Sela Ward

Sela Ward

Born: July 11, 1956
in Meridian, Mississippi, USA
Sela Ward (born July 11, 1956) is an American movie and television actress, producer, author, and former model.

She moved to California to pursue acting and landed her first film role in the 1983 Burt Reynolds vehicle The Man Who Loved Women. Her first regular role in a TV drama series, as a socialite on Dennis Weaver's short-lived CBS series, Emerald Point N.A.S., followed in the same year. Ward continued to land guest roles in both TV and movies throughout the 1980s, most notably opposite Tom Hanks in Nothing in Common (1986).

In 1991, she was cast as Teddy Reed on Sisters, for which she received her first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. She portrayed Helen Kimble, the wife of Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), in The Fugitive, one of the top films of 1993. Ward won a CableACE Award for her portrayal of the late TV journalist Jessica Savitch in the 1995 TV movie Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story, which remains Lifetime's most watched TV movie to date.

In 1995, she 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 Candice Bergen as commercial spokesperson for Sprint's long distance phone service (1999-2002). She also appeared on Frasier as supermodel/ zoologist Kelly Easterbrook in the 5th season opener ("Frasier's Imaginary Friend").

When she read for the role of Lily Brooks Manning on the ABC drama series Once and Again (1999–2002), its creators (Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz of thirtysomething fame) initially deemed her "too beautiful" for the average single mother to identify with. Ward received her 2nd lead actress Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama

In 2004, she played the a private investigator in the TV movie Suburban Madness and she also appeared in the feature film The Day After Tomorrow with Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal.

In 2005, she landed a recurring role in the Fox series House as Stacy Warner, the hospital's attorney and formidable ex-partner of the protagonist Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), until her character was written off the show in 2006.

She was originally offered both the role of Megan Donner on CSI: Miami and Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives, but turned both down. She was reluctant to commit to another lead role in an hour-long series because of the time away from her family it would require.

Although she was on a brief hiatus from TV, she continued to appear in feature films. She starred opposite Kevin Costner in The Guardian in 2006 and starred in the thriller The Stepfather in 2009.

In July 2010, she signed on to star in CSI: NY at the start of the 7th season and remained until the 9th and final season'. She appeared as newswoman Sharon Schieber in Gone Girl (2014), and co-starred as the President of the United States in Independence Day: Resurgence (2016). She also played the leading role alongside Nick Nolte in the political comedy series Graves. She had a leading role in the crime series FBI (2018) for its' 1st season.

Movies for Sela Ward...

