The Thorn Birds star Rachel Ward made headlines on Monday after she hit back at trolls who criticised her appearance when they discovered she is 68.
It was a surprise move for the actress, who away from the spotlight lives a wholesome life on her farm in New South Wales Australia with husband Bryan Brown, 78.
In a true happily ever after love story, the couple met on set of The Thorn Birds back in 1983 and have now been married over 40 years.
In the iconic miniseries Rachel’s character Meggie was trapped in a love triangle between Richard Chamberlain’s character Ralph, and Bryan’s character Luke.
And the chemistry off set was also undeniable, with both crediting an instant sexual attraction to what initially drew them together.
Reflecting on their instant sexual chemistry back in 2019, Rachel teased: ‘He had nice pecs. I mean, you know, it’s pretty chemical, isn’t it? It’s pretty basic.’
The Thorn Birds’ Rachel Ward’s four-decade love story with co-star Bryan Brown as couple reveal what first sparked their romance and the secret to their long lasting marriage (pictured on Thorn Birds in 1983)
The actress made headlines on Monday after she hit back at trolls who criticised her appearance after they discovered she is 68 years old
She added: ‘There’s not much thought goes into it. I fancied him. You know, that was about it.’
When asked who made the first move, Rachel couldn’t resist throwing her husband under the bus.
‘He as slow as a wet week. Really took forever. I think I probably did,’ she said.
Bryan insisted he was just being a ‘cunning Aussie bloke’ in taking his time and keeping her keen.
‘And before they know it, they’re hooked!’ the legendary actor joked.
The couple tied the knot just a few months after meeting and went on to have three children, Rosie, Matilda and Joseph and are also grandparents to Matilda’s children Zan and Anouk.
They now live on their beef cattle farm in the Nambucca Valley and have been married over 40 years.
In a Mirror interview in 2022 Bryan said: ‘It’s amazing to think Rachel and I have been married almost 40 years. You cannot underestimate how huge the show was all over the world.
‘But whatever work opportunities came from that, I will always be more grateful to it for my 40-year marriage and family.’
The chemistry off set was also undeniable, with both accrediting an instant sexual attraction to what initially drew them together (pictured on the show)
The couple tying the knot just a few months after meeting and went on to have three children, Rose, Matilda and Joseph (pictured at their wedding)
Despite being together for four decades, the pair insist they are not co-dependent and they both do their own thing within the family set up (pictured in 1999 with Rosie and Matilda)
Discussing the instant attraction on set he joked he used to read her palm and accurately predicted she would have three children, teasing: ‘Yes, I did say that but I didn’t say they would be mine!’
Despite being together for four decades, the pair insist they are not co-dependent and they both do their own thing within the family set up.
While Rachel has dedicated herself to the farm, and has even created her own documentary, Rachel’s Farm, Bryan has been away filming or spending time at their city home.
Speaking in an interview with Women’s Weekly back in 2024 she explained: ‘I find that I am good on my own. He’s fine on his own, too. I think it’s pretty healthy after 40 years of marriage to have some time apart. We’re quite independent of each other.’
They say opposites attract, and the pair couldn’t have come from more different upbringings.
While Bryan is a working class boy from South West Sydney, Rachel came from upper class England and was raised in the Cotswolds.
‘I grew up in a world that was very hedonistic, and I wasn’t sure what my family’s values were. My father would vote for a system that benefited him, never for a system that served civic society. So, when I met Bryan, he had very strong values, from his mum, from being Catholic, voting Labor, he was a very moral man and I loved that.’
Reflecting on their instant sexual chemistry back in 2019, Rachel teased: ‘He had nice pecs. I mean, you know, it’s pretty chemical, isn’t it? It’s pretty basic ‘ (Pictured in 2018)
‘He had nice pecs. I fancied him!’ Rachel Ward (right) told the Sunday Night program that ‘not much thought’ went into her instant attraction to her Thorn Birds co-star and now-husband Bryan Brown (left) when they met in 1983. Pictured in 2019
Before meeting Rachel, Bryan had never even considered marriage after his father walked out when he was young, leaving his mother to single handedly raise him and his sister.
Yet within just a few months of meeting Rachel he proposed. At first first she was unsure, replying: ‘I don’t know, can’t you ask me again later?’.
However when he said, ‘maybe not’, Rachel agreed and was excited to embark on a life in Australia.
It was decided the pair would make Oz their home after Rachel realised Bryan could never live anywhere else, and she didn’t have strong feelings about staying in England.
While it was hard for her living so far from home, Matilda has said Bryan acted as her mother’s pillar of support.
‘I’ve got a darkness in me,’ explained Rachel, ‘and Bryan’s got an eternal lightness in him. It’s maybe why we are attracted. It balances us in a way.’
The pair Oz their home after Rachel realised Bryan could never live anywhere else, and she didn’t have strong feelings about staying in England (Bryan with granddaughter Anouk)
While it was hard for her living so far from home, Matilda has said Bryan acted as her mother’s pillar of support (Rachel pictured with Matilda and grandson Zan)
Recently Rachel hit back at trolls who shared cruel comments after she shared a video promoting her ethical meat initiative Farmthru.
‘I read she’s 68. Looks way older! I’m 62 and can’t believe she’s only a few years older than me,’ one wrote, while another offered a similarly cutting: ‘OMG what the hell happened to u? U were so pretty???’
Another critic claimed that Rachel’s appearance was due to ‘years of neglect’.
Several followers leapt to Rachel’s defence, with one saying: ‘For god’s sake, horrible comments – she was, is beautiful and doing an incredible job.’
Replying to the comment, Rachel said that she felt sorry for those who were critical of her appearance in the clip.
‘Thanks, you dear lady, coming to my defence,’ Rachel wrote.
‘I just feel sorry for those poor souls who fear ageing so much. They will learn that it’s ultimate freedom as a woman to let youth and beauty go.
‘It was lovely while it lasted, but so much more to life. You can’t know its pleasures until you get there.’
