he Thorn Birds’ Actress Traded Hollywood Glamour for Farm Life – Photos of Her Stunning Transformation
She was a Hollywood phenomenon, a breathtaking beauty who commanded magazine covers and stole the show on television. However, she took the unexpected choice to leave it all behind once her celebrity skyrocketed, giving up the glamour of Hollywood for a peaceful existence in a distant country. Watch the transformation of this adored actress throughout the years.
In the 1980s and 1990s, this actress rose to fame because to her remarkable performances and unquestionable on-screen presence. She was born in England on September 12, 1957, and instead of just experimenting in Hollywood, she dominated it, establishing her reputation as a gifted actress.
Her breakthrough performance occurred when she played Maggie Cleary in the drama miniseries “The Thorn Birds.” She received a great deal of praise for her depiction of a troubled young lady in love with a priest, and in 1984, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.
However, that was just the beginning of a successful career. Riding the tide of “The Thorn Birds” popularity, the actress kept getting big roles and showed off her versatility in a variety of genres.
She tackled action-packed adventures in “Against All Odds,” added intensity to the crime thriller “Sharky’s Machine,” and left a lasting impression in the suspenseful drama miniseries “Rain Shadow.”
With every new project, she made a lasting impression and demonstrated that she was a force to be reckoned with rather than just a gorgeous face. Her remarkable filmography doesn’t end there, according to IMDb. This celebrity added even more talents to her creative arsenal by attempting her hand at writing and producing. Her popularity extended beyond the big screen as well.
She was also a favorite for magazine covers because of her talent and beauty. Being on the cover of Vogue was one of her many career high points and evidence of her enduring appeal.
“The Thorn Birds” not only helped her reach new heights in her work, but it also helped her meet her soulmate, an even more profoundly life-altering experience. On the set of the series, she ran into Australian actor Bryan Brown. She fell in love with him right away.
The two co-stars had a lot of sparks between them, and in 1983 they tied the knot, beginning a long and enduring marriage.
Their love tale has endured throughout time, which is uncommon in Hollywood. Rosie, Joe, and Matilda Brown, their three children, have joined them in creating a lovely family. They were raised differently, yet they managed to strike the ideal balance.
The actress came from a world of riches and luxury, having grown up in the Cotswolds, an attractive area of upper class England. Bryan, on the other hand, was from a working-class, humble family in the gritty southwest of Sydney. Their dissimilar upbringings drew them closer rather than farther apart.
The actress previously said, “It was definitely opposites attract because we could not have been more opposite.” She remembered being raised in an affluent, hedonistic household and having mixed feelings regarding her family’s morals.
Then Bryan came into her life. Bryan was a man with a grounded perspective to life, a strong moral compass, and a strong Catholic faith. “He had very strong values, from his mum, from being Catholic, voting Labor, he was a very moral man and I loved that,” she stated.
Bryan couldn’t resist gushing to her about what drew him to her. “She made me laugh a lot,” he said, remembering their first interactions. But he was drawn to more than just her sense of humor.
Bryan said that what really set her apart was her never-ending curiosity. Their combination of qualities—her curious nature and his unwavering principles—created a bond that has held them together for more than forty years.
Though first she thought Australia was “exotic and fabulous,” adjusting to life there wasn’t as easy as she had hoped. It presented its own set of difficulties to divide their time between the laid-back appeal of their new Australian home and the busy streets of Los Angeles, where she pursued her career.
The actress said that she continued to struggle to find her “real place” in Australia, even after raising their children there. She said bluntly, “It’s not easy not to live where you come from.”
She frequently felt lost because of her separation from her English heritage. Bryan, though, was her rock and would always be there for her when those emotions came out.
And it was his support that got her through some of the most trying times in her professional life. The actress experienced both benefits and drawbacks from “The Thorn Birds,” despite her success and renown.
Although the drama won over hearts throughout the globe, it also brought her severe criticism that went right to the core. She said, “I really took it to heart when I got slaughtered.” “I never really got my confidence back after that.”
The hardest thing for her to overcome was the negative comments, even though it was unexpected. “Obviously, you need a little talent to be an actress,” she said. “I think you need enormous guts to have a go at it.”
It wasn’t about having the guts to stand in front of the camera; rather, it was about having the inner fortitude to endure the criticism and scrutiny that come with being in the spotlight. “I think you need self-confidence, which I didn’t have,” she said.
The encounter made a deep impression. Despite her pride in being a part of “The Thorn Birds,” she was hesitant to relive the event due to the emotional toll. Her words, “I feel honored to have been part of it,” were genuine. “But I didn’t want to repeat the experience.”
Thus, at the height of her success, she made the decision to choose a more subdued route that entailed putting her family first and stepping back from the spotlight.
She finds joy in the ordinary moments spent with Bryan on their Australian farm, living a life completely different from the Hollywood craze that had made her a star. That’s not all, though. She is now a devoted grandma who shines with delight when she sees her expanding family.
These days, she spends her days taking care of her farm. The actress-turned-farmer is committed to using and advocating for environmentally friendly agricultural and animal husbandry practices.
Rachel, an actress who is currently 67 years old, is this. Even though she left the limelight in Hollywood many years ago, her legacy and ageless beauty continue to inspire her devotees.
Are you curious in the former star’s transformation from her bright 1980s days to the present? See how Rachel Ward has changed over the years and how bright she still is, even when she is not in the spotlight.
1980s
the 1990s
the 2000s
2010s
2020s
Rachel departed Hollywood, but she hasn’t disappeared from view entirely. Social media followers remarked on the actress’s continued beauty in one of her tweets in 2020. Even her “The Thorn Birds” days were acknowledged to have been the source of a crush on one fan.
“I was completely smitten with you from Thornbirds to Against All Odds. It said, “You’re the best[sic],” in writing. Someone else said, “You’re [sic] gorgeous ❤️🏝🎄🥂.”
Even after Rachel left Hollywood, her influence on television and unwavering grace still speak to viewers. Her influence endures, from her ascent to fame to her current peaceful existence on the farm.
