Rebecca Gibney: Navigating Marriage, Motherhood, and Life in Dunedin

Rebecca Gibney, a renowned figure in the acting world, shares her heartwarming journey through marriage, motherhood, and her tranquil life in Dunedin. In an exclusive interview from her home in Dunedin, the beloved Kiwi actress opens up about her experiences and the joys of her rural lifestyle.

The Lockdown Life

Life can change in the blink of an eye. When we last spoke with Rebecca Gibney, she was enjoying a well-deserved break in a Sydney hotel, savoring tempura prawns and a glass of wine after a long day of media interviews. Fast forward a few months, and the world looks vastly different. The trans-Tasman bubble has burst, and New Zealand is grappling with the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Rebecca, now 56, finds herself at home on her 12-hectare rural property in Otago with her husband Richard Bell, their 17-year-old son Zac, and their two dogs, Alby and Lolly. Like the rest of New Zealand, they’ve spent the past two weeks in Level 4 lockdown, adjusting to the new normal.

Family and Gratitude

Rebecca is immensely grateful for the support of her husband, Richard, who has taken on a significant share of the parenting duties while she has been busy with her career. This lockdown has been particularly challenging for their son Zac, who misses the classroom environment and his friends. Rebecca empathizes with him, understanding the difficulties of being an only child and living out of town.

Despite the monotony of lockdown days, Rebecca finds solace in the simple joys of life. She appreciates the time spent with her husband and son, catching up on housework, reading books, and watching TV. This enforced break has given her the chance to slow down and enjoy the little things she often puts off.

A Stellar Career

Rebecca’s acting career began in Wellington, where she started with commercials before moving to Australia in her twenties. Her roles in Aussie favorites like The Flying Doctors and Halifax f.p. paved the way for her success. However, it was her role as Julie Rafter in the hit show Packed to the Rafters that catapulted her to household-name status.

Reflecting on her career, Rebecca says, “I have worked non-stop. I was saying to someone this morning, lots of women my age are taking up gardening and taking things a bit easy, but I’m actually busier now than I was 10 years ago.”

Back to the Rafters

Rebecca’s latest project, Back to the Rafters, is a sequel series that debuts on Amazon Prime Video. Stepping back into the role of Julie Rafter was a joyful experience for her. “It was fantastic. It was like putting on a pair of comfy Ugg boots or eating a big bowl of your favorite ice cream – all that lovely familiarity,” she shares.

The new series picks up several years after the end of Packed to the Rafters, with Dave and Julie adjusting to a new life in the country with their youngest child Ruby. Rebecca speaks about her character with a sense of familiarity and warmth, as if Julie is an old friend.

Life Lessons and Menopause

Rebecca is thrilled to have come out the other side of the challenging years brought on by menopause. She feels more energetic and content with where she is in life. “I look in the mirror and think, ‘How did that happen?!’ I’m 56, but I still feel like I’m 36,” she laughs.

One of the best parts of getting older, she says, is the acceptance of who you are and the realization that you don’t care what people think of you anymore. “I’ve learnt there’s no point trying to please everyone, because you’re never going to. I’m at an age where I don’t google myself, because you might have 50 people saying you’re fabulous and one person saying, ‘You suck’, and that’s the one comment that stays with you.”

For more insights into Rebecca’s journey and her latest projects, you can visit her official IMDb page.