Gemma Ward facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gemma Ward
Ward in San Francisco, 15 March 2007
Born	Gemma Louise Ward (1987-11-03) 3 November 1987 (age 37) Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Occupation	Model, actress
Years active	2003–present
Spouse(s)	David Letts
Children	3
Modeling information
Hair color	Blonde
Eye color	Blue
Agency	IMG Models (New York, Paris, Milan, London, Sydney)

Gemma Louise Ward (born 3 November 1987) is a famous Australian model and actress. She was discovered when she was just 14 years old. At 15, she made her first big fashion show appearance.

Gemma became one of the youngest models to be on the cover of American Vogue magazine. She also appeared on the covers of Teen Vogue and Time. Vogue Paris named her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s. Many people consider Gemma Ward a supermodel.

Besides modeling, Gemma has acted in movies. Her first major film was The Black Balloon in 2008. She also appeared in The Strangers (2008) and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).

Early Life and Discovery

Gemma Ward was born in Perth, Western Australia. She is the second of four children. Her father, Gary, is an Australian doctor, and her mother, Claire, is an English nurse. She has an older sister, Sophie, who also became a model. She also has younger twin brothers, Oscar and Henry.

Gemma went to Presbyterian Ladies' College and Shenton College. She loved acting from a young age. When she was ten, she played the witch in a school play of Hansel and Gretel.

Gemma's start in modeling was a surprise. In 2002, when she was 14, she went with friends to a modeling competition. A scout saw her and was very interested.

She didn't win the competition, but her unique look caught the eye of a scout from Vivien's Model Agency. They made a video of her. This video was then seen by David Cunningham from IMG Models in New York City. He quickly saw her potential. He said she looked like a supermodel even then.

Modeling Career

Becoming a Top Model

At 15, Gemma Ward made her first appearance at Australian Fashion Week in May 2003. Within a year, she was meeting famous designers like Miuccia Prada in Italy. Her fresh look inspired many new models.

In September 2004, at just 16, Gemma became the youngest model on the cover of American Vogue. She was featured with eight other top models. By the end of that year, she had been on the cover of Australian Vogue three times. She also appeared on the covers of British Vogue, Vogue Paris, and Vogue Japan.

Gemma modeling in San Francisco, 2007

In February 2005, Gemma walked in 20 different shows during New York Fashion Week. She worked for designers like Vera Wang and Calvin Klein. At 17, she became the face of Calvin Klein's Obsession Night perfume. She also had big deals with brands like Burberry and Valentino. She appeared in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, and Dior.

Gemma was also on the cover of Vogue Italia and TIME Magazine's Style & Design issue in 2005. In September 2005, she was on the first-ever cover of Vogue China. This issue sold 300,000 copies in just three hours. Her agent said she was considered the No. 2 model in the world.

By 2006, Gemma was Australia's biggest fashion star. At 18, she was the first model to be on the cover of Teen Vogue magazine. She was even featured on the Australian TV show 60 Minutes as an "It Girl". Allure magazine called her "the model of the moment."

In May 2007, Gemma was again on the cover of Vogue Italia. In July, Forbes magazine listed her as one of the world's top-earning supermodels. In October 2007, she appeared on the first cover of Vogue India. Vogue Paris later named her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.

Taking a Break and Coming Back

In 2008, there were rumors that Gemma would stop modeling to focus on acting. She quickly said this was not true. She said she was just taking some time off to rest.

Gemma did not walk in fashion shows for five years after 2008. Her last modeling job before her break was for Spanish Marie Claire in October 2008. In 2009, her agent announced she was retiring, but Gemma again said she would return to modeling.

After three years away from the public eye, Gemma spoke in an interview in 2011. She explained that her break was a time to focus on herself. In 2013, she signed with IMG Models Australia again. This made people think she was planning a comeback.

On 18 September 2014, Gemma Ward officially returned to the runway. She walked in the Prada show during Milan Fashion Week. In December, she was on the 55th Anniversary cover of Australian Vogue. She also became the face of Prada's Spring/Summer 2015 campaign.

In April 2015, Gemma returned to Australian Fashion Week. She also became an ambassador for Coca-Cola Life. In 2016, she was on the cover of Australian Vogue again. She also walked for Calvin Klein menswear. Later that year, she was a guest judge on Australia's Next Top Model.

She was on the July cover of Elle Australia. At the Spring 2019 shows, Gemma walked for Proenza Schouler and Alexander McQueen. She has also appeared in other magazines like Allure and Vogue Italia. Today, she is the face of brands like Hardy Brothers and Zimmermann.

Acting Roles

Gemma Ward has always loved acting since she was a child. She starred in the Australian film The Black Balloon in 2008. In this movie, she played the girlfriend of a boy whose brother has autism. The film won an award at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival.

She also appeared in the thriller movie The Strangers. In this film, she played "Dollface," one of the masked intruders. In 2009, she took acting classes in New York.

After her break, Gemma made her stage debut in 2011. She was in a play called The Ugly One in Perth. The play was about how people are obsessed with physical beauty. Her role helped bring a lot of attention to the play.

In 2011, Gemma played a mermaid named Tamara in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. She acted alongside Johnny Depp.

Family Life

Gemma Ward and her partner, David Letts, have three children. They have a daughter born in December 2013, a son born in January 2017, and another daughter born in June 2020.

Gemma is good friends with other Australian models, Jessica Gomes and Nicole Trunfio. Jessica and Gemma were even bridesmaids at Nicole's wedding.

What She's Been In

TV Shows

Movies

Music Videos

• "Daughters" by John Mayer
• "M.I.L.F. $" by Fergie

See also

In Spanish: Gemma Ward para niños