'Thorn Birds' Reunion - "The Thorn Birds" stars Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward reunited for the first time since the 1983 ABC miniseries, save for a passing incident.Chamberlain played Ralph de Bricassart, a priest in a small town who fell in love with Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward) in the TV drama. Even though they played two characters in love, the pair only saw each other once in an airport before Sunday night at the "Pioneers of Television" Season 3 presentation at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.
"We did run into each other very briefly in an airport in Thailand," Chamberlain said via Access Hollywood. "We were working on the same project, but we didn't have scenes together. Rachel was just leaving town and I was just coming in and we met in the airport for about 10 minutes and it was so great to see you."
The short meeting hardly compared to their reunion on Sunday. "I'm absolutely thrilled [to be together again] and it just seems like not much has changed. You look more beautiful than ever, by the way," Chamberlain said.
Ward, who married her on-screen husband, Bryan Brown, also held the sentiment that it felt like not much changed. "It feels like I'm still in 'The Thorn Birds,' because I was always waiting for Richard," Ward said.
However, Ward's career did change after "The Thorn Birds." After getting mixed reviews from critics, Ward said, "I went, 'This isn't for me' ... I never got my confidence back again."
Chamberlain denied that the negative reviews held any truth. "I thought you were wonderful," Chamberlain told Ward.