Rachel Ward has shared her thoughts on ageing after becoming the centre of an online firestorm over her grey hair. The 68-year-old British-born Australian actress left internet trolls stunned late last year after appearing in an Instagram video, where she proudly sported white locks and a Botox-free visage that showed her years.
Defiant Response to Criticism
The screen icon was defiant during Monday's episode of Australian Story, revealing that being called 'old and decrepit' online has only added to her popularity. Rachel joked that 'the more wretched I look, the more followers I have' before explaining that she has become a symbol for wider social issues.
'I was a catalyst for a larger conversation. I think people have been challenged (because) women weren't allowed to have wrinkles, weren't allowed to go grey,' the Peter Rabbit star said. 'Why do we feel that we've got to pretend that we're still 40 when we're 68?' she asked.
From Sex Symbol to Symbol of Freedom
The star, who was a sex symbol and pin-up in the 1980s, believes that the public hasn't seen much of her in recent years, and some may have been startled by the contrast between her appearance now, as an older woman, and how she looked in her youth. 'A few trolls were a bit shocked about my grey hair. They maybe haven't seen me since I was 24, and they went, "Oh my god, that's what you end up looking like."'
Rachel said that much of her career was defined by how men wanted her to look, and she's now free of those constraints. 'I went to Hollywood in 1982, and everything was about sexuality. It was all about the sex scenes. It was all about the male gaze,' she said. 'It's very empty and very unsatisfying. It took me a long time to feel that I had value as a woman.'
The Thorn Birds star revealed that she is now more confident in herself than ever. 'I'm so past caring what people think about one's appearance or age. I love this part of life. I'm more content now than I've ever been,' she said.
The Online Furore
The furore began in December, when Rachel made a seemingly innocuous social media post, in which she was simply showing her grey hair, and was met with some cruel comments from followers. 'I read she's 68. Looks way older! I'm 62 and can't believe she's only a few years older than me,' one person commented. Another offered a similarly cutting comment: 'OMG what the hell happened to u? U were so pretty???' Another critic claimed that Rachel's appearance was due to 'years of neglect'.
Rachel responded: 'I just feel sorry for those poor souls who fear ageing so much. They will learn that it's ultimate freedom as a woman to let youth and beauty go.'
Life Down Under
Born in the UK, Rachel relocated permanently after marrying fellow acting icon Bryan Brown in 1983. The couple met on the set of the mini-series The Thorn Birds, and went on to have three children – Rosie, 42, Matilda, 39, and Joe, 34.
