Contains spoilers for UK viewers
A jogger made a gruesome discovery when he found her cold lifeless body wrapped in seaweed on the beach.
So how did it come to this? Sam seemed like a beautiful person when she was helping Jack get back on his feet, as his physiotherapist in the hospital. She always had a problem with Martha and felt deep down that Jack was still in love with her, but essentially appeared to have her heart in the right place.
Her past came back to haunt her when Jack read Johnny Cooper’s letter, which revealed Sam had been a drug dealer, a liar, and his killer.
Sam tried to make Jack understand the reasons for all her actions and begged him not to turn her into the police, especially when she found out she was pregnant.
“Jack pretty much shuts his heart down and it’s really really tragic for Sam,” explains Jessica Chapnik. “They have a physical fight and she falls and loses the baby.”
“It goes very drastically down hill after this miscarriage,” Jess continues. “Rory rejects Sam, and that’s the final straw and I think personally she just loses it, mentally something just snaps completely.”
I caught up with Jessica on a cold windy night on location, she still had bruises down one side of her face (make-up) and she told me that shooting the scene, where she was found drowned was awful. She had to lie in the seaweed for ages and was so cold that she had to try really hard to stop shivering during the shot.
I asked her what it was like playing Sam and working with Callan Mulvey (Johnny Cooper) and Paul O’Brien (Jack Holden)
“Cal is fantastic, he’s really ready to try new things, really organic and really into the work.” she said enthusiastically. “It’s thrilling to work with someone who’s ready to change at any moment, not keep it locked down, he’ll try different things so you are forced to really be in the scene, not your idea of the scene.” She goes on to explain, “because of the time constraints we have to come to the scene with our idea and do it, but when you have a partner who is confident to change it at any moment, it’s exciting. We’d try a scene as a screaming match, and then in the next take he’d be really quiet, and intense, so you are forced to re-act differently, you can’t play out your pre-conceived notion.”
“Working with Paul is always fun, but the scene where Sam falls, was hard. We had lots of crash mats, and it had to be quite a bad fall to lose the baby. We just let the intensity of the scene drive the fall, there was so much emotion it intensified the whole physicality of it.”
The mystery builds as to whether it was suicide or murder. Jack, Martha, and even Jazz all had good reasons to want Sam out of their lives. Suicide seems improbable because of Sam’s love for Rory.
“It’s exciting that the storyline is wrapping up in a big way,” Jess adds, “that’s satisfying for an actor."
"I’m really hoping that people might have some sympathy for the character, I hope they don’t think ‘wow she’s just evil,' because I have been trying to approach it on a more human level. This could be someone’s downfall, she’s not evil, circumstances have driven her to this place, but I have a feeling that it will come out a ‘oh she’s was bad all along.'”
Now it’s all over for Sam, what is the future for Jessica Chapnik?
“I’ve had a really fun time on the show, because it’s been very challenging. It’s a little bit sad for me, because you do have an attachment to the character you’re playing, it’s really really awful, to watch yourself go on this journey with this character, I feel like I’ve just been drowning in the sorrow of this woman. So I am looking forward to going to L.A. and feeling lighter.” She smiles.
Having a rest is not on the agenda for Jess.
“I will try and catch up with Sharni in L.A. and I am doing a workshop with Director and writer David Mamet and Felicity Hauffman (Desperate Housewives). I am also working with Ben Lee on the soundtrack for the new Joel Edgerton movie The Square”
Fans may remember our video with Jess and Old Man River (check out the video page) and she has sung with Sarah Blasko. So keep an eye out for this talented lady, I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of her in the future.
Interview by Tania Seager.
Jess kindly answered a few questions from fans.
1. If you weren't an actress, what would you want to be?
A ballet dancer, definitely. I think dancing is the closest you can get to being inside a song.
2. What is your favourite television show (Apart From Home & Away!)?
I have a serious soft spot for old TV shows, like “Happy Days”. I think Chachi (Scott Baio) was my first serious TV crush. Another favourite is “Frontline”. It was and is one of the best Australian TV shows ever made in my opinion.
3. How similar are you to Sam?
We share the same voice. That is about it. I don’t even think we look alike. I’m serious.
4. Who are your inspirations?
There is a long, long list. To name one: Alfred Hitchcock. He makes me feel sick and giddy, but in a good way.
5. Which cast members do you get on best with?
There are really so so many lovely people. I can’t choose. But Paul O’Brien (Jack) and Jack Rickard (Rory) are the two I obviously see the most consistently by far, and they are both sweethearts. Paul makes me laugh when I get too serious, and Jack gives the best cuddles.
6. Where do you see yourself going after Home & Away?
I can’t say. Life is so much more interesting than my plans. I’m continually surprised.
7. Where is your favourite place to film?
It may sound strange with all the beautiful beach locations on the show, but for working, I really like being in the studio. I like the contained energy of a room and things in their right place. It’s nice.
8. What are your dreams and goals for life?
To always be creative. To do everything I do with love.
9. What's the funniest thing which has happened to you at work?
Ed Wills (the previous Rory) accidentally flicked a whole scoop of ice cream on my face right after they called “ACTION”.
10. What's the worst bit of working on Home & Away? - are long hours hard?
Shooting on the beach, in winter, at 6am in the morning, in a bikini or an equally skimpy outfit. That and early starts. I’m a serious night owl. Early mornings make very little sense to me.
11. What's your favourite thing to do in your spare time?
One of my favourite things is singing at the top of my lungs to the radio in the car. But seriously, like it were a great, ridiculous performance. Preferably cheesy songs.
12. Do you have a message for your fans?
Only love is real. I got a book once from someone, and that was their inscription. I thought it was a beautiful thing to pass on. Fear is such a fake.
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Originally Posted by Abbie
I thought it was her, but wasn't sure because they don't have her on the home and away cast list page 
