Joanne Samuel

Joanne Samuel, born in 1957 in Camperdown, Sydney, Australia, is an actress best recognized for her role as Mel Gibson's on-screen wife in the iconic 1979 film, Mad Max.

Before her notable film debut, Samuel made several guest appearances in popular police dramas such as Matlock Police and Homicide. She also became a familiar face on television, featuring in soap operas like Class of '74, The Sullivans, and The Young Doctors. Her departure from The Young Doctors was quite abrupt; the show's producers graciously wrote her out when she received an offer for the Mad Max role after a fellow actress fell ill. Following her success in film, she returned to television, taking on the role of Kelly Morgan-Young in the series Skyways.

In addition to her television work, Samuel guest-starred in shows like Hey Dad! and All Saints, and appeared as the school principal in The Wiggles Movie.

Samuel is married to Tony Ahern, and together they have several children. The family resides in Blackheath, a suburb in the picturesque Blue Mountains. Joanne Samuel has since retired from acting and is actively involved in her local Baptist church community.