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

“It was tragedy after tragedy,” he said. “No one really won—but the characters were unforgettable.”

Self-Doubt Behind the Success

Despite public praise, Ward struggled privately with self-doubt. She had not followed a traditional acting school path, and some critics questioned her casting. A review from The New York Times described her as “miscast,” a criticism that deeply affected her.

“I felt terribly like I’d disappointed everyone,” Ward later admitted. “I felt the show succeeded despite me.”

Years later, her perspective changed. When her grown daughter watched The Thorn Birds and told her, “Mom, you were fabulous,” it became one of the most meaningful validations Ward ever received.

Looking back, Ward acknowledges that acting styles have evolved and that her natural approach may have clashed with expectations at the time.

Love Found Behind the Scenes

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