Jessica Marais quits Rafters for Hollywood

Packed to the Rafters star Jessica Marais has left the popular series to try her luck in Hollywood.

Marais is the third lead actress to leave the series in less than a year, after Zoe Ventoura and Jessica McNamee left last season.

According to News Ltd, the 25-year-old Silver Logie winner has left for the US on an open-ended ticket in the hope of finding work.

Her on-screen and off-screen boyfriend James Stewart has remained in Sydney and has no immediate plans to leave the show, the paper says.

Marais' character Rachel Rafter will remain in Australian screens until June before the storyline explains her departure.

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