Rachel Ward, who played Meggie Cleary in the iconic miniseries The Thorn Birds, wasn’t certain to land the role of a lifetime.
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 happened on The Thorn Birds? And why was the mini-series such a big success?
Today, Rachel Ward is 67 years old.
If you were to ask everyone which television series is the best of all time, they would most likely give you a different response. For starters, there are numerous types of series, and we all have distinct preferences.
However, the most successful television series are typically those that have been on air for many years, had multiple seasons, and include many strong and autonomous characters.
Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, Friends, The Sopranos, or Twin Peaks. The question of which one reigns supreme will probably never be resolved, and to be honest, that is one of the most fascinating aspects about television.
The Thorn Birds
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 since 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 interest 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 difficult time finding the right person for the job, but Ward was ultimately the best choice.
Ward not only received her big break by starring 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 series alive.
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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 photography model, appearing on the pages of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s, and Queen. She gradually worked her way into the acting scene after appearing in various advertisements.
Years later, in 1995, she received her Graduate Diploma of 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 subsequent years, she would have a number of smaller roles, but in 1983, she would become a well-known actress all over the US.
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Casting ‘The Thorn Birds’
Stan Marguiles was one of the producers on The Thorn Birds. But casting the right people to appear in the show wasn’t the easiest task.
In 1982, he explained the difficulty.
However, when they saw Rachel Ward, they were sure that they’d found the right one for the role of Meggie Cleary.
“She has to go from 18 to her early 50s. From a rather naïve, overly romantic young girl to a bitter woman in her 30s, to a woman who finally understands where she took the wrong turn when she reaches her 50s. There’s an enormous range of emotions and colors,” he said.
“They first started to age me, it was kind of scary,” Ward recalled. “I had these endless double chins. I sort of had a body suit underneath the clothes, I remember liking it when I grew older, I liked the outfits, there was slightly more masculine than they were in the beginning.”
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” she said. “I remember I was taking it seriously but I wasn’t acting with a capital A. It is so subjective, performances pieces, and I was probably spot on the first time. I got like 10/10 for looks and 4/10 for acting.”
Golden Globe nominated
They assigned Ward to work with an acting coach, and it was a perfect match. 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 show won four Golden Globes, including Best Miniseries, and six Emmys.
“It was the absolute top of the heat of a soap opera,” Chamberlain said. “I am often surprised when I think about how it remains so successful, because there was one tragedy after another, after another, after another. Nobody came out on top of that show. It was so sad but had such wonderful characters”
Rachel Ward: “Felt terribly”
Ward was not an actor who studied her craft in school, but rather via experience. As the show aired, she viewed herself as the weaker connection. She suffered from insecurities for years after receiving some bad feedback (the New York Times called her “miscast”).
“I felt terribly like I’d disappointed,” 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 recalled. “That was, for me, the most important response that I could’ve ever had.”
”It was soap opera. I think of it differently now,” Ward said. “Acting styles have changed and mine was always quite natural. And I think they tried to make me something that I wasn’t naturally. So that’s the excuse that I’ve made 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 after she met the love of her life.
Rachel Ward and 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 microphone hidden in the armpit… and you’re 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 husband, 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 UK’s Daily Express.
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“Everyone on set realized they were falling for each other. “I’ve never seen two people more in love,” Chamberlain said, adding that Brown even helped Ward calm her nerves before shooting. “She seemed to get happier and happier and her work got better and better.”
Married months later
Ward and Brown clearly had “se..xual chemistry” on stage. She truly liked him, but when questioned who made the initial move, she made sure to blame her beloved husband.
‘He as slow as a wet week. Really took forever. I think I probably did,’ she said.
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 legendary 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.
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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.”
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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 was stroking my head and mum was cheering me on, crying, 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 see her baby granddaughter, which she documented on Instagram.
On another subject, isn’t Matilda exactly like her mother?
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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 image of her mother
“Mum definitely said ‘don’t be an actress,’” Matilda recalled. “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 D3ath 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 said. “Plus, as we know, women over the age of 40 are basically invisible in the media and in film … It’s a treat when something comes along where it’s ok to be in your 50s.”
Rachel Ward was fantastic as Meggie Cleary in The Thorn Birds, and we’re delighted to see that she’s still as passionate now.
