Sela Ward
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1956, Sela Ward graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in fine art and advertising. She moved to New York City and began working as a storyboard artist, but when she was recruited to be a model it was too tempting to turn down. After modeling for print and TV campaigns, Ward moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Her first role came in the Blake Edwards comedy "The Man Who Loved Women" (1983) staring Burt Reynolds and Julie Andrews. The same year, she landed her first series regular role on "Emerald Point N.A.S." (CBS, 1983-84), chronicling life on a military base. When that show was cancelled after one season, Ward continued to work, playing supporting roles in films like "Nothing in Common" (1986) starring Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason and TV series such as "L.A. Law" (NBC, 1986-1994). In 1991, she began her starring role on the on the series "Sisters" (NBC, 1991-96), for which she earned her first Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. Ward continued to play supporting roles in features as well, memorably playing the murdered wife of Harrison Ford's Richard Kimble in the hit film adaptation of "The Fugitive" (1993). In 1996, Ward was nominated for another Emmy, when she played the title character in the TV Movie "Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story" (Lifetime, 1996). Two more nominations and one victory came when she played the lead role in the drama "Once and Again" (ABC, 1999-2002). She played a substantial recurring role on the medical drama "House" (Fox, 2004-2012) and a major part on "CSI: NY" (CBS, 2004-2013). Supporting roles in the films "Gone Girl" (2014) and "Independence Day: Resurgence" (2016) were followed by a series regular role in the political drama "Graves" (Epix, 2016-17) starring Nick Nolte as a former President of the United States.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1983
Moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting
1983
Feature acting debut in Blake Edwards' remake of "The Man Who Loved Women"
1983
Appeared in first series regular role "Emerald Point N.A.S."
1986
Featured as Tom Hanks's love interest in Garry Marshall's "Nothing in Common"
1987
Co-starred with Shelley Long in the supernatural comedy, "Hello, Again"
1987
Starred in the TV-movies "Cameo by Night" (NBC) and "The King of Love" (ABC)
1989
Cast as the titlular heiress in the USA TV-movie, "The Haunting of Sarah Hardy"
1990
Appeared in the "Christine Cromwell" mystery telepic, "In Vino Veritas" (ABC)
1991
First appeard on "Sisters" as a series lead
1991
Starred in the USA Network thriller, "Child of Darkness, Child of Light"
1992
Played a lawyer defending her husband's ex-lover charged with murder in the Showtime drama, "Double Jeopardy"
1993
Played murder victim Helen Kimble, the wife of Harrison Ford's falsely accused Dr Richard Kimble, in the feature adaptation of "The Fugitive"
1995
Received praise for her portrayal of TV anchorwoman Jessica Savitch in the Lifetime movie, "Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story"
1997
Starred in the Showtime drama, "Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Women"
1998
Featured in "54," a nostalgic portrait of a New York City disco club famous in the late 1970s
1999
Had a cameo in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy, "Runaway Bride"
1999
First appeared on "Once and Again" as a series lead
2000
Had leading role and served as executive produer of the CBS TV-movie, "Catch a Falling Star"
2002
Published her autobiography, <i>Homesick: A Memoir</i>
2002
Co-starred with Billy Bob Thornton and Patricia Arquette in "The Badge"
2004
Portrayed private investigator, Bobbi Bacha of Blue Moon Investigations, in the CBS TV movie "Suburban Madness"
2004
Played Dennis Quaid's wife in Roland Emmerich's "The Day After Tomorrow"
2004
Played the mother in "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights"
2005
Had a recurring role on the FOX drama "House" as Stacy Warner, the hospital's former attorney
2006
Played Kevin Costner's wife in "The Guardian"
2009
Co-starred in the remake of "The Stepfather"
Family
Companions
