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Jessica Gower

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jessica Gower
Born1977 (age 48–49)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
EducationAustralian National Theatre Drama School (2000)[1][2]
Australian Film, Television and Radio School[3]
OccupationActress
SpousePuven Pather

Jessica Gower (born 1977, also credited as Jess Gower) is an Australian actress.

Early life and education

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Gower spent three years studying at the National Theatre Drama School,[1] graduating in 2000.[2] She later studied a Master of Arts Screen: Business at Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), when she decided she wanted to know more about the business side of the industry.[3]

Career

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Before she completed her studies, Gower began her acting career with guest stints on police procedural series Blue Heelers and long-running soap opera Neighbours.[2] She also featured in Australian television commercials,[1] first coming to attention as a starstruck but confused fan in a 2001 television commercial for Telstra featuring John Farnham and Glenn Wheatley, where her character mistook Wheatley for actor Paul Hogan.[4] She then hosted the Fox 8 television shows Simpsons by Request and World's Weirdest Pets.[1]

Gower became best known to Australian and international audiences as the regular character of Sam, the ill-fated girlfriend of Will (Joel Edgerton) in the first season of the Network Ten drama The Secret Life of Us.[4] Her performance earned her a nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent at the 2002 Logie Awards.[5]

Gower went on to feature as New Zealand teenager, Miranda Watts in Foxtel soap opera Crash Palace, opposite Dieter Brummer, Jenni Baird, Tory Mussett and Kristy Wright.[4][6] She also took on the role of teenager Jillian in 2002 Schoolies week drama film Blurred, alongside Matt Newton and Mark Priestley[6][4] and had a recurring role in the Seven Network's medical drama series All Saints in 2003.[7][8]

After having often played the 'girl nextdoor' archetype, Gower secured the role of Chase, a villainous vampire on U.S. series Blade: The Series, the television series spin-off of 1998 film Blade. She had originally auditioned for the part of Krista. The series debuted on Spike TV on 28 June 2006.[9] The show was cancelled after one season.[10]

In the 2010s, Gower returned to Australia, making guest appearances on Wilfred,[11] Mr & Mrs Murder,[12] Winners & Losers[13] and Nowhere Boys[14] She also appeared in 2020 comedy film The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, alongside Paul Hogan[15] and 2022 family comedy film Blue's Big City Adventure, based on the children's television series Blue's Clues.[16]

Personal life

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Jessica has been married to Puven Pather since 2004. They have a daughter named Sequoia.[9]

After studying her Masters at Australian Film, Television and Radio School, together with Pather, Gower co-founded the business Sequioa, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions in screen productions and entertainment, while fostering inclusivity and gender equality.[17]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type Ref
2002Guru WayneDebbieFeature film
BlurredJillian the Train GirlFeature film[6][4]
2010Scottish BobLizzieShort film
SakuranikuGirl TouristShort film
2014Isabelle Dances into the SpotlightAuditions DancerTV movie
2015A Night of Horror: Volume 1BethAnthology film, segment: "Scission"[18]
2017No Appointment NecessaryClaire DaviesFeature film
2020The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.EveFeature film[15]
2022Blue's Big City AdventureDancerFeature film[16]

Television

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Year Title Role Type Ref
Simpsons by RequestHost[1]
World's Weirdest PetsHost[1]
1998 / 2000Blue HeelersSophie Camilleri / Sasha McLeod2 episodes[19][20]
1999NeighboursJemma Acton3 episodes
2001The Secret Life of UsSamTV movie
Sparky D Comes to TownAmyTV movie
2001The Secret Life of UsSamSeason 1, 15 episodes[4]
2001–2002Crash PalaceMiranda Watts[4][6]
2002PonderosaJudith1 episode
2003All SaintsHarriet StapletonSeason 6, 4 episodes[7][8]
2006Blade: The SeriesChase12 episodes[9]
2010WilfredAnnikaSeason 2, episode 5: "Ice Dog Cometh"[11]
2011Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got AwayCop #2TV movie[21]
2013Mr & Mrs MurderElena ScrlettaMiniseries, 1 episode[12]
2014Winners & LosersAva MurdochSeason 4, 1 episode[13]
2018The Next StepDancer1 episode
Nowhere BoysDianeSeason 4, 1 episode[14]

Awards

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Year Work Award Category Result Ref
2002The Secret Life of UsLogie AwardsMost Popular New Female TalentNominated[5]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Crash Palace: biographies". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 White, Allison (25 October 2001). "Crash Palace: biographies". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  3. 1 2 Button, Chris (17 November 2021). "A screen course that transforms careers". artshub.com.au. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Secret life of Jess". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. 28 October 2002. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  5. 1 2 "The Secret Life of Us: awards and nominations". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 McCabe, Kathy (3 March 2002). "Secret life of a backpacker". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  7. 1 2 "All Saints' 250th". Herald Sun. 27 October 2003. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  8. 1 2 "All Saints: episode guide | Series 6". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Seeton, Reg. "Jessica Gower of Blade Interview". UGO. Archived from the original on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  10. ↑ Goldman, Eric (29 September 2006). "Blade: The Series Cancelled?". IGN. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Wilfred: episode guide | Series 2". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  12. 1 2 "Mr & Mrs Murder: episode guide | Episodes 1–7". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  13. 1 2 "Winners & Losers: episode guide | Series 4". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  14. 1 2 "Nowhere Boys: cast | series 3-4". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  15. 1 2 Schembri date= 19 July 2020, Jim. "The new Paul Hogan film is stilted, clumsy and corny – but still funny". jimschembri.com. Retrieved 6 August 2026. {{cite news}}: Missing pipe in: |last= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. 1 2 Mwikali access-date= 6 August 2026, Vivian. "'Blue's Big City Adventure': Key Details About the Family Comedy Film Based on the Blue's Clues Kids Show". onedio.co. {{cite news}}: Missing pipe in: |last= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ↑ "MEET JESSICA GOWER: CELEBRATING WOMEN IN SCREEN BUSINESS". aftrs.edu.au. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "A Night of Horror: Volume 1". Screen Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Blue Heelers: episode guide | Series 5". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  20. ↑ "Blue Heelers: episode guide | Series 7". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
  21. ↑ "Underbelly Files | The Man Who Got Away". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026 – via australiantelevision.net.
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