Sela Ward, born Sela Ann Ward on July 11, 1956, in Meridian, Mississippi, is an accomplished American actress, author, and producer. She grew up in a middle-class family as the eldest of four children, with her father Granberry Holland Ward Jr., an electrical engineer, and her mother Annie Kate Ward, a homemaker.

Her interest in the arts began at a young age, and she performed in school theatrical productions, including "The King and I" when she was just 12 years old.

After graduating from Lamar School in Meridian, she attended the University of Alabama, where she double-majored in fine art and advertising. During her college years, she was a cheerleader for the Crimson Tide football team, Homecoming Queen, and a member of the Chi Omega sorority.

Following her graduation in 1977, she moved to New York City to work as a storyboard artist for multimedia presentations. To supplement her income, she began modeling and was soon recruited by the Wilhelmina agency, appearing in television commercials for Maybelline cosmetics.

Her acting career took off when she moved to California to pursue acting full-time. She landed her first film role in the 1983 comedy "The Man Who Loved Women" starring Burt Reynolds.

Her first regular role in a television drama series came in the same year with "Emerald Point N.A.S.". Throughout the 1980s, she continued to land guest roles in both television and films, most notably opposite Tom Hanks in "Nothing in Common" (1986).

Her breakthrough came in 1991 when she was cast as the bohemian alcoholic Teddy Reed in the NBC drama series "Sisters," for which she received her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994.

She continued to shine in television, winning her second Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama for her role as Lily Manning in the ABC drama series "Once and Again" (1999-2002).

In addition to her television success, Sela Ward has appeared in numerous films, including "The Fugitive" (1993), "The Day After Tomorrow" (2004), "Gone Girl" (2014), and "Independence Day: Resurgence" (2016).

She also had a recurring role as Stacy Warner in the Fox medical drama "House" and starred as Jo Danville in the CBS police procedural "CSI: NY" (2010-2013).

Sela Ward married entrepreneur Howard Elliott Sherman in May 1992, and they have two children, Austin and Anabella.