{{short description|American actress and model}} {{Infobox person | name = Susan Ward | image = | birth_name = Susan Michelle Ward | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|4|15}} | birth_place = Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Actress, model | years_active = 1992–2012 | spouse = {{marriage|David C. Robinson|2005}} | children = 1 }}
'''Susan Michelle Ward'''<ref name="ESW obit">[https://www.newspapers.com/image/225476947/?clipping_id=149876746 "Deaths: Emily Sue Ward"]. ''The Monroe News-Star''. July 21, 2012. p. 4B. Retrieved June 22, 2024.</ref> (born April 15, 1976)<ref name="FHBG">{{Cite news|title=Friday's Horoscope: Birthday Gal|author=|date=April 15, 2011|work=The Montreal Gazette|page=C10|quote=Actress Susan Ward was born in Monroe, La., today in 1976. This birthday gal first made a name for herself on the soap opera 'Sunset Beach' and more recently starred on the series 'Make It or Break It.' She starred in the miniseries 'Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit' and 'Monk.' On the big screen, Ward's film credits include 'Shallow Hal' and 'The In Crowd.'|id={{ProQuest|2001638206}}}}</ref> is an American former actress and model. She made her film debut in the 1997 sequel, ''Poison Ivy: The New Seduction'', before appearing in films, including, ''The In Crowd'' (2000), ''Going Greek'' (2001), ''Shallow Hal'' (2001) and ''Wild Things 2'' (2004).
Ward is perhaps best known for her roles as Meg Cummings in the entire run of soap opera, ''Sunset Beach'' (1997–1999), and as Chloe Kmetko in the series, ''Make It or Break It'' (2009–2011).
==Early life== Ward was born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana.<ref name="FHBG"/><ref name=reichardt>Reichardt, Nancy M. (April 26, 1997). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/832974547/?clipping_id=149875156 "Tune In Tomorrow: For now, Susan Ward says she's mighty happy being nice, not naughty"]. ''Richmond Times-Dispatch''. p. F37. Retrieved June 22, 2024.</ref> She is the daughter of detective Eddie Ward and Emily Sue Ward, a nurse and associate professor.<ref name=nyt/><ref name="ESW obit"/> Ward attended Monroe Christian School, a private faith-based elementary school whose stated purpose is to "to engage, equip, and empower God's children".<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.monroechristian.org/about |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=Monroe Christian School |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Susan Ward |url=http://movies.msn.com/celebrities/celebrity-biography/susan-ward.1/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104132938/http://movies.msn.com/celebrities/celebrity-biography/susan-ward.1/ |archive-date=2013-01-04 |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=MSN Movies}}</ref> She began modeling at age 13, leaving school and moving to New York City to do so.<ref name=reichardt/> She attended Northeast Louisiana University for one year before pursuing her acting career.<ref name=allm>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/susan-ward-p277394|title=Susan Ward | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos|website=AllMovie}}</ref>
==Career== Ward made her acting debut appearing in the ABC daytime soap opera ''All My Children'' in 1995. The following year, she was a regular cast member on the short-lived NBC teen drama ''Malibu Shores'', produced by Aaron Spelling.<ref name=allm/> She made guest appearances on ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' and ''Xena: Warrior Princess'' and had secondary role in the erotic thriller film ''Poison Ivy: The New Seduction''.<ref name=allm/>
In late 1996, Ward was cast as virginal Meg Cummings on the Aaron Spelling's NBC soap opera ''Sunset Beach'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EA057EAE6354209&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Ex-vixen Ward prefers new 'nice girl' role |first=Nancy M. |last=Reichardt |date=March 30, 1997 |newspaper=Austin American-Statesman |page=38}}</ref> which aired from 1997 to 1999. In 1999, she turned to films, and starred as the psychotic Brittany Foster in the 2000 teen thriller ''The In Crowd''. The movie was a commercial disappointment in theaters, but found some success on cable and home video.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/In-Crowd-The|title=The In Crowd (2000) - Financial Information|website=The Numbers}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1098652-in_crowd | title=The in Crowd - Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }}</ref> The following year, Ward played a supporting role in the Farrelly Brothers movie ''Shallow Hal''. She has also acted in numerous other direct-to-DVD movies, and has made guest appearances in various TV shows, most notably ''Friends''.
