Losing someone you love is extremely painful and it is not easy to console yourself in such a situation. Something similar happened to model and actress Gemma Ward.
She almost vanished from the face of the earth after the death of her close friend and boyfriend Heath Ledger who she had started dating just a few months before his sad demise. Her life was fueled by depression and she remained hidden from the lime light for a pretty long time. Finally, after a six year hiatus the super model made her first major appearance on 18 September 2014 as she returned to the runway at the spring/summer 2015 Prada show during Milan Fashion Week. And after a long time, the model turned actress found happiness in her life as she gave birth to an angel baby Naia in early December 2013 with her partner David Letts.
The beauty with her trademark doe eyes came back on the runway to regain her lost position as a top model. Ward, aged 27, who gave up modeling at the age 20 shortly after Ledger’s death was seen back on the catwalk as she opened Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia at the Ellery show on April 11 this year.
The Australian beauty queen was the most sought out model during the time and was paid $25,000 a show with 24 Vogue covers across the globe. But after the unexpected death of Ledger with whom she had found love, she left the world of fashion and hibernated in a cocoon of depression. And that was when the then slim and sexy model gained weight and gave up makeup as well. She was criticized by several fashion polices who said that the way Ward was gaining weight was not good for her career as she was still young and had a long way to go.
The actress didn’t comment on any of the criticism as the rumors about her retirement from the modeling started circulating everywhere in 2008. But she dismissed the rumors calling them rubbish and that she was too young to retire so soon.
"I was surprised to wake up this morning and read news of my own retirement. While I am taking some time off currently to rest and enjoy the company of friends and family, I am still very much a (excited and enthusiastic) working model and actress. I'm only 20, for God's sakes."
But her minimum public appearance only hinted that she was actually running away from her dreams. And in 2009, her agent officially announced her retiring from the industry because of her absence from the several runway shows. And facing more criticisms for her extensive weight gain, Viviens modeling agency in New York released a statement, saying: "Gemma hasn't committed to returning to modeling at any time soon.” But Ward dismissed it too and confirmed that she would be returning to modeling in 2010.
The gorgeous actress later admitted that the reason behind her seclusion was death of Heath Ledger after the accidental overdose of drugs and she left the fashion industry at the height of her career just to be alone for some time. The model also revealed that she seek professional help for her depression after opening up to her parents about her tough time and how they encouraged her take professional help and to explore new horizons.
“They had great advice and encouraged me to talk to different people and to know that it is not shameful. That was a huge thing as well.”
Ward also focused that it was really important for depressed people to look for professional help. “I think it is incredibly important to talk about it and to seek help and understand it is not forever.”
The proud mother of 15 month old daughter is happily exploring her life and career with the support of her loving model turned photographer boyfriend David Letts. The Great Gatsby star admitted that she struggled a lot to lose the excess weight and come back to shape but it was all possible with her boyfriend David with whom she traveled countries like Nepal, India, Asia and Europe and appeared in movies like Black Balloon for which she garnered rave reviews from critics, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides alongside Johnny Depp and The Great Gatsby.
And she became very conscious of her body after she became pregnant with her daughter. And it was after her birth that she really found herself and decided to give her modeling career another shot. The actress is now back and has signed with Country Road and become the ambassador for Coca-Cola Life.
Gemma Ward is happy in her new life and career and she wants her daughter to be a model like her in future. She also said that she would like to encourage her to pursue a modeling career. This might be the reason why Ward shares pictures of her adorable baby girl on Instagram and Twitter where one can see her posing like a pro.