Former actress and model Rachel Ward has issued a gloriously defiant response to online trolls who criticised her appearance this week, after she posted a natural, unedited video of herself on social media. The 68-year-old star of the iconic 1980s miniseries The Thorn Birds is embracing her age with grey hair, spectacles, and a relaxed attitude to skincare, and says she "couldn't care less" about the negative comments.
A Catalyst for a Necessary Conversation
Speaking exclusively from her cattle farm in the Australian Outback, Ward told the Daily Mail that the viral reaction to her video had "touched a nerve." She believes the incident has sparked an important debate about the pressures women face to cling to their youth. "Women fear being judged and criticised for ageing naturally," she said. "They feel they have to hang on to their youth and are resorting to rather drastic ways of doing it. But let it go!"
The backlash began after Ward shared a casual video, looking, in her own words, "just what she is." Keyboard warriors were quick to attack, with one asking "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, DEAR GOD?" and another claiming she looked "ravaged." Ward's response was one of utter indifference. "The trolls absolutely didn't ruffle my feathers. If you expose yourself online, you have to expect it, don't you?" she stated.
Liberation in Grey Hair and a Life on the Farm
Ward, who has been married to Australian actor Bryan Brown, 78, for over 40 years, ditched her hair dye just before Christmas. Her daughter, Matilda, then cut her hair into a pixie crop with nail scissors. While her husband was initially hesitant about her going grey, Ward finds it "liberating." "I'm not in the entertainment industry. I don't have to look good on camera any more," she explained.
Her life now revolves around the demanding physical work of running an 800-acre regenerative cattle farm in New South Wales with her son, Joe. Fitness, she says, is her only real vanity, born of necessity. "I need to keep slim because I have to be fit to run the farm," she said, detailing tasks like climbing ladders and rounding up cattle. She is a passionate advocate for sustainable farming and even caught the attention of Jeremy Clarkson with her BBC film, Rachel's Farm.
From Aristocratic Upbringing to Defiant Self-Acceptance
Reflecting on her past, Ward revealed she was raised with the belief that women were "second-class citizens" whose primary value was their beauty. Her aristocratic father, Peter Ward, son of the 3rd Earl of Dudley, told her, "You're a very pretty girl. You'll be able to marry a rich man. Why do you want an education?" This background, she admits, damaged her confidence for years.
Her career, which spanned modelling for Vogue and a Golden Globe-winning acting role, was often fraught with pressure over her appearance. "At 40, I had it all: Botox, fillers. I was in front of the camera and my regret is, I didn't realise I was beautiful. I was so self-critical," she confessed. Now, she urges women to reject that insecurity. "A lot of women think they're not good enough. They bloody are!"
Despite the initial trolling, Ward was heartened by a "tsunami of lovely comments" from Daily Mail readers and others praising her natural look. Her final message is one of celebration, not fear. "Do not fear ageing... later years are to be exalted and welcomed," she said. "You wait until you get there!"
