Dawn French

Acting

Dawn French

Born October 11, 1957Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales, UK165 credits

Dawn Roma French (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian, presenter and writer. French is known for writing and starring on the BBC comedy sketch show French and Saunders with her best friend and comedy partner, Jennifer Saunders, and played the lead role as Geraldine Granger in the BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley. She has been nominated for seven BAFTA TV Awards and won a BAFTA Fellowship with Saunders in 2009.

Known For

Becoming Victoria Wood
6.0

Becoming Victoria Wood

Movie

2026

Can You Keep a Secret?
7.8

Can You Keep a Secret?

TV

2026

Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia
9.0

Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia

TV

2026

BeddyByes

BeddyByes

TV

2025

Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
6.5

Kirsty MacColl at the BBC

Movie

2024

Joan Rivers at the BBC

Joan Rivers at the BBC

Movie

2024

Filmography

Becoming Victoria Wood
2026Becoming Victoria Woodas SelfMovie
Can You Keep a Secret?
2026Can You Keep a Secret?as Debbie FendonTV
Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia
2026Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer SuburbiaTV
BeddyByes
2025BeddyByesas Gramma LeebaTV
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
2024Kirsty MacColl at the BBCas Self (archive footage)Movie
Joan Rivers at the BBC
2024Joan Rivers at the BBCas Self (archive footage)Movie
The Nevermets
2024The Nevermetsas NarratorTV
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
2023Dawn French Is a Huge Twatas SelfMovie
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
2023imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitteras Self - Featured ArtistMovie
The Magician's Elephant
2023The Magician's Elephantas Sister Marie (voice)Movie
Comedy Classics: The Vicar of Dibley
2022Comedy Classics: The Vicar of Dibleyas Self (archive material)Movie
Red Riding Hood: After Ever After
2022Red Riding Hood: After Ever Afteras TwitMovie
Death on the Nile
2022Death on the Nileas BowersMovie
W
2021Walk the Lineas Self - JudgeTV
An Audience with Adele
2021An Audience with Adeleas SelfMovie
The Secret World Of...
2021The Secret World Of...as Self - NarratorTV
French & Saunders: Funny Women
2021French & Saunders: Funny Womenas SelfMovie
The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out
2021The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Outas SelfMovie
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
2020Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouseas Beatrix PotterMovie
A Baby Reindeer's First Christmas
2020A Baby Reindeer's First Christmasas NarratorMovie
The Vicar of Dibley: In Lockdown
2020The Vicar of Dibley: In Lockdownas Geraldine GrangerMovie
The Big Night In
2020The Big Night Inas SelfMovie
The Trouble with Maggie Cole
2020The Trouble with Maggie Coleas Maggie ColeTV
Completely Bad News
2019Completely Bad Newsas TracyMovie
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
2019RuPaul's Drag Race UKas Self - Guest JudgeTV
300 Years of French & Saunders
2017300 Years of French & SaundersMovie
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
2017Comic Relief: Red Nose Dayas SelfMovie
Little Big Shots
2017Little Big Shotsas HostTV
Dawn French Live: 30 Million Minutes
2016Dawn French Live: 30 Million Minutesas SelfMovie
Delicious
2016Deliciousas Gina BenelliTV
Darcey Bussell: My Life on the BBC
2016Darcey Bussell: My Life on the BBCas SelfMovie
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
2016British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselvesas Various Characters (archive footage) (uncredited)Movie
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
2016Absolutely Fabulous: The Movieas InterviewerMovie
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
2015Travel Man: 48 Hours in...as Self - GuestTV
