Rachel Ward

Rachel Ward

  • Birthday: 1957-09-12
  • Place of birth: Cornwell Manor, Cornwell, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, UK
  • Also know as: Рэйчел Уорд

Biography

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.

Filmography

The Final Terror

1983

As Margaret

Against All Odds

1984

As Jessie Wyler

On the Beach

2000

As Moira Davidson

After Dark, My Sweet

1990

As Fay Anderson

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

1982

As Juliet Forrest

Wide Sargasso Sea

1993

As Annette Cosway

Sharky's Machine

1981

As Domino

How to Get Ahead in Advertising

1989

As Julia Bagley

Fortress

1985

As Sally Jones

Hotel Colonial

1987

As Irene Costa

Night School

1981

As Eleanor Adjai

Johnson County War

2002

As Queenie

Double Jeopardy

1992

As Lisa Burns Donnelly

The Good Wife

1987

As Marge Hills

My Stepson, My Lover

1997

As Caitlin Cory

Bobbie's Girl

2002

As Roberta Langham

And Never Let Her Go

2001

As Christine Sheve

Black Magic

1992

As Lillian Blatman

And the Sea Will Tell

1991

As Jennifer Jenkins

The Ascent

1994

As Patricia

Double Obsession

1992

As Grandmother

Shadow of the Cobra

1989

As Chris Royston

Seasons of Love

1999

As Kate Linthorne

Rachel's Farm

2023

As Self

Peter Rabbit

2018

As Josephine Rabbit (voice)

Production

Beautiful Kate

2009

As Director

Beautiful Kate

2009

As Screenplay

An Accidental Soldier

2013

As Director

The Big House

2001

As Director

Palm Beach

2019

As Director

Palm Beach

2019

As Writer

Rachel's Farm

2023

As Director

Martha's New Coat

2003

As Director

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