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