What is Sela Ward's Net Worth?
Sela Ward is an American actress who has a net worth of $100 million. It should be noted that Sela Ward's husband since 1993, Howard Sherman, is a very successful private equity investor. Their total combined marital assets are worth much more than $100 million. After breaking through with a major role in the NBC drama series "Sisters," Ward received her first Emmy Award. She then received a second Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her subsequent role in "Once and Again." Ward followed up with roles in shows like "House," "CSI: NY" and "FBI." Outside of her accomplishments in the world of television, Sela has appeared in a vast number of films over the course of her career, including "The Man Who Loved Women," "Nothing in Common," "The Fugitive," "The Day After Tomorrow," "The Guardian" and "Gone Girl."
Early Life
Sela Ann Ward was born on July 11th, 1956, in Meridian, Mississippi. Raised by a housewife and an electrical engineer alongside four younger siblings, Sela attended high school in Meridian before attending the University of Alabama. During her college years, she became Homecoming Queen while also joining the cheerleading team and the Chi Omega sorority. As far as her academic studies go, Ward double-majored in fine art and advertising.
Career
After graduating from university in 1977, Sela set her sights on a career as a storyboard artist in New York City. However, money was tight, and she soon found herself turning to modeling in order to pay her bills. This then led to further opportunities, with Ward being recruited by a notable agency and appearing in a number of television commercials during this period. One of her first major commercials was with the cosmetic brand Maybelline.
Eventually, Ward read the writing on the wall and relocated to California to pursue a career as an actress. She first teamed up with Burt Reynolds, appearing in the 1983 movie "The Man Who Loved Women." This soon led to her first TV role in "Emerald Point N.A.S.," although this series was short-lived. Throughout the 80s, Sela continued to book a number of roles in TV and film projects, including the Tom Hanks film "Nothing in Common."
However, it wasn't until 1991 that she truly broke through with her role in "Sisters." Her role as a bohemian alcoholic led to her first Emmy Award, which she won in 1994 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. During this period, she also made progress in the film world, booking a role in "The Fugitive" alongside Harrison Ford. She later won critical acclaim for playing the role of journalist Jessica Savitch in the 1995 TV movie "Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story."
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At this point, Sela was passed over for the role of a Bond girl because producers felt that she was too old for the role. This caused her to create a new documentary called "The Changing Face of Beauty," which focuses on Hollywood's obsession with youthful women. However, Ward still managed to book a number of notable roles in many other movies throughout the late 90s, including "My Fellow Americans" and "Runaway Bride."
She also appeared in a vast number of TV series during this period, including "Frasier." In addition, Ward explored voice acting opportunities in animated series such as "The New Batman Adventures." In the early 2000s, she earned critical acclaim for her role in the series "Once and Again," appearing in 63 episodes before the series ended in 2002. Over the next few years, Ward would appear in shows like "House," "CSI: NY," "Graves," "Westworld," and "FBI."
The early 2000s also saw her book additional film roles in movies like "The Badge" and "The Day After Tomorrow." Over the next 20 years, she would appear in films such as "The Guardian," "The Stepfather," "Gone Girl," and "Independence Day: Resurgence." During this period, Ward was offered a number of additional roles, but she turned them down due to her family commitments. In 2002, she published a book entitled "Homesick: A Memoir." This autobiography details her experiences with fame and the entertainment industry.
Relationships
In 1992, Sela married entrepreneur Howard Sherman. They subsequently had two children together.
Howard is a highly successful private equity investor. He is the founder and CEO of the Beverly Hills-based Inventure Holdings.
Real Estate
In 2003, Sela Ward and Howard Sherman purchased a house together in Bel Air for $3.8 million. In 2015, they put the house on the market with a price tag of $39 million. In 2016, Jennifer Lopez purchased the home for $28 million. With 14,000 square feet of living space, the residence also lies on a plot of land that spans 8 acres. Ward and Sherman renovated the property extensively after their initial 2003 purchase, which might explain the dramatic price increase over the course of about ten years.
Features include an infinity pool, 100-year-old flooring, a bar, and French doors. The home was originally built in the 1940s, and it now boasts a 30-person theatre, a putting green, a private lake with its own beach, and an outdoor kitchen complete with a pizza oven. There is also a separate guest house that was converted into an art studio/recording studio. Here is a video tour of the property from February 2023, when Jennifer listed it for sale for $42.5 million:
In 2021, it was reported that Sela had put her Soho apartment on the market for $5.795 million. She had originally purchased this property for $4.2 million back in 2016, along with her husband. The 2,400-square-foot apartment features 14-foot ceilings, cast-iron columns, and exposed brick walls. Additional highlights include marble countertops, French doors, and a glass mezzanine. The residence also boasts three bedrooms and stunning views of the city.
