Australian Actress and Model Annalise Braakensiek Dies at 46

Australian model and actress Annalise Braakensiek was found dead in her Sydney apartment. She was 46.

Police visited Braakensiek’s home for a welfare check on Sunday after those close to her became concerned about her whereabouts, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Police found the body of a 46-year-old woman, whom they have yet to formally identify, according to The Herald.

Her cause of death remains unknown and is not thought to be suspicious, according to The Guardian. The official cause of death is pending an autopsy.

The model, actress and designer, known for her roles on shows like Pizza, Home and Away and 20 to 1, had posted on Instagram less than a month before her death that she felt life was “twisted and upside down.”

“Everything seems to feel twisted and upside down at the moment… am I right?! Life’s challenges have been deep, dark, difficult, demanding and down right scary lately,” Braakensiek captioned a black and white photograph of Instagram model Nude Yoga Girl doing a naked headstand.

“For me and so many others I know. But today is a new day! and I’ve also had some of the best jobs, travels and experiences of my life this year for which I’m THAT grateful. So, here’s to happiness and light, endless possibilities and new beginnings,” Braakensiek continued.

She then thanked her fans and friends who helped her through a “turbulent year.”

In an earlier post, she wrote that she was “hanging in there by the hair my chiny chin chin.”

“Sheesh it’s been a challenging year for so many of us, am I right?!?!?!” she wrote.

Braakensiek, an advocate for mental health, revealed in November that she was an ambassador for R U OK?, a suicide prevention charity in Australia.

“I’m a proud ambassador for this fantastic suicide prevention charity… mental health has so so many misconceptions, criticism, misunderstandings and false judgements still!! We have to break the silence on mental health because it happens to the best of us,” she wrote.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who have helped me through my dark clouds…. now I’m strong enough to help my loved ones who unfortunately are not in the best place right now. But we will get through this!”

Shortly after the news of death broke, the organization expressed its condolences via a statement on Twitter.

“The R U OK? team are devastated to hear of the loss of much loved and respected R U OK? Ambassador Annalise Braakensiek. Our heartfelt condolences are with her friends, family and those whose lives she touched,” the statement read.

Australian actor and Braakensiek’s co-star from 2003’s Fat Pizza, Rob Shehadie, paid tribute to the actress on Twitter as well.

“So sad and gutted to hear about the passing of Annalise Braakensiek, she was an amazing person. I will always cherish the great memories we had on the set of Fat Pizza and on tour. God rest your soul Annalise,” he tweeted.

Braakensiek made her TV debut in 1997 as Stephanie in Heartbreak High, going on to star in Home and Away (1998), Pizza (2000) and Play Your Cards Right (2002-03). She also starred in the 2000 film Mr. Accident, Fat Pizza (2003) and Sleuth 101 (2010).

She married stockbroker Danny Goldberg in 2002; the couple split in April 2018, according to 9 News.