Rachel Ward

Biography

Rachel Ward (born September 12, 1957) is an English-Australian actress, director, and screenwriter known for her work in film and television. Born in Cornwall, Oxfordshire, England, she began her career as a model before moving into acting.

Ward gained international recognition in the early 1980s with films such as The Final Terror (1983), Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982), and The Umbrella Woman (1987). She became especially famous for starring as Meggie Cleary in the television miniseries The Thorn Birds (1983), opposite Richard Chamberlain. The production became a major international television success and earned Ward a Golden Globe nomination.

She continued her film career with appearances in productions including Against All Odds (1984), The Final Terror, Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992), and Double Jeopardy (1992). In Christopher Columbus: The Discovery, she appeared as Queen Isabella, alongside Georges Corraface, Marlon Brando, and Tom Selleck.

Ward later concentrated increasingly on directing. Her directorial debut was the Australian film Martha's New Coat (2003), followed by Beautiful Kate (2009), a critically acclaimed drama starring Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, and Ben Mendelsohn. She has also directed television productions and short films.

Ward has worked in both British and Australian entertainment and has maintained a career spanning acting, directing, and screenwriting. She has been recognized for her contributions to Australian cinema and television.

Rachel Ward remains best known internationally for The Thorn Birds, while her later work as a director has established her as an important creative figure in Australian film.