Date of Birth : Sep 12th 1957
English actress, columnist, film director and screenwriter who has primarily pursued her career in Australia. She became well known when she starred opposite Richard Chamberlain as the lead role portraying Meggie Cleary in the television mini-series The Thorn Birds (1983)) for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. In 2001 she was nominated for the same award for her role in On the Beach (2000). She also received a Golden Globe Award nomination (New Star of the Year) for her role in the film Sharky’s Machine (1981) with Burt Reynolds. Other notable films from that period include Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) with Steve Martin and Against All Odds (1984) with Jeff Bridges.
Ward then disappeared from film for three years to study acting. She reappeared in 1987 playing opposite her husband, Bryan Brown (whom she met on the set of The Thorn Birds), in The Good Wife. Married since 1983, they have three children: Rose (Rosie), Matilda (who has followed her parents into the acting profession), and Joe.
In 2001, Ward won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Short Fiction Film for The Big House.[2], 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. That film also won the 2003 ATOM Award.
CAREER
After Dark my Sweet ( 1991 )
Against all Odds ( 1984 )
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid ( 1982 )