In 2009, she landed the role Chloe Kmetko, mother of a young gymnast, on the ABC Family drama series ''Make It or Break It''. She was part of the main cast during the show's first two seasons.
==Personal life== On June 4, 2005, Ward married David C. Robinson, the vice president of Morgan Creek Productions, the movie studio that produced ''The In Crowd''. They met when he cast her as the film lead in 1999. Dr. Wayne Keltner, a friend of the bride, performed the ceremony.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title=Susan Ward and David Robinson |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/fashion/weddings/susan-ward-and-david-robinson.html |access-date=March 31, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=June 5, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710101903/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/fashion/weddings/susan-ward-and-david-robinson.html |archive-date=July 10, 2018 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1997 | ''Poison Ivy: The New Seduction'' | Sandy | Direct to video |- | 2000 |''The In Crowd'' |Brittany Foster | |- | 2001 |''Going Greek'' |Wendy | |- | 2001 |''Shallow Hal'' |Jill | |- | 2002 | ''Would I Lie to You?'' | Olivia | Direct to video |- | 2004 | ''Wild Things 2'' | Brittney Havers | Direct to video |- | 2005 |''Cruel World'' |Ashley | |- | 2005 |''Two for the Money'' |Girl in sportscar |Uncredited{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} |- | 2007 |''Who's Your Caddy?'' |Mrs. Cummings | |- | 2008 |''Toxic'' |Michelle | |- | 2010 |''Order of Chaos'' |Tara | |- | 2010 |''Costa Rican Summer'' |Aunt Carla | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1995 | ''All My Children'' | Camille | Recurring role |- | 1996 | ''Malibu Shores'' | Bree | Main role, 10 episodes |- | 1996 | ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' | Psyche | Episode: "The Green-Eyed Monster" |- | 1997 | ''Xena: Warrior Princess'' | Psyche |Episode: "A Comedy of Eros" |- | 1997–1999 | ''Sunset Beach'' | Megan "Meg" Cummings | Series regular, |- | 2001 | ''Men, Women & Dogs'' | Sandra | Episode: "A Fetching New Lawyer" |- | 2002 | ''Friends'' | Hayley | Episode: "The One with the Sharks" |- | 2002 | ''Boomtown'' | Layla French | Episode: "Blackout" |- | 2004 | ''CSI: Miami'' | Ginger Wadley | Episode: "Hell Night" |- | 2005 | ''Play Dates'' | Nicole | Unsold television pilot |- | 2005 | ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' | Tanya Rollins | Episode: "King Baby" |- | 2005–2006 | ''Just Legal'' | Kate Manat | Main role, 7 episodes |- | 2006 | ''Hollis & Rae'' | Juliette | Unsold television pilot |- | 2006 | ''Monk'' | Michelle Cullman | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Actor" |- | 2006 | ''Dead and Deader'' | Holly | Television movie (Syfy) |- | 2007 | ''Women's Murder Club'' | Parris Donovan | Episode: "Play Through the Pain" |- | 2008 | ''Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit'' | Liz | Television miniseries |- | 2009 | ''Criminal Minds'' | Julie Riley | Episode: "Conflicted" |- | 2009–2011 | ''Make It or Break It'' | Chloe Kmetko | Main role (seasons 1–2), 39 episodes |- | 2012 | ''Major Crimes'' | Annette Raber | Episode: "Before and After" |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0911861}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Susan}} Category:American film actresses Category:American soap opera actresses Category:Female models from Louisiana Category:Living people Category:People from Monroe, Louisiana Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses Category:American television actresses Category:1976 births