Rachel Ward, who portrayed Meggie Cleary in the renowned miniseries The Thorn Birds, was uncertain about securing the role of her dreams.
The British actress and model has had an extensive and diverse career spanning decades. She now lives in Australia with her spouse, with whom she fell in love on set.
So, what exactly occurred in The Thorn Birds? And why was the mini-series such a big success? Today, Rachel Ward is 65 years old.
If you were to ask everyone which television series is the finest of all time, they would most likely give you a different response. For starters, there are several types of series, and we all have distinct preferences.
However, the most successful television programs are often those that have been on air for many years, had several seasons, and include many strong and autonomous characters.
Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Friends, The Sopranos, or Twin Peaks. To me, one of the most intriguing aspects of television is that the winner may never be known.
There will always be a series that has a more emotional impact than others. Even though we have more established programs that endure for years, there are countless examples of miniseries that were never intended to survive long but have now become cult favorites.
One of these was The Thorn Birds, which starred Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, and Bryan Brown.
It premiered in March 1983, and more than 30 million people in the United States watched the ten-hour miniseries based on Colleen McCullough’s 1977 Australian novel The Thorn Birds. The mini-series sparked widespread attention and was hailed by both audiences and reviewers, earning multiple prizes for both its premise and the actors’ performances.
Rachel Ward
The Thorn Birds, which runs for ten hours and takes place over five nights, is still regarded as a classic that will live on for many years to come. Rachel Ward played Meggie Cleary in The Thorn Birds, although the role came as a surprise to her. It turned out that the producers had a tough time finding the right person for the job, but Ward was ultimately the best choice.
Ward not only had her big break by acting in the television miniseries, but she also met the love of her life on set.
This is Ward’s tale and how she traveled the world to keep her love of films and television programs alive.
Rachel Ward—Early Life
Ward was born on September 12, 1957, in Cornwell, Oxfordshire, England. He attended Hatherop Castle School before going to the Byam Shaw School of Art in London. However, at the age of 16, she left school to pursue a career in fashion.
Ward became a fashion and photographic model, appearing on the pages of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s, and Queen. She gradually worked her way into the acting industry after appearing in various advertisements.
Years later, in 1995, she received her Graduate Diploma in Communications and Graduate Certificate in Writing from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
Rachel Ward made her television debut in 1979 with the film Christmas Lilies of the Field. In the years that followed, she would play a variety of minor roles, but in 1983, she would become a well-known actress throughout the United States.
Casting ‘The Thorn Birds’
Stan Marguiles was one of the producers of The Thorn Birds. However, casting the perfect people to feature in the show was not an effortless process.
In 1982, he described the difficulty.
However, when they met Rachel Ward, they knew they had discovered the proper person for the character of Meggie Cleary. “She needs to go from 18 to her early 50s. She transitions from a naive and passionate young girl to a bitter lady in her 30s, and finally, she becomes a woman who realizes her mistakes in her 50s.” “There’s a huge range of emotions and colors,” he explained.
“When they first started aging me, it was a little scary,” Ward recounted. “I had infinite double chins. I had a bodysuit underneath the clothing, and I recall appreciating it as I grew older. I enjoyed the ensembles, which were slightly more manly than they were at the start.”
Over 200 women were considered for the role of Meggie Cleary, with a total of 40 actresses auditioning.
Ward spoke with the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia about her audition.
“My audition was quite light, and I had a sense of humor,” according to her. “I remember taking it seriously, but I wasn’t acting with a capital A.” Performance pieces are highly subjective, and I was probably right the first time. “I got a 10/10 for looks and a 4/10 for acting.”
Golden Globe-nominated
They paired Ward with an acting coach, who proved to be an ideal fit. Ward became a beloved actress after co-starring with Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph. She was adored by both spectators and reviewers.
In 1982, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. Chamberlain won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. The program won four Golden Globes, including Best Miniseries, and six Emmys.
Chamberlain described it as the climax of a soap opera. “I am often surprised by how successful it is after one tragedy after another. Nobody emerged victorious from that show. It was awful but had such wonderful characters.”
Rachel Ward: “Felt terribly.”
