Do you remember Meggie Cleary from The Thorn Birds? Here’s what she looks like today at 68.

Even decades later, The Thorn Birds is still regarded as one of the most memorable television miniseries ever produced.

Rachel Ward: An Unexpected Choice for Meggie Cleary

Rachel Ward’s casting as Meggie Cleary was not an obvious decision at first. Producers spent months searching for the right actress, fully aware that the role required extraordinary range.

Meggie Cleary had to age from a romantic and innocent young woman into a hardened, reflective figure shaped by loss, sacrifice, and regret. According to producer Stan Margulies, the role demanded emotional versatility rarely found in a single performer.

“She has to go from 18 to her early 50s,” Margulies explained at the time. “From a naïve young girl to a bitter woman, and finally to someone who understands where her life changed course.”

More than 200 women were considered for the role, and around 40 actresses auditioned. When Ward finally auditioned, she didn’t approach it with theatrical exaggeration. Instead, her performance was understated and natural.