Rachel Leigh Blakely was born on 28 July 1968 in Brunei, Borneo.[4] Her father, Harold Blakely, is an American, and her mother was Australian. Due to her father's oil business, the family, including younger sister Ruth, moved to several countries over the years until settling on an Australian farm when Blakely was twelve.[4]
Before she became an actress, Blakely worked as a nightclub bouncer, a model and a short order cook; it was her ex-husband's suggestion that she audition for a role on Neighbours.[6]
Blakely married fellow actor Peter Craig in 1990, but they divorced some years later. She met her current partner, stuntman Sean Rigby, on the set of Tales of the South Seas. Their first child, Cooper Lee Rigby, was born in September 2003, and their second child, Nash Rigby, was born in early 2009.[7]
Career
Blakely was a successful model, before she was spotted by the Neighbours casting director and asked to audition for the role of Gaby Willis.[1] Blakely was introduced to the show as Gaby in August 1991.[8] In October 1993, David Brown of TV Week reported Blakely would be leaving Neighbours.[9] She filmed her final scenes the following month.[9] Blakely later reprised her role of Gaby for Neighbours' 20th anniversary episode broadcast in July 2005.[10]
Blakely then moved into films - mostly made for television - and guest appearances on well-known television shows. The actress has also been part of the leading cast on several programs, including Blue Heelers,[11]City Life and The Lost World. She also joined the cast of Mortified, playing Glenda Fry. In 2000, Blakely appeared in four episodes of Search Party and five episodes of Hollywood Squares, as herself.
