Joanne Samuel

Joanne Samuel (born 5 August 1957) is an Australian film and television actress, who is best known for her role as the screen wife of Mel Gibson's title character in the 1979 film Mad Max. Samuel was born in Camperdown, Sydney, Australia. She studied dance with Honeybrooks and drama at the Independent Theatre Prior to her appearance in Mad Max, Samuel had made guest appearances in police procedurals Matlock Police and Homicide. She was then a regular cast member in television soap operas Class of '74, The Sullivans and The Young Doctors. She left The Young Doctors after the producers wrote her out of the show when she was offered the Mad Max role after a fellow Young Doctors actress who had been due to take the role fell ill. Samuel later returned to television in the regular role of Kelly Morgan-Young in Skyways.