Sela Ward
An actress who brought a grounded, intelligent grace to television, winning Emmys for portraying complex women navigating family and career.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American actress·Birthday: July 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sela Ward, a Mississippi native, arrived in New York as a model before finding her true calling in acting. Her breakthrough came not as a glamorous ingenue, but as the pragmatic, sometimes troubled Teddy Reed on the NBC drama 'Sisters,' a role that earned her a Primetime Emmy in 1994. Ward solidified her reputation for portraying emotionally resonant characters with depth as Lily Manning in 'Once and Again,' a performance that netted her a second Emmy and a Golden Globe. She later brought authority to procedural television, leading the cast of 'CSI: NY' as Jo Danville. Off-screen, Ward is a dedicated advocate for children's welfare, co-founding a charity for foster care. Her career is defined by a quiet strength, choosing roles that explore the nuanced realities of women's lives.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Sela was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sela Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Sela's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994 for her role in 'Sisters'.
- Received a second Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her leading role in 'Once and Again'.
- Served as the lead actress, playing Jo Danville, on the CBS police procedural 'CSI: NY' for three seasons.
- Co-founded Hope Village for Children, a residential community for Mississippi children removed from their homes.
- Authored the book 'Homesick: A Memoir', which became a New York Times bestseller.
Did You Know?
She was crowned Miss University of Alabama while studying art and advertising.
She turned down the role of Vivian Ward in 'Pretty Woman', which later went to Julia Roberts.
Her first major acting job was a commercial for Maybelline, where she was the 'Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's Maybelline' model.
She is an accomplished painter and had her artwork featured in a solo exhibition.
She was offered a role on 'Cheers' as Rebecca Howe but declined; the part went to Kirstie Alley.
“I think the key is for women not to set any limits.”