Title: FBI
Character: Dana Mosier
Released: September 25, 2018
Type: TV
The New York office of the FBI brings to bear all their talents, intellect and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep their city and the country safe.
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Title: Graves
Character: Margaret Graves
Released: October 16, 2016
Type: TV
Former two-term President Richard Graves embarks on a Don Quixote-like quest to right the wrongs of his administration and reclaim his legacy 25 years after leaving the White House. His enlightenment takes place just as his wife Margaret Graves decides it’s finally time for her to pursue her own political ambitions.
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Title: Westworld
Character: Juliet
Released: October 2, 2016
Type: TV
A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
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Independence Day: Resurgence
Title: Independence Day: Resurgence
Character: President Lanford
Released: June 22, 2016
Type: Movie
We always knew they were coming back. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.
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Gone Girl
Title: Gone Girl
Character: Sharon Schieber
Released: October 1, 2014
Type: Movie
With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
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Title: Delirium
Released: June 20, 2014
Type: TV
Set in a world where love is deemed illegal and can be eradicated with a special procedure. With 95 days to go until her scheduled treatment, Lena Holoway does the unthinkable, she falls in love.
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The Stepfather
Title: The Stepfather
Character: Susan Harding
Released: October 16, 2009
Type: Movie
Michael Harding returns home from military school to find his mother happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David. As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand. Is he really the man of her dreams or could David be hiding a dark side?
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The Guardian
Title: The Guardian
Character: Helen Randall
Released: September 28, 2006
Type: Movie
A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's 'A' School, where legendary rescue swimmer, Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.
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Title: The Megan Mullally Show
Released: September 18, 2006
Type: TV
The Megan Mullally Show is an American talk show hosted by Megan Mullally that debuted in syndication on September 18, 2006, and was cancelled in January 2007 due to its low ratings. Early promotions for the program featured Mullally as herself and as her Will & Grace character, Karen Walker. The talk show also aired nationally on TBS and was distributed by NBC Universal Television Distribution. Promotional television advertisements featured Mullally standing in front of the title-card attempting to correct the voice-over announcer who throughout the commercial mispronounces her name as "Minnie Minnie Moo Moo" and "Monkey McMonkey" among other names. The first episode featured actor Will Ferrell and Jenny McCarthy.
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Title: House
Character: Stacy Warner
Released: November 16, 2004
Type: TV
Dr. Gregory House, a drug-addicted, unconventional, misanthropic medical genius, leads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton–Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey.
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Suburban Madness
Title: Suburban Madness
Character: Bobbi Bacha
Released: October 4, 2004
Type: Movie
Based on the real story of Clara Harris, the Houston, Texas dentist who made headlines in July 2002 when she killed her adulterous husband by repeatedly running over him with her car.
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Title: CSI: NY
Character: Jo Danville
Released: September 22, 2004
Type: TV
Follow the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers identified as "Crime Scene Investigators".
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Title: The Tony Danza Show
Character: Self
Released: September 13, 2004
Type: TV
The Tony Danza Show was a daytime variety talk show that premiered on September 13, 2004 in syndication and was distributed by Buena Vista Television.
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The Day After Tomorrow
Title: The Day After Tomorrow
Character: Dr. Lucy Hall
Released: May 26, 2004
Type: Movie
After years of increases in the greenhouse effect, havoc is wreaked globally in the form of catastrophic hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, floods and the beginning of a new Ice Age. Paleoclimatologist Jack Hall tries to warn the world while also shepherding to safety his son, trapped in New York after the city is overwhelmed by the start of the new big freeze.
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Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Title: Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Character: Jeannie Miller
Released: February 27, 2004
Type: Movie
In pre-revolution Cuba, Katey Miller is about to defy everyone's expectations. Instead of a parent-approved suitor, Katey is drawn to the sexy waiter, Javier, who spends his nights dancing in Havana's nightclubs. As she secretly learns to dance with Javier, she learns the meanings of love, sensuality and independence.
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Title: On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2004
Type: TV
On Air with Ryan Seacrest is an American syndicated television talk show, which ran from January 12, 2004 through September 17, 2004. It was distributed in the United States and Canada by Twentieth Television.
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The Badge
Title: The Badge
Character: Carla Hardwick
Released: September 7, 2002
Type: Movie
A sheriff begins an investigation into the death of a local transsexual after hearing that high ranking politicians may have been involved. Although he is homophobic, his investigation causes him to be rejected by others, forcing him to seek help from the people he once despised.
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Catch a Falling Star
