CineScope
Rachel Ward picture

Rachel Ward

Acting
Known For

67 Years Old

Rachel Claire Ward AM (born 12 September 1957) is an English-Australian actress, film and television director, screenwriter, and former model who has primarily pursued her career in Australia. During her modelling career, she was featured on the covers of Vogue, Harper's & Queen, and Cosmopolitan magazines. After moving to the United States in 1977, she appeared in television advertisements such as the Lincoln Mercury "Cougar Girl" and Revlon's "Scoundrel Girl". In 1981, she received a Golden Globe Award nomination for "New Star of the Year" for her role in the film Sharky's Machine starring with Burt Reynolds. The following year, she starred in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid with Steve Martin. Her big break came in 1983, when she starred opposite Richard Chamberlain as the lead role portraying Meggie Cleary in the television miniseries The Thorn Birds, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. Also in 1983, U.S. audiences voted Ward one of the world's 10 most beautiful women. In 1984, she played Jess in the film noir remake Against All Odds, with Jeff Bridges. After filming Fortress in 1985, she then disappeared from film for a few years to study acting. In 2001, she was again nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for her role in On the Beach (2000). Also in 2001, she won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Short Fiction Film for The Big House, and Best Australian Film at Flickerfest. The film also won the Film Critics Circle of Australia award, as did her 2003 film Martha's New Coat — which also won the 2003 ATOM Award. In 2005, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to raising awareness of social justice through lobbying, mentoring and advocacy for the rights of disadvantaged and at-risk young people, and support for the Australian film and television industry". In 2009, she directed her first feature-length film titled Beautiful Kate, adapted by Ward from a 1982 Newton Thornburg novel, and premiered at the Sydney Film Festival. She has been married to the Australian actor Bryan Brown since 1983. They have three children: Rosie, Matilda, and Joe. Matilda Brown is an actress, writer and director.

Born

Cornwell Manor, Cornwell, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, UK on 12th September 1957

All Credits

A Bite to Eat with Alice Image
A Bite to Eat with Alice
Self
Dynasty Image
Dynasty
The Thorn Birds Image
The Thorn Birds
Meggie Cleary
No Image
Monarch Cove
Blackbeard Image
Blackbeard
Sally Dunbar
Darby and Joan Image
Darby and Joan
English Sat Nav (Voice)
Peter Rabbit Image
Peter Rabbit
Josephine Rabbit (voice)
Against All Odds Image
Against All Odds
Jessie Wyler
And Never Let Her Go Image
And Never Let Her Go
Christine Sheve
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid Image
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Juliet Forrest
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery Image
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery
Queen Isabella
Seasons of Love Image
Seasons of Love
Kate Linthorne
On the Beach Image
On the Beach
Moira Davidson
Johnson County War Image
Johnson County War
Queenie
Sharky's Machine Image
Sharky's Machine
Domino
My Stepson, My Lover Image
My Stepson, My Lover
Caitlin Cory
Fortress Image
Fortress
Sally Jones
The Good Wife Image
The Good Wife
Marge Hills
Wide Sargasso Sea Image
Wide Sargasso Sea
Annette Cosway
How to Get Ahead in Advertising Image
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
Julia Bagley
After Dark, My Sweet Image
After Dark, My Sweet
Fay Anderson
Rain Shadow Image
Rain Shadow
Kate McDonald
The Final Terror Image
The Final Terror
Margaret
Night School Image
Night School
Eleanor Adjai
Double Jeopardy Image
Double Jeopardy
Lisa Burns Donnelly
And the Sea Will Tell Image
And the Sea Will Tell
Jennifer Jenkins
Hotel Colonial Image
Hotel Colonial
Irene Costa
Black Magic Image
Black Magic
Lillian Blatman
Christmas Lilies of the Field Image
Christmas Lilies of the Field
Jenny
And Never Let Her Go Image
And Never Let Her Go
Christine Sheve
Double Obsession Image
Double Obsession
Grandmother
The Ascent Image
The Ascent
Patricia
The Death and Life of Otto Bloom Image
The Death and Life of Otto Bloom
Ada
Twisted Image
Twisted
Sara (segment 'Third Party')
Bobbie's Girl Image
Bobbie's Girl
Roberta Langham
And the Sea Will Tell Image
And the Sea Will Tell
Shadow of the Cobra Image
Shadow of the Cobra
Chris Royston
Rachel's Farm Image
Rachel's Farm
Self