Rachael Anna-Maie Carpani (24 August 1980 – 7 December 2025) was an Australian actress best known for her role as Jodi Fountain-McLeod in McLeod's Daughters.
Career Carpani is most famous for her role as Jodi Fountain on the Australian television drama McLeod's Daughters. Carpani also had a role in the film Hating Alison Ashley, starring Delta Goodrem, and appeared in All Saints. Carpani and Goodrem had both attended The Hills Grammar School.
She left McLeod's Daughters to pursue her career in the United States. She had been cast in the CBS pilot, Law Dogs with Janeane Garofalo, but the series was not picked up. She appeared in seven episodes of season one of Cane. Carpani returned to McLeod's Daughters as Jodi Fountain for the final episode on 31 January 2009.
Carpani appeared commercially as one of the faces for Telstra's Next G network. She appeared in episode six of NCIS: Los Angeles in November 2009, playing a small role alongside Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J. In 2010, she had a recurring role on The Glades, playing opposite former real-life boyfriend Matt Passmore. She began starring in the crime drama Against the Wall in 2011. In 2015, Carpani starred in the TV films If There Be Thorns and Seeds of Yesterday on the Lifetime cable network, which are the third and fourth films in the Flowers in the Attic TV film series that are based on the Dollanganger novel series by V.C. Andrews. In 2018, she appeared in a multi-episode arc in the Seven/South Pacific series 800 Words.
In August 2024, Carpani joined the recurring cast of Home and Away as Claudia Salini.
Personal life Carpani dated Matt Passmore, a fellow actor. After her death, he paid tribute to her.
Carpani spoke openly on her struggle with Endometriosis, the condition she lived with for twenty years. She opened a dialogue about living with the condition and how it affected her life and her time on set.
Death Carpani died from a chronic illness in Sydney, Australia, on 7 December 2025, at the age of 45.
Leading a tribute was her McLeod's Daughters co-star Bridie Carter, who shared on social media "Rest in Peace our beautiful girl." Matt Passmore in his tribute said "the greatest gift was knowing you."
Funeral Her funeral was held on 19 December 2025 took place in Sydney, Australia.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes2005Hating Alison AshleyValjoy Yurken2009TriangleSally 2016 The Umbrella Man Annie Brennan 2020 The Way Back Diane 2020 The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee Angie 2022 Beat Susan 2026 Spa Weekend Isla Posthumous release
Television Year Title Role Notes2001All SaintsEmily MartinEpisode: "Too Little Too Late"2001Home and AwayMirandaSeason 14, episodes 87 & 882001Ihaka: Blunt InstrumentTaraTV movie2001–2009McLeod's DaughtersJodi Fountain-McLeodSeason 1–7 (main), Season 8 (guest); 179 episodes2007Law DogsCarly OwenTV movie2007CaneTerry Greenway5 episodes2008ScorchedSusan ShapiroTV movie2009NCIS: Los AngelesAmyEpisode: "Keepin' It Real"2010True BlueTess FlynnTV movie2010Heather Thompson3 episodes2011Against the WallAbby Kowalski13 episodes2014Stalker1 episode2014TouchedEmmaTV movie2015If There Be ThornsCathy DollangangerTV movie2015Seeds of YesterdayCathy DollangangerTV movie2017The RachelsSamiTV movie2017800 WordsMary2 episodes2024Home and AwayClaudia SaliniSeason 37 (10 episodes)
Awards Carpani was nominated for several television awards in her career. For her role on McLeod's Daughters, she was nominated at the 2007 Logies for a Gold Logie and Most Popular Actress award.
References
External links
"McLeod's daughter set for US TV stardom" article in The Sydney Morning Herald "Carpani Chases U.S. Fame" article in The Age