Title: Catch a Falling Star
Character: Sydney Clarke
Released: March 5, 2000
Type: Movie
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Title: Once and Again
Character: Lily Manning
Released: September 21, 1999
Type: TV
The series depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father.
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Runaway Bride
Title: Runaway Bride
Character: Pretty Bar Woman
Released: July 30, 1999
Type: Movie
Having already left three grooms at the altar, Maggie Carpenter is branded "the runaway bride" by jaded New York journalist Ike Graham. But, after his facts are called into question, Ike races to Maggie's hometown to save his reputation and report on her upcoming fourth trip down the aisle – during which he's convinced she'll run again. Though he's there on a muckraking mission, Ike can't help but fall for this breathtaking heartbreaker.
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Passion's Way
Title: Passion's Way
Character: Anna Leath
Released: July 25, 1999
Type: Movie
Set in early 1900s France, a widow renews a former romantic interest until it is discovered that he has had a past fling with one of her new employees, a nanny. This sets the two women into many well-mannered accusations and conversations, but no modern brawling, and puts him in the middle or possibly on the outside.
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54
Title: 54
Character: Billie Auster
Released: August 28, 1998
Type: Movie
Shane, a Jersey boy with big dreams, crosses the river in hopes of finding a more exciting life at Studio 54. When Steve Rubell, the mastermind behind the infamous disco, plucks Shane from the sea of faces clamoring to get inside his club, Shane not only gets his foot in the door, but lands a coveted job behind the bar – and a front-row seat at the most legendary party on the planet.
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Rescuers: Stories of Courage - Two Women
Title: Rescuers: Stories of Courage - Two Women
Character: Marie-Rose Gineste (segment "Woman on a Bicycle")
Released: October 5, 1997
Type: Movie
First in a series of anthology films dealing with Christians who put their lives on the line to help rescue Jews from the Holocaust. In the first of two short films, "Mamusha," as the Nazis invade her country, a Polish Catholic housekeeper takes under her wing the youngster in the Jewish family for whom she is employed, and shepherds him through WWII in hopes of ultimately getting him repatriated to Palestine. In "Woman on a Bicycle," an unmarried French woman is pressed into service by the church to distribute underground communication pamphlets for the Resistance and ultimately ends up helping the church shelter 19 Jews.
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Title: The New Batman Adventures
Character: Calendar Girl / Page Monroe (voice)
Released: September 13, 1997
Type: TV
The New Batman Adventures is a continuation of the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series. Stories in this series tend to give more focus to Batman's supporting cast, which include fellow crimefighters Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl, among others. The show also features guest stars such as Supergirl, Etrigan, and The Creeper; characters who would later appear with Batman in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.
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Title: The View
Character: Self
Released: August 11, 1997
Type: TV
ABC Daytime's morning chatfest, currently featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Meghan McCain, and Abby Huntsman, discussing the most exciting events of the day. Hot topics in the news, the best experts in their field, celebrity interviews and general entertainment are all part of The View.
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My Fellow Americans
Title: My Fellow Americans
Character: Kaye Griffin
Released: December 20, 1996
Type: Movie
They used to run the country. Now they're running for their lives! Two on-the-lam former Presidents of the United States. Framed in a scandal by the current President and pursued by armed agents, the two squabbling political foes plunge into a desperately frantic search for the evidence that will establish their innocence.
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Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story
Title: Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story
Character: Jessica Savitch
Released: September 4, 1995
Type: Movie
The story of one of America's first female reporters.
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Title: Intimate Portrait
Character: Self
Released: November 14, 1993
Type: TV
Intimate Portrait is a biographical television series on the Lifetime Television cable network focusing on different celebrities, which includes interviews with each subject. Among the people profiled were Grace Kelly, Natalie Wood, Carly Simon, Jackie Kennedy, Katharine Hepburn, Carol Burnett, Tanya Tucker, and Marla Maples.
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Title: Frasier
Character: Kelly Easterbrook
Released: September 16, 1993
Type: TV
After many years spent at the “Cheers” bar, Frasier moves back home to Seattle to work as a radio psychiatrist after his policeman father gets shot in the hip on duty.
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The Fugitive
Title: The Fugitive
Character: Helen Kimble
Released: August 6, 1993
Type: Movie
Wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to death, Richard Kimble escapes from the law in an attempt to find the real killer and clear his name.
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Killer Rules
Title: Killer Rules
Character: Dorothy Wade
Released: January 24, 1993
Type: Movie
Two adoptive brothers -- one a mob hit man, the other a Department of Justice investigator -- who are unaware of each other's existence until they become involved with the same woman, end up in a deadly triangle in this thriller.
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Double Jeopardy
Title: Double Jeopardy
Character: Karen Hart
Released: November 21, 1992
Type: Movie