Ward was not an actor who studied her trade in school, but rather via experience. As the performance progressed, she viewed herself as the weaker connection. She struggled with insecurities for years after receiving some negative feedback (the New York Times called her “miscast”).
“I felt terrible that I had disappointed you,” she told Closer. “I felt that, despite me, it was a success.”
Years later, her grown daughter viewed The Thorn Birds and told her mother, “‘Mom, you were fabulous,'” Ward said. “That was, for me, the most important response that I could’ve ever had.”
“It was a soap opera.” “I see it differently now,” Ward remarked. “Acting styles have evolved, and mine was always fairly natural. And I believe they sought to shape me into something I was not naturally. So that is the justification I have prepared for myself.”
Ward’s performance in the 1983 miniseries The Thorn Birds was undoubtedly a significant step forward in her career. However, the show’s production became far more essential to her once she found the love of her life.
Rachel Ward & Bryan Brown
During her work on The Thorn Birds, Rachel Ward and Chamberlain’s characters, Meggie and Father Ralph, had a strong bond that kept viewers interested.
Chamberlain recalls how tough it was to film various situations.
“There’s a hidden microphone in her armpit.” “And you are trying not to smear her lipstick,” he told Closer.
Even though Ward and Chamberlain were in love on camera, the real love story occurred after the cameras were turned off.Bryan Brown played Meggie’s spouse, Luke O’Neill, and the two fell in love while filming.
“What happened on screen was happening off it—that’s why our love scenes were so believable,” Ward told the Daily Express in the UK.
“Everyone on site knew they were falling for each other. “I’ve never seen two people more in love,” Chamberlain added, noting that Brown even helped Ward calm down before the shoot. “She seemed to get happier and happier, and her work got better and better.”
Ward and Brown had “sexual chemistry” on stage, leading to their marriage months later. She truly liked him, but when questioned who made the initial move, she made sure to blame her loving husband.
He’s as sluggish as a damp week. It took a while. “I think I probably did,” she replied. Brown, meanwhile, argued that he was only being a “cunning Aussie bloke” by not addressing her right away.
“And before they know it, they’re hooked!” the renowned actor joked.
Rachel Ward and Brown married months after the filming of The Thorn Birds ended. The couple had three children: Rose, Matilda, and Joseph.
So, what happened to Ward after The Thorn Birds? She and Brown relocated to Australia, where Ward appeared in various films and television shows.
Rachel Ward, this is her today.
In 2001, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for her role in the film On the Beach.
Her other credits include The Big House, Martha’s New Coat, and the TV shows Rake, Devil’s Playground, and The Straits. Ward also ventured into producing and directing. Ward, in addition to being an actress, wife, mother, and now grandmother, has made significant contributions to society.
As a result, in 2005, she received the A.M. (Member of the Order of Australia) for “raising awareness of social justice through lobbying, mentoring, and advocacy for the rights of disadvantaged and at-risk young people.”
Ward and Brown became first-time grandparents in May 2019, when their daughter Matilda Brown gave birth to son Zan.
Work with daughter Matilda.
Matilda’s parents were both present when she gave birth, which made it very meaningful for her.
“When I was pushing Zan out at the end, Dad stroked my head and Mum cried, saying, ‘Come on, Till!'” “He’s so close,” Matilda said. “It was pretty special that both my parents got to be with me through such a monumental time in my life.”
Ward just got to visit her baby grandchild, which she documented on Instagram. On another subject, isn’t Matilda exactly like her mother?
Ward and her daughter Matilda both picked acting as their profession. However, when Matilda initially expressed an interest in becoming an actor, her mother was unimpressed.
Spitting picture of her mother.
“Mum definitely said, ‘Don’t be an actress.'” Matilda remembered. “She encouraged me to go to film school and get behind the camera, which I did, and I’m very glad I did.”
In 2016, they collaborated on the film The Death and Life of Otto Bloom. Rachel and Matilda portray the same character at various times in her life.
“We look alike, so obviously there’s a great bonus in that we share physical similarities and mannerisms,” Rachel Ward told me. “Women over 40 are often underrepresented in media and film.” It’s a delight when something comes along that makes it acceptable to be in your fifties.”
Rachel Ward was fantastic as Meggie Cleary in The Thorn Birds, and we’re delighted to see that she’s still as enthusiastic now.