Maitland Ward, born February 3, 1977, is an American actress, model, and adult film performer from Long Beach, California. Born Ashley Maitland Welkos, she began her acting career as a teenager, landing a recurring role as Jessica Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful from 1994 to 1996.
She later rose to wider fame playing Rachel McGuire on Boy Meets World, joining the cast in 1998 and remaining a series regular until the show ended in 2000. During her mainstream acting career, she also appeared in projects like the TV film Killing Mr. Griffin, had guest roles on shows including Home Improvement and USA High, and appeared in films such as White Chicks.
After stepping away from mainstream acting in the late 2000s, Maitland eventually made a major career shift. She entered the adult film industry in 2019 and has since built a successful second career, earning multiple industry awards and gaining a new audience. In 2022, she also released a memoir, Rated X: How Porn Liberated Me from Hollywood, reflecting on her transition and experiences in the entertainment industry.
In her personal life, Maitland married real estate agent Terry Baxter in 2006. The couple spent time living in New York City, where she studied writing and screenwriting at New York University, before returning to California.
See more photos of Maitland in the gallery below!
