|
|
|
|
| Birth Name(s) : Sela Ann Ward |
Date of Birth: N/A |
| Status:
Single
|
Partner:
Howard Sherman (May 23, 1992 - present) 2 children |
| Profession:
N/A |
| << Add Sela Ward To Your Favorites |
|
Full Sela Ward Biography
Sela Ann Ward (IPA: /ˈsiːlə ˈwɔrd/) (born July 11, 1956) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning television roles as free-spirited Teddy Reed on Sisters (1991-96) and single mother Lily Manning on Once and Again (1999-2002). She is also noted for her portrayal of Richard Kimble's murdered wife in the Oscar-nominated film version of The Fugitive.
Ward, the eldest of four children, was born in Meridian, Mississippi to Annie Kate, a housewife who died of ovarian cancer in 2002, and Granberry Holland Ward, an electrical engineer. She attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where she performed as one of the Crimson Tide cheerleaders, was homecoming queen, joined Chi Omega sorority, and double-majored in art and advertising.
Ward also won a CableACE Award for her portrayal of the late television journalist Jessica Savitch in the 1995 TV movie Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story. But capitalizing on her accolades proved difficult as they coincided with a surge in films and programming marketed primarily at teenagers. A 39-year-old Ward was passed over for a Bond girl role, learning that even though then-Bond Pierce Brosnan was 42, the casting director said "What we really want is Sela, but Sela ten years ago". In response, she developed and produced a documentary, The Changing Face of Beauty, about American obsession with youth and its effect on women.
Ward succeeded actress Candice Bergen as commercial spokesperson for Sprint's long distance telephone service from 1999 until 2002, when landline long distance promotions fell out of favor. She also appeared on Frasier as supermodel/zoologist Kelly Easterbrook in the fifth season opener ("Frasier's Imaginary Friend"). When she read for the role of Lily Brooks Manning on the series Once and Again, its creators (Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz of thirtysomething fame) initially deemed Ward "too beautiful" for the average single mother to identify with. After landing the part, she received her second lead actress Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for her efforts.
In 2004 she played the role of female Private Investigator, Bobbi Bacha of Blue Moon Investigations, in the made for TV Movie Suburban Madness, the story of the dentist that ran over her cheating orthodontist husband with her Mercedes. In 2005, she began a recurring role in the series House as Stacy Warner, the hospital's former attorney who happens to be the ex-partner of the protagonist, Dr. Gregory House (played by British actor Hugh Laurie).
Ward was originally offered the role of Megan Donner on CSI:Miami and Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives, but turned both down. The parts later went to Kim Delaney and Teri Hatcher, respectively. Ward says she does not want another lead role in an hour-long series due to the time away from her family it would require. She developed and produced a pilot for a half-hour situation comedy (in which she would also star) for CBS' 2006 season but it was not selected by the network for its roster.
Ward dated football standout and future Miami Dolphin Bob Baumhower while at the University of Alabama. She presently provides narration for the university's nationally-televised commercials. Since 1992, she has been married to venture capitalist Howard Sherman; they have two children, Austin (b. 1994) and Anabella (b. 1998).
After meeting two foster children during a holiday trip home to Mississippi in 1997, Ward decided to meet a broader need for abused and neglected children by initiating and partially funding the creation of an emergency shelter for those awaiting placement in foster homes. Housed on a 30-acre property once used as a Masonic orphanage, Hope Village for Children opened in Ward's hometown of Meridian in January 2002 and is intended to serve as a pilot for a nationwide network of similar shelters. In 2005, Hope Village provided shelter for more than 140 children in need.
A business district portion of 22nd Avenue in Meridian (from 6th Street to the I-20 interchange) has been named Sela Ward Parkway in Ward's honor. |
|
|
| Add Sela Ward Biography (SuperUSERS) + |
| Add Sela Ward Review/Comment
|
HQ Sela Ward Pictures (3) | Random Sela Ward Picture
|
| << Back to the Sela Ward Homepage |
|
