Rachel Ward starred in one of the most popular television mini-series of all time, but said it was her work on “The Thorn Birds” that ultimately drove her from acting.
Speaking at an event in Hollywood this weekend, Ward said that critical reviews of the beloved mini-series led her to leave acting as a profession and become a director instead. Ward said after seeing the negative reviews she “didn’t have the self-confidence” to continue acting, Access Hollywood reported.
“When I got slaughtered, I really took it to heart,” Rachel Ward was quoted in Hollywood Reporter. “I never really got my confidence back after that.”
The experience didn’t get her to leave acting entirely. Rachel Ward has still made a number of appearances, mostly in television movies and mini-series.
Rachel Ward reunited with her “The Thorn Birds” co-star Richard Chamberlain this weekend in Hollywood. Ward starred as Meggie Cleary in the ABC miniseries, a woman who got between Father Richard de Bricassar and the church. Though the two shared the screen in the wildly popular series, Chamberlain said they only saw each other one time since its 1983 debut.
“We did run into each other very briefly in an airport in Thailand,” Richard said at the “Pioneers of Television” Season 3 presentation during the Television Critics Association summer tour in Beverly Hills. “We were working on the same project, but we didn’t have scenes together. Rachel was just leaving town and I was just coming in and we met in the airport for about 10 minutes and it was so great to see you.”
“The Thorn Birds” was the second-most watched miniseries in television history, following only “Roots.” The 10-hour miniseries drew more than 35 million viewers per episode, Access Hollywood reported.
Though it may have been bad reviews from “The Thorn Birds” that ultimately drove her from acting, the experience at least wasn’t all bad for Rachel Ward. She married her on-screen husband, Luke O’Neill, played by actor Bryan Brown.
I thought Rachel was great in "Against All Odds" with Jeff Bridges, James Wood and Alex Karas. The scenes filmed.
in the Mayan ruins were very well done. Besides, Rachel is cute!
I thought Rachel was great in "Against All Odds" with Jeff Bridges, James Wood and Alex Karas. The scenes filmed.
in the Mayan ruins were very well done. Besides, Rachel is cute!
I cannot believe Rachel Ward ever got bad reviews for her acting. I was in awe of her character in Thorn Birds. I thought she was excellent. I never saw her as acting a part. She WAS Meggie Cleary. No one else could of done the justice playing that role. Her and Richard were soulmates on screen. The movie was a masterpiece.
Those bastards! Rachael was hot! Thanks, dickheads!
my very favorite Mini Series…. Rachel Ward , you were flaw less!
wow, bad reviews, the reviewers are morons!
She was great in everything I saw her do! By the by, pretty sure she could coax water out of a glass!
Had the hots for her since "Sharkey's Machine."
I thought she was wonderful in that part. Loved that mini-series.
That show creeped me out!
I always thought she was quite lovely. THE THORN BIRDS was a hard role for anyone to pull off. I wonder how many of the critics actually read the book.
She was undoubtedly the BEST ACTRESS for the part of MEGGIE. I LOVE HER and Richard Chamberlain. I have the movie on VHS Ttapes and on a DVD. Never in my life have I loved any mini series as I did this one. I read the book at least three times. I was glued to my TV when it first aired. I do think with all the VIOLENT shows, this might be a good time to show it again. I would watch over and over every time I could.
She was undoubtedly the BEST ACTRESS for the part of MEGGIE. I LOVE HER and Richard Chamberlain. I have the movie on VHS Ttapes and on a DVD. Never in my life have I loved any mini series as I did this one. I read the book at least three times. I was glued to my TV when it first aired. I do think with all the VIOLENT shows, this might be a good time to show it again. I would watch over and over every time I could.
Loved that movie too. She was amazing there. I think Rachel was just an intimidating woman for that era. She was strong and independent and men were still uncomfortable with that.
I though Rachel was awesome! I never knew she got such bad reviews.. The chemistry between her and Richard was awesome.
I loved Rachel Ward in the Thorn Birds…..I LOVED the Thorn Birds, Period! She shouldn't have listen to the critics! they were WRONG!
Could it of been more that Dick is gay?
It was RALPH de Bricassart, not Richard – careless 'journalism'!
I enjoyed both the book and the movie…
I remember reading an excerpt years ago in COSMOPOLITAN. They used to have a great fiction section, but that's when Helen Gurley Brown was still the editor. She really took pride in the editorial content of the magazine. Anyway, my mother ended up ordering the book, then allowed me to borrow it, I lent it to a college friend, etc. It definitely made the rounds.