Gold Logie winner Samuel Johnson has been lauded for his stunning performance in Molly, his efforts to raise money for his sister’s cancer battle and his honest, humble and gracious acceptance speech.

But for Johnson, these accolades have been hard won, a belated pay-off after a life and career plagued by immeasurable loss, personal tragedy and substance abuse struggles.

Now 39, Johnson has been a regular in Australian living rooms since 1995, when he was cast in Home and Away as a love interest for Kate Ritchie’s character, Sally.

Since then, the Daylesford-born actor has starred in hit series like The Secret Life of Us, Underbelly and Rush.

While plenty of attention has been focused recently on his decision to retire from acting while sister Connie fights terminal cancer, Johnson has also spoken openly about losing several loved ones to suicide.

In 2006, shortly after a close female friend took her own life, Johnson’s girlfriend, 20-year-old Lainie Woodlands, died by suicide.

“I met and fell in love with a beautiful young lady called Lainie,” Johnson told radio host Meshel Laurie in 2015.

“She was a bit too amazing though, and I couldn’t quite handle it. I kind of bailed on her and then she killed herself, which was charming, so considerate.

“I was probably already not doing that well but when my girlfriend [killed] herself, the night that I left her, s*** got pretty heavy.”

Johnson with Kate Ritchie during his Home and Away days.

Johnson’s mother also took her own life when his father left her shortly after Johnson was born.

Speaking on Australian Story in 2007, Johnson lamented the magnitude of his loss: “The three key women in my life have left me. It floored me. You know, I mean, it’s still floored me. It’s just ruined me emotionally and I’m very sad now.”

While he didn’t blame himself for Woodlands’ death, he has acknowledged he was the “trigger boy”.

“I’m OK with being the straw that broke the camel’s back and that’s how I can choose not to feel guilty about it, because ultimately there are a lot of other things that went into that act that she committed to,” he told Laurie.

While he soon found love again with casting director Sarah Hallam, the loss of Woodlands clearly took its toll, with Johnson undergoing treatment for depression and developing a reliance on alcohol.

Samuel Johnson and his partner, Sarah Hallam. Photo: Getty

In December, 2007, a clearly troubled Johnson was given a 12-month good behaviour bond after he assaulted a man at a September wedding reception, punching and kicking him in the head.

At the time, he apologised for being “a bit of a nincompoop” and said he was “disgusted” with himself.

Today, Johnson is devoted to sister Connie, who was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 11.

Despite his recent successes, Johnson has sworn he won’t return to acting until he has raised $10 million for cancer research.

“We’re at four-and-a-bit, so until I’ve raised that other six I can’t take calls,” he said backstage at Sunday’s Logie Awards.

For 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au.