Veteran actress Rachel Ward has delivered a powerful rebuke to online trolls who targeted her appearance with cruel, ageist comments. The 68-year-old star, best known for her role in The Thorn Birds, was promoting her ethical meat venture, Farmthru, on Instagram last month when the negative remarks began.
A Seemingly Innocuous Post Attracts Cruelty
Rachel Ward, who runs a 350-head beef cattle farm in New South Wales' Nambucca Valley with her husband, actor Bryan Brown, 78, was simply thanking customers for their support throughout 2025. However, the post was met with a barrage of unpleasant comments focusing on her looks.
One follower wrote, 'I read she's 68. Looks way older! I'm 62 and can't believe she's only a few years older than me,' while another added, 'OMG what the hell happened to u? U were so pretty???' A particularly harsh critic, claiming to be from the beauty industry, labelled her appearance as 'pure neglect', citing sun damage and other factors.
Ward's Graceful and Philosophical Response
While many followers leapt to her defence, praising her natural beauty and authenticity, it was Ward's own reply that captured the dignified essence of her stance. Thanking a supporter, she wrote, '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.'
She added a poignant reflection on life's phases, stating, 'It was lovely while it lasted, but so much more to life. You can’t know its pleasures until you get there.' This perspective was widely praised by fans who found her approach to ageing gracefully refreshing in an era of cosmetic enhancements.
From Screen Icon to Regenerative Farmer
The incident has shone a light on Ward's life beyond acting. She and Bryan Brown took over their beef farm in 1986. Following the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019, they shifted to regenerative farming practices, a journey documented in her 2023 film, Rachel's Farm.
Born in the UK, Ward moved permanently to Australia after marrying Brown in 1983. The couple met on the set of The Thorn Birds and have three children: Rosie, 42, Matilda, 39, and Joe, 34. In a 2019 interview, Ward humorously recalled their instant chemistry, noting Brown's 'nice pecs' and admitting she likely made the first move because he was 'slow as a wet week'.
Her response to the trolls underscores a life lived fully, embracing both her celebrated past and her purposeful present on the land.
