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After almost two years away from the limelight and grieving for her friend Heath Ledger, New York-based Perth supermodel Gemma Ward plans to be back on the catwalk next year.

Ward also intends to go to university and is taking Shakespearian acting classes.

She denied international media reports that she had given up her successful modelling career.

“I have not ‘quit modelling’ and my fans back home can expect to see me back at work modelling and acting in the new year,” she said in an email to The West Australian.

Her mother Claire Ward revealed that her daughter plans to stay in the US to pursue her acting career and is considering doing a three-year course at the prestigious Yale University.

Mrs Ward said the former Nedlands schoolgirl was working towards achieving a long-held ambition to be an actress.

“She’s 22 years old and has worked incredibly hard,” Mrs Ward said. “She’s had a very difficult few years personally and now she’s having a really lovely time doing things she wants to do and enjoying being young.

“She’s been doing some great drama theatre courses and is considering doing a three-year course in Yale which is a great possibility. She’s making one step at a time.”

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Candids > Arriving in NYC

Australian actress and model Gemma Ward showed off a much healthier frame as arrived in New York City today (November 9).

The infamously skinny star has obviously put on an extra few healthy pounds and looked great as she showed off her new curves once ditching her tights.

Gemma proved to be no diva as she unassumingly took care of her own luggage and transportation and seemed to embrace happily the low key lifestyle!

Meanwhile, Gemma Ward has reportedly quit the modelling industry after a series of media reports ridiculing her for gaining weight.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that the 22-year-old’s agent says his client does not intend to return to modelling.

Miss Ward’s modelling agency in New York, Viviens, announced that the Australian had no immediate plans to return to the industry. “Gemma hasn’t committed to returning to modelling at any time soon”, a spokeman says, adding Gemma had the agency’s full support.

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Australian supermodel Gemma Ward has quit the industry after a series of media reports ridiculing her for gaining weight, reported The Sunday Telegraph.

According to the report Ward, who celebrated her 22nd birthday last week, has revealed via her agent that she does not intend to return to modelling.

Ward has not been much in the lime-light since the death of Australian actor Heath Ledger, whom she dated briefly.

She was photographed last week in New York wearing a print jacket, shorts and biker boots and looking more like a healthy young woman and less like an emaciated wraith. Ward had previously been criticised for being too thin in the early part of her career.

The photos were posted by international fashion blogger Bryan Boy and received an number of vicious comments on her new size and shape.

Ward’s modelling agency in New York, Viviens, announced that the Australian had no immediate plans to return to the industry. ‘Gemma hasn’t committed to returning to modelling at any time soon’, a spokeman said, adding Ward had the agency’s full support.

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Australia’s top model export, Gemma Ward has quit the profession following attacks on her new shape. Pictures of Ward, 22, who went into seclusion following the death of her friend Heath Ledger, emerged last week. She was in New York attending a friend’s birthday party when she was snapped on the street. The pictures show a tall, healthy-looking woman wearing a leopard-skin coat and short skirt. She has since been attacked by fashion bloggers as being “too fat.”

Writes blogger Bryan Boy, who posted the recent photos on his website, “I think it’s very sad that Gemma gave up on modelling.” ”She’s a very beautiful woman and I think she could make a name for herself in the plus-size niche.”

News Limited reported today that Ward has revealed through her agent that she has no plans to return to her career which saw her soar to the heights of success — modelling for Prada, Versace, Chanel and Vogue.

She also diversified into acting, starring in the Australian filmThe Black Balloon.

She was linked to fellow Aussie star Heath Ledger at the end of 2007, just prior to his January 2008 death after an accidental overdose.

The only photos of her that have appeared in the public domain since Ledger’s death were paparazzi shots of her at a beach.

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Candids > In New York’s East Village

Gemma Ward turned 22.  Ward, who according to her sister Sophie dressed up as a “crazed Elvis fan” for Halloween over the weekend, appeared with a couple of friends in New York’s East Village today after an extended spell under the radar.

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FOLLOWING a five-day yoga retreat with good mates and fellow catwalkers Gemma Ward and Jessica Gomez in Bali, top Aussie model Nicole Trunfio was back to business on Wednesday at Miami Swim Fashion Week in Florida sporting a serious tan.

Carving it up in a Camilla and Marc dress, the 23-year-old looked rested, rejuvenated and ravishing after the holiday with her girlfriends.
The trio last week attended the exclusive annual retreat, which is said to consist of ‘‘ eating, sleeping and yoga’’ and not much else.

A Bali spy said Ward looked happy and as though she was finally moving on from Heath Ledger’s death.

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Model Gemma Ward and Jay Lyons from The City were supposed to be among the — ahem — celebrity D.J.’s at the Doe Fund’s charity event last night. However, neither showed. A source reveals Jay canceled minutes before the event because he had discovered the night before that Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo would be there shooting scenes for The City. Indeed, both Olivia and Whitney showed up, the latter filming with a “tanned replacement Jay.”

But what happened to Gemma? She had arranged to appear at the event personally, without the help of an agent or manager. It’s unclear why she didn’t show, but if we find out we’ll let you know. Maybe she was just shy about her D.J. skills?

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Despite the fact that she was spotted in New York the night before taking in an Animal Collective concert with her brother and some friends, Gemma Ward failed to appear for her DJ gig at the Doe Fund’s charity event last night.  The weird part: She had personally arranged to appear at the event, without the help of an agent or manager, and it’s unclear why she didn’t show.

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Jimmy Jack’s new zombie rockumentary project is set to entice model Gemma Ward back to the big screen and showcase the talents of a Perth band.

The Perth-based filmmaker, who wrote the AFI award winning 2007 film The Black Balloon which starred Toni Collette and Ward, is also hoping to secure former child star Macaulay Culkin to play a lead.

Jack finished the Zombie: Sex, Brains and Rock n’ Roll script on Friday – most of which he wrote while a writer-in-residence at city bar Tiger Tiger – and is now beginning the process of securing talent for the new project which he will film in some of his favourite Perth haunts.

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