Jul 11, 1956

Meridian, Mississippi, USA

<p>Sela Ward was born July 11, 1956, in Meridian, Mississippi. The oldest of 4 children -- with a sister and 2 brothers -- Sela (pronounced See-lah, it's an abbreviated form of Hallelujah) is the daughter of an electrical engineer and a homemaker. Her childhood was nothing short of ordinary for a beautiful girl growing up in the South. While a student at the University of Alabama, where Sela Ward studied art and advertising, Sela was also a cheerleader for the football team, a sorority sister, a...</p> ... (read more...) nd was elected homecoming queen. With her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sela Ward headed to New York to pursue a career in advertising, but after the striking, statuesque brunette was encouraged to become a model, she decided to try her hand at modeling. Now on the other side of the advertising spectrum as a Wilhelmina Model, Sela appeared in television commercials, for products such as Pepsi and Maybelline. After gaining experience in more than 20 commercials, Sela dropped advertising and moved to Los Angeles to become an actress -- and lengthen her screen time.<p>Sela Ward made her debut in the 1983 television series Emerald Point N.A.S., and that year, she landed a role opposite Burt Reynolds in The Man Who Loved Women, which helped her star to gradually rise. Sela was doing the TV rounds in shows like L.A. Law, Night Court and Cameo By Night, as well as films such as Nothing In Common, Steele Justice and Hello Again. Sela's big break finally arrived in 1991, when Sela Ward was cast as one of 4 sisters in the NBC comedy/drama, Sisters. As alcoholic mother and fashion designer Teddy Reed, Sela became a household name among the show's many viewers. Sela also took home the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. Sela Ward did double duty while starring as Teddy; she appeared in the made-for-TV movies Double Jeopardy, Killer Rules, and starred as the title character in Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story, for which she took home the Cable Ace Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries. She also appeared as Harrison Ford's wife in the 1993 blockbuster, The Fugitive.</p><p>After her 6-year stint in Sisters, Sela co-starred with Ryan Phillippe and Salma Hayek in 54, and had a bit part in the Julia Roberts romantic comedy, Runaway Bride. Sela auditioned to be a Bond Girl, but was deemed too old for the part no matter, Sela had other opportunities in the pipeline. It was back to the television series for Sela Ward which seems to be her forte, when she was cast as Lily Manning Sammler in the dramatic series, Once and Again. Sela has already picked up an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2000 and a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama in 2001, and the show is still seeing high ratings on ABC. You probably also recognize her as the classy woman in the Sprint commercials. Sela Ward has been a girlfriend once and again; she dated MacGyver's Richard Dean Anderson from 1983 until 1986; was engaged to actor Peter Weller until 1990; and is currently married to real-estate executive Howard Sherman, since 1992. She recently starred in the much anticipated sequel to Dirty Dancing, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Ward has also released her first book, Homesick, which appeared on The New York Times bestseller list. Part inspirational story, part memoir, the book tells Ward's quest for a balance of the comforts of her small-town childhood and her big-city way of life.</p>