Jack Hart lives with his lawyer wife and yound daughter and enjoys a wonderful life. Jack's old girlfriend, Lisa, comes into town and they have an affair. Lisa kills her current boyfriend in self-defense and Jack witnesses the whole thing. Lisa goes on trial for murder with Jack's wife as her lawyer. As the movie progresses Lisa's devious side becomes known and make for an interesting conclusion
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Title: Sisters
Character: Teddy Reed
Released: May 11, 1991
Type: TV
Sisters is an Emmy Award-winning television drama. It follows the lives and loves of four close, but very different, sisters of the Reed family living in Winnetka, Illinois.
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Child of Darkness, Child of Light
Title: Child of Darkness, Child of Light
Character: Sister Anne McBain
Released: May 1, 1991
Type: Movie
A Catholic priest is sent to investigate reports of two virgin conceptions. One is about to give birth to the child of God and the other is the child of the Devil and he must decide which one is good and which one is evil before Satan's followers can stop him.
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Rainbow Drive
Title: Rainbow Drive
Character: Laura Demming
Released: January 1, 1990
Type: Movie
A Hollywood multiple murder is investigated by a homicide cop, despite high-placed efforts to cover up the crime.
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The Haunting of Sarah Hardy
Title: The Haunting of Sarah Hardy
Character: Sarah York
Released: May 31, 1989
Type: Movie
Sela Ward stars as beautiful, vulnerable heiress Sarah Hardy, recently wed and returning to her isolated childhood home, The Pines, to claim her vast inheritance. But something – or someone – evil waits there for her. It could be real. Or imagined. Whatever it is , it wants to drive Sarah into madness. And on the other side of madness lies murder. Featuring a tour de force performances by Morgan Fairchild and Polly Bergen, The Haunting of Sarah Hardy is sheer gothic suspense at its most wicked.
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Bridesmaids
Title: Bridesmaids
Character: Caryl
Released: January 1, 1989
Type: Movie
Four very different women, best friends during high school many years earlier, gather in the small town where they grew up for a reunion as bridesmaids in preparation for a wedding for a fifth friend.
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The King of Love
Title: The King of Love
Character: Annie Larkspur
Released: November 19, 1987
Type: Movie
A publishing empire founder discovers that his rise to power was costly.
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Hello Again
Title: Hello Again
Character: Kim Lacey
Released: November 6, 1987
Type: Movie
A suburban housewife chokes to death and is brought back to life by a spell cast by her wacky sister.
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Cameo by Night
Title: Cameo by Night
Character: Jennifer / Cameo
Released: July 12, 1987
Type: Movie
Failed TV pilot about Jennifer, a police secretary who goes undercover as rock fan Cameo to search the music scene for a serial killer who preys upon teens at music venues. Her handler is police detective Bellflower.
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Steele Justice
Title: Steele Justice
Character: Tracy
Released: May 8, 1987
Type: Movie
Steele is ex-cop and Vietnam vet who is determined to bring down Kwan, former South Vietnamese general and now rich and powerful drug lord.
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Title: L.A. Law
Character: Lynette Pierce
Released: September 15, 1986
Type: TV
L.A. Law is an American television legal drama series that ran for eight seasons on NBC from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it contained many of Bochco's trademark features including a large number of parallel storylines, social drama and off-the-wall humor. It reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s, and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights, homophobia, sexual harassment, AIDS, and domestic violence. The series often also reflected social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff. The show was popular with audiences and critics, and won 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run, four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series.
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Nothing in Common
Title: Nothing in Common
Character: Cheryl Ann Wayne
Released: July 29, 1986
Type: Movie
On his way up the corporate ladder, David Basner confronts his greatest challenge: his father.
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Rustlers' Rhapsody
Title: Rustlers' Rhapsody
Character: Colonel's Daughter
Released: May 10, 1985
Type: Movie
A singing cowboy roams the Wild West with his sidekick, dancing horse and fancy wardrobe.
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Title: Night Court
Character: Heather
Released: January 4, 1984
Type: TV
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984 to May 31, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone. It was created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, who had previously worked on Barney Miller in the 1970s and early 1980s.
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The Man Who Loved Women
Title: The Man Who Loved Women
Character: Janet Wainwright
Released: December 18, 1983
Type: Movie
A womanizing sculptor seeks help from a psychiatrist to cure him of his obsession with women.
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Title: Emerald Point N.A.S.
Character: Hilary Adams
Released: September 26, 1983
Type: TV
The lives and trials of the staff and civilian residents of a US naval base.
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Title: Hotel
Released: August 21, 1982
Type: TV
Hotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty. Based on Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel of the same name, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling and set in the elegant and fictitious St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco. Establishing shots of the hotel were filmed in front of The Fairmont San Francisco atop the Nob Hill neighborhood. Episodes followed the activities of passing guests, as well as the personal and professional lives of the hotel staff.