Raechelle Banno

Raechelle Jasmine Banno (born 28 April 1993) is an Australian actress, dancer, writer, and model. Banno began acting and modelling when she was nine years old. After appearing in various television commercials and short films, Banno played Olivia Fraser Richards in the Australian soap opera Home and Away from 2015 until 2018. Banno played Atria Nine in the first season of sci-fi action series Pandora (2019). She will portray Ruby Landry in four television films adapted from V. C. Andrews' Landry novels in 2021. Early life Raechelle Banno was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1993. She is one of three children born to Joanne Banno; her elder sister Stephanie Banno works in public relations and communications, and her identical twin sister Karina Banno is an actress. During her primary education, she attended Fairfield West Public School, and Fairvale High School from which she graduated in 2010. Career Banno commenced her career as a dancer at the age of three, following the completion of FATD Jazz and Tap exams ad, and all her RAD ballet exams until her Intermediate grade, and in her later years she additionally participated in hip-hop classes while at dance school teaching ballet and contemporary dance to 9-12 year olds. She subsequently went on to become an actor and model from the age of nine, appearing for the Australian counterpart of British Boden's subsidiary Mini Boden, King Cow, Little Romeo, Barbie and Total Girl magazine. When Raechelle and her sister, Karina, decided they wanted to pursue acting careers, they approached a family friend, who was a casting director for advice. Banno's acting career began in 2002, having taken courses at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Initially appearing in commercials for companies such as McDonald's and Vodafone, she moved onto television roles, debuting in an episode of the 7Two children's drama series In Your Dreams. In 2016, Banno appeared in short films, including Second Best and Phenomena. She also wrote and produced the short film Exposure, which was directed by her sister, Karina.