Jennifer Ward-Lealand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Ward-Lealand CNZM
Ward-Lealand in 2019
Born	Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand (1962-11-08) 8 November 1962 (age 62) Wellington, New Zealand
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Michael Hurst ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	2

Jennifer Cecily Ward-Lealand (born 8 November 1962) is a famous actor, director, and teacher from New Zealand. She is also an intimacy coordinator, which means she helps make sure actors feel safe and comfortable during scenes. For over 40 years, she has appeared in more than 120 plays, including dramas, comedies, and musicals.

You might have seen her in the 1993 movie Desperate Remedies. She has also been in the TV soap opera Shortland Street and the Australian comedy show Full Frontal.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Jennifer Ward-Lealand was born in Wellington, New Zealand. She knew she wanted to be an actor from a very young age. When she was only seven, she was in a play called Oedipus and loved the experience. A year later, she had a small part in her first film, Gone up North for Awhile.

Her first regular TV role was as Jan in the show Close to Home from 1978 to 1980. After high school, she joined a theatre group and toured New Zealand. She performed in schools and communities. At seventeen, she was inspired by a play she saw while working at the Downstage Theatre.

Training and First Awards

In 1982, Ward-Lealand completed a diploma in acting at Theatre Corporate in Auckland. This training taught her discipline and how to work well with other actors. After drama school, she got a role in the TV drama Seekers.

Her big break on television came in an episode of the About Face series called "Danny and Raewyn". For this role, she won a GOFTA Best Actress Award. In the same year, she appeared in her first major film, the crime thriller Dangerous Orphans, where she played a nightclub singer.

A Career on Stage and Screen

Jennifer Ward-Lealand is known for her work in both theatre and television. She has performed in many different types of shows, from serious dramas to fun comedies.

Theatre and Music

In 1989, Ward-Lealand joined a music group called The Front Lawn. She played the ukulele and sang on their album "Songs from the Front Lawn". She also performed in their stage show, "The One that Got Away," in New Zealand and other countries.

She is famous for her cabaret shows, where she sings songs by famous artists. One of her most popular shows is Falling in Love Again, where she performs as the legendary actress Marlene Dietrich. She has toured this show around New Zealand and Australia.

Ward-Lealand has performed in many plays at top New Zealand theatres like the Silo Theatre and the Auckland Theatre Company. She has played famous characters like the Witch in the musical Into the Woods and has even played former Prime Minister Helen Clark in a comedy show.

Film and Television Roles

In the early 1990s, Ward-Lealand joined the Australian comedy show Full Frontal. She worked on 40 episodes over two years, playing many different characters.

Many people know her from her guest roles in the popular TV shows Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. She is married to Michael Hurst, who played Iolaus in Hercules. They have two sons who also work in film and music.

She has also appeared in many New Zealand films, including The Footstep Man, Fracture, and Dead.

Supporting the Arts Community

Jennifer Ward-Lealand does more than just act. She works hard to support other actors and improve the arts in New Zealand.

Helping Other Actors

Since 2007, she has been the President of Equity New Zealand, an organization that helps actors. She works to make sure actors have good working conditions and are paid fairly.

In 2018, she began training as an intimacy coordinator. In this role, she helps plan scenes that involve physical closeness to ensure all the actors feel respected and safe on set. She has worked on over 60 shows as an intimacy coordinator.

She is also a patron of several theatres and trusts, including the Q Theatre and the New Zealand Actors Benevolent Fund, which helps actors in need.

Learning and Promoting te Reo Māori

Since 2008, Ward-Lealand has been learning te reo Māori, the language of New Zealand's native Māori people. Although she is not Māori herself, she was inspired to learn after she couldn't reply to a traditional Māori welcome, called a mihi.

She is now a strong supporter of the language. In 2023, she was appointed to the board of Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori - The Māori Language Commission. This group works to promote the use of te reo Māori in New Zealand.

Awards and Recognition

Jennifer Ward-Lealand has received many awards for her work.

• 2007: She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to theatre and the community.
• 2019: She was promoted to Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her work in theatre, film, and television.
• 2019: She won the Arts and Culture award at the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards.
• 2020: She was named New Zealander of the Year. This was for her dedication to the arts and her passion for te reo Māori.

In 2017, she was given the special name Te Atamira (The Stage) by Māori language experts Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and the late Professor Te Wharehuia Milroy.

Filmography

Here are some of Jennifer Ward-Lealand's film and television roles.

Film Performances

Television Performances