RachelClaireWard,AM(born12September1957)isanEnglish-bornAustralian[1]actress,filmdirector,televisiondirector,andscreenwriter. In2009,shedirectedherfirstfeature-lengthfilmtitledBeautifulKate,adaptedbyWardfroma1982NewtonThornburgnovel,andpremieredattheSydneyFilmFestival.