Rebecca Gibney has been a part of one of Australia’s most beloved TV families, and away from the spotlight, her family means everything to her.
The 60-year-old, who is currently competing on Dancing with the Stars, is the proud mother of her only son, Zachary Bell.
Find out more about her family below.
An unforgettable moment at the Logies
In 2024, Zac had the honour of accompanying and introducing his mother when she was inducted into the TV Week Logie Awards Hall of Fame.
“The first thing that comes to my mind when somebody says Rebecca Gibney is, ‘That’s my mum’,” he said on the night.
“She’s always just been my mum, so I guess the name Rebecca Gibney doesn’t really mean much more to me than ‘Mum’. But I do know her name means a lot to other people. To some, she’s an amazing actor. To others, a great friend, a co-worker, a daughter, a sister, and a wife. A hardworking, honest, kind, and caring soul.
“I feel so lucky to have been raised by someone with so much love to give and be guided through life, watching her show so much kindness to everyone she meets. Throughout her incredible career, she has brought so many amazing, different characters to life.”
An unbreakable bond
The actress shares a special connection with her son and often documents their best moments on social media.
In July 2022, the Logie winner shared a hilarious moment between the pair on a family road trip.
In a video posted to Instagram, Zac sat in the backseat of the car while his mum sang a medley of hits, including Elton John’s Tiny Dancer and Cat Stevens’ Father And Son.
An embarrassed Zac shook his head and laughed as he indulged his mum’s karaoke.
As the 60-year-old sang the Cat Stevens lyric: “Look at me, I am old but I’m happy,” Zac cheekily quipped: “You’re right about that.”
Rebecca captioned the video: “What’s a road trip without some embarrassing mother singing eh?”
Making a major move
The sweet family footage came four months after the actress made a huge sacrifice for the sake of her only child.
That March, Rebecca took to Instagram to explain why she had been “a bit quiet ”.
The Packed to the Rafters favourite shared that she and her husband, Richard Bell, had decided to sell their dream family home on New Zealand’s South Island and move to be closer to their Wellington-based son.
It was a major life upheaval for the couple, who have been married for 24 years. At the time, she hinted that the decision was not one she wanted to make.
“We have decided to reluctantly leave our beautiful beachside home and head north – to stalk our son,” the star wrote alongside a video of the stunning Dunedin property.
“On to new adventures. Love you, Dunners, thanks for being my haven. I will miss you and your beautiful people.”
Indeed, the “very rural” Otago property held many happy memories for Rebecca, who moved there with her husband and son in 2017.
For more than three decades, New Zealand-born Rebecca was based in Australia for her acting gigs, but after finishing work on her TV show Wanted in Queenstown, her family decided to stay and settle further south in Dunedin.
Rebecca and Richard contemplated making the move in 2022 when Zac first relocated to Wellington.
Is Zac Bell an actor?
Following in his mum’s footsteps, he is studying acting at the Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School.
She previously shared that she couldn’t be prouder or more supportive of Zac as he pursues acting – even if she did initially try and talk him out of joining her in the business!
“This is what makes his heart sing,” she told our sister publication TV Week.
While she, no doubt, misses her life in Dunedin, the Gold Logie winner loves living in the same city as Zac. Not to mention returning to her roots, as she grew up in Wellington.
At this stage of her life, Rebecca finds comfort in surrounding herself with nature. She once told The Australian Women’s Weekly, “Every morning, the first thing I do when I wake up is say a gratitude prayer. Then I tend to meditate and just call in energy and strength, wisdom, guidance, and peace – all the good stuff.”
