Penelope Wilton

Acting

Penelope Wilton

Born June 3, 1946Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK87 credits

Dame Penelope Alice Wilton DBE (born 3 June 1946) is an English actress. She was formerly married to fellow actor Sir Ian Holm, and as she has not remarried, she retains her married style of Lady Holm. Wilton is known for starring opposite Richard Briers in the BBC sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles (1984–1989), playing Homily in The Borrowers (1992) and The Return of the Borrowers(1993), and for her role as the widowed Isobel Crawley in the ITV drama Downton Abbey (2010–2015). She also played the recurring role of Harriet Jones in Doctor Who (2005–2008) and Anne in Ricky Gervais' Netflix dark comedy After Life.  Wilton has had an extensive career on stage, receiving six Olivier Award nominations. She was nominated for Man and Superman (1981), The Secret Rapture (1988), The Deep Blue Sea(1994), John Gabriel Borkman (2008) and The Chalk Garden (2009) before winning the 2015 Olivier Award for Best Actress for Taken at Midnight. Her film appearances include Clockwise (1986), Cry Freedom (1987), Blame It on the Bellboy (1992), Calendar Girls (2003), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Match Point (2005), Pride & Prejudice (2005), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), The Girl (2012), The BFG (2016) and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2023). Description above from the Wikipedia article Penelope Wilton, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Filmography

Dead Hot
2024Dead Hot
as FrancineTV
Murder Is Easy
2023Murder Is Easy
as Miss PinkertonTV
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022Downton Abbey: A New Era
as Isobel MertonMovie
Operation Mincemeat
2022Operation Mincemeat
as Hester LeggettMovie
Eternal Beauty
2020Eternal Beauty
as VivianMovie
Summerland
2020Summerland
as Older AliceMovie
Downton Abbey
2019Downton Abbey
as Isobel MertonMovie
Zoo
2018Zoo
as Denise AustinMovie
The BFG
2016The BFG
as The QueenMovie
Belle
2013Belle
as Lady Mary MurrayMovie
The Girl
2012The Girl
as Peggy RobertsonMovie
South Riding
2011South Riding
as Mrs BeddowsTV
Downton Abbey
2010Downton Abbey
as Isobel MertonTV
Margot
2009Margot
as B.Q.Movie
Celebration
2007Celebration
as JulieMovie
Five Days
2007Five Days
as Barbara PooleTV
The History Boys
2006The History Boys
as Mrs. BibbyMovie
Match Point
2005Match Point
as Eleanor HewettMovie
Pride & Prejudice
2005Pride & Prejudice
as Mrs. GardinerMovie
Falling
2005Falling
as Daisy LangrishMovie
Shaun of the Dead
2004Shaun of the Dead
as BarbaraMovie
Calendar Girls
2003Calendar Girls
as RuthMovie
Lucky Jim
2003Lucky Jim
as Celia WelchMovie
Iris
2001Iris
as Janet StoneMovie
Bob & Rose
2001Bob & Rose
as Monica GossageTV
Victoria & Albert
2001Victoria & Albert
as Princess Mary Louise VictoriaMovie
The Whistle-Blower
2001The Whistle-Blower
as Heather GrahamMovie
Rockaby
2000Rockaby
as Old WomanMovie
Tom's Midnight Garden
1999Tom's Midnight Garden
as Aunt MelbourneMovie
L
1995Landscape
as BethMovie
Carrington
1995Carrington
as Lady Ottoline MorrellMovie
Kavanagh Q.C.
1995Kavanagh Q.C.
as Barbara WatkinsTV
The Deep Blue Sea
1994The Deep Blue Sea
as Hester CollyerMovie
T
1993The Secret Rapture
as Marion FrenchMovie
Blame It on the Bellboy
1992Blame It on the Bellboy
as Patricia FulfordMovie
Talking Heads
1988Talking Heads
as RosemaryTV
Cry Freedom
1987Cry Freedom
as Wendy WoodsMovie
Clockwise
1986Clockwise
as Pat GardenMovie
Laughterhouse
1984Laughterhouse
as Alice SingletonMovie
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
1983The Tale of Beatrix Potter
as Beatrix PotterMovie
King Lear
1982King Lear
as ReganMovie
Country
1981Country
as Virginia CarlionMovie
Othello
1981Othello
as DesdemonaMovie
Pasmore
1980Pasmore
as HelenMovie
Able's Will
1977Able's Will
as JournalistMovie
Joseph Andrews
1977Joseph Andrews
as Mrs. WiltonMovie
King Lear
1975King Lear
as ReganMovie
Mrs. Warren's Profession
1972Mrs. Warren's Profession
as Vivie WarrenMovie
T
1972The Sullens Sisters
as Rachel SullensMovie
Country Matters
1972Country Matters
as Rachel SullensTV
Play for Today
1970Play for Today
as Virginia CarlionTV