Who is Jessica Redmayne? Home and Away’s Harper Matheson star’s career away from Summer Bay

Jessica Redmayne has become a familiar face to Home and Away viewers as Harper Matheson, but her career began long before she arrived in Summer Bay. The Australian actor has worked across television, film and theatre, while her background also includes years of dance and musical theatre training.

Since joining Home and Away in 2023, Jessica has become firmly established within the cast as Harper. Away from Summer Bay, she has continued working on stage, including taking on the role of Shelby in the 2026 Australian production of Steel Magnolias.

Who is Jessica Redmayne?

Jessica is an Australian stage and screen actor currently starring as Harper Matheson in Home and Away. Before moving into television, she spent much of her childhood training in different forms of dance before going on to study musical theatre at the University of Ballarat Arts Academy, now Federation University Arts Academy.

Jessica graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theatre. Her training also included classical ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop, giving her an extensive performance background before her television career began to develop.

Her early career included stage work both in Australia and internationally. She performed in children’s productions connected with Nickelodeon and Hi-5, building considerable live performance experience before becoming increasingly familiar to Australian television audiences.

Jessica Redmayne’s television career before Home and Away

Jessica’s television career includes a number of recognisable Australian productions. One of her most substantial earlier roles was Poppy in Seven drama 800 Words, appearing in the series before she eventually returned to the network as Harper.

Further television work followed, including appearances in The InBESTigators, Neighbours, Wentworth, Fisk and Five Bedrooms. She also appeared in the Australian feature film Paper Champions, adding film work to her growing list of television and theatre credits.

It means Harper is far from Jessica’s first screen role, even though it has become the character most closely associated with her. Viewers who discovered Jessica through Home and Away may therefore recognise her from several other Australian productions.

Jessica Redmayne as Harper Matheson

Jessica joined Home and Away as Harper Matheson in 2023, with Harper arriving in Summer Bay alongside her younger sister Dana. The sisters gradually became established within the community, while Harper went on to develop relationships and storylines that gave Jessica an increasingly prominent position within the show.

Harper has subsequently become much more than a newcomer passing through the Bay. Her family relationships, romantic life and experiences as a mother have allowed the character to become closely connected with several other Summer Bay residents.

The role has also given Jessica a significantly larger television platform. After years of appearances across Australian television, playing Harper has introduced her to the huge international audience that continues to follow Home and Away.

Jessica Redmayne returns to the stage in Steel Magnolias

Jessica has not left her theatrical background behind since becoming a television regular. In 2026, she took on the role of Shelby in the Australian production of Steel Magnolias, returning to the stage alongside an impressive ensemble cast.

There is also a particularly nice Home and Away connection within the production. Jessica appears alongside former Summer Bay stars Debra Lawrance, remembered by longtime viewers as Pippa Ross, and Belinda Giblin, who played Martha Stewart.

Jessica’s other stage credits include playing Daisy Buchanan in an immersive production of The Great Gatsby. She also has extensive experience behind the performance itself, with numerous choreography credits across musical theatre productions including Into the Woods, Made in Dagenham, A Chorus Line, Heathers and Seussical the Musical.

That combination of acting, dance and choreography makes her background rather different from a typical television career. Long before Harper arrived in Summer Bay, Jessica had already spent years developing experience across several areas of the performing arts.

There is much more to Jessica Redmayne than Summer Bay

Jessica’s journey to Home and Away has included dance, musical theatre, children’s stage productions, Australian television, film and professional theatre. Her varied career also helps explain why returning to the stage alongside her television work is a natural continuation of what she was doing long before joining Summer Bay.

For many viewers, Harper Matheson will understandably remain the role they associate most closely with Jessica Redmayne. However, with Steel Magnolias adding another major theatre credit alongside her continuing screen career, there is considerably more to Jessica’s story than her life in the Bay.

Home and Away airs in the UK on 5 and is available to stream on 5.

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