Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Рэйчел Уорд

Gender: Female

Place of birth: Cornwell Manor, Cornwell, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 33

TV Involvements: 8


Most Famous Work

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.

Most Famous Work

The Thorn Birds
Average
7

The Thorn Birds

(1983) Meggie Cleary
Peter Rabbit
Average
7

Peter Rabbit

(2018) Josephine Rabbit (voice)
Rachel's Farm
Average
8

Rachel's Farm

(2023) Self
Against All Odds
Average
6

Against All Odds

(1984) Jessie Wyler
Sharky's Machine
Average
6

Sharky's Machine

(1981) Domino
On the Beach
Average
6

On the Beach

(2000) Moira Davidson
Johnson County War
Average
6

Johnson County War

(2002) Queenie
Fortress
Average
7

Fortress

(1985) Sally Jones

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2023 Self
2022 English Sat Nav (Voice)
2018 Josephine Rabbit (voice)
2016 Ada
2007 Kate McDonald
2006 N/A
Sally Dunbar
2002 Queenie
Queenie
Roberta Langham
2001 N/A
Christine Sheve
2000 Moira Davidson
1999 Kate Linthorne
Kate Linthorne
1997 Caitlin Cory
1996 N/A
1994 Patricia
1993 Annette Cosway
1992 Lisa Burns Donnelly
Lillian Blatman
Queen Isabella
Grandmother
1991 Jennifer Jenkins
1990 Fay Anderson
1989 Chris Royston
Julia Bagley
1987 Marge Hills
Irene Costa
1985 Sally Jones
1984 Jessie Wyler
1983 Margaret
Meggie Cleary
1982 Juliet Forrest
1981 Domino
N/A
Eleanor Adjai
1979 Jenny
Year Character Movie/Tv

Directing

Writing

Year Role Movie/Tv
2019 Writer
2009 Screenplay
Year Role Movie/Tv

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