This is the 6th post in the May edition of the RANDOM Magazine.
Today I'll tell you all about the gorgeous "porcelain doll" model-turned-actress Gemma Ward.
Full Name: Gemma Louise Ward
Nickname: Gem
Age: 24
Birth date: November 3, 1987
Born in: Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Parents: Gary and Claire Ward
Siblings: Sophie, Oscar, and Henry Ward
Height: 5'9.5"
Trade Mark: Blond hair, big blue-Green eyes, pert nose, luminous complexion, and "doll-like" look.
Known for: Being a successful model-turned-actress
Early Life
Gemma Ward was born on November 3, 1987 in Perth, Western Australia to Gary and Claire Ward. She has 3 siblings, Sophie, her older sister(also a model), and her younger twin brothers Oscar and Henry. She studied in Presbyterian Ladies' College and Shenton College. She was the family clown and ever since she was cast to play witch in her school play of Hansel and Gretel when she was 10, she had a passion for acting.
She didn't want to become a model, she was discovered in 2002 at 14 totally accidentally! She was just accompanying her friends to the Australian modelling competition Search for a Supermodel. She said in a Teen Vogue interview :
"I had come straight from auntie and uncle's farm and I was wearing this big gray barn jacket with mud all over it. When the scout came up to me, I said, 'No, thank you.' They forged my mum's signature, and pushed me in front of the cameras."
She didn't win, but her unique look got the attention of a spotter from Vivien's Modelling Agency who made her a show reel. The reel ended up on the desk of David Cunningham, an ace modelling scout of IMG models.
Modelling Career
It Girl (2004-2007)
In May 2003 at 15 she was in Australian Fashion Week, and within a year, she was in Italy meeting Miucca Prada of Prada.
In September 2004 at 16, she became the youngest model to appear in American Vogue as one of the 9 Models of the Moment.
In February 2005 she appeared in no less than 20 New York shows earning $20, 000 per show. At 17, she was the face of Calvin Klein's Obsession Night perfume billboards. At spring 2005 she was on the cover of TIME Magazine, and in September 2005 she was on the cover of Vogue China.
By 2006 she became the biggest Australian Supermodel since Elle McPherson. At 18, she was the first model to appear in Teen Vogue Magazine ever. Ward was featured in 60 Minutes, an Australian television program as the "It Girl". She was earning $25, 000 per runway show. In Allure Magazine October 2006 she was described as "Model of the Moment" and "She is an exotic blond, rarest of creatures."
In July 2007 she earned an estimated of $3 M in the past year, Forbes named her 10th of the World's Top Earning Supermodels. In October she was on the cover of the first ever Vogue India. She was named one of the top 30 models of the 2000's by Vogue Paris.
Retirement (2008-present)
In August 2008 she was reported retired from modelling to pursue acting. She didn't walk the runway since Spring 2008 and last modelled in the cover of October 2008 Spanish Marie Claire.
In November 2009, She officially announced retiring from the modelling industry.
At January 20011, after avoiding the spotlight for 3 years, she opened up in an interview for The Sunday Telegraph explaining her break was something spurred by Heath's Death.
Her first pictorial in years was Australia's Sunday Telegraph Magazine for the February 6 2011 edition.
Acting Career
She wanted to pursue acting since she was a child and here was her shot! She starred in The Black Balloon in 2008. She was also cast in The Strangers as one of the masked intruders " Doll Face".
After 3 years out of the spotlight she was in the production The Ugly One. She was also cast as Tamara in Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides.
She is just recently cast in The Great Gatsby.
CLUE: She has numerous awards: 16 Grammy Awards, 11 MTV Music Awards, 4 American Music Awards, a Billboard Millennium Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed!
Love, Hannah...<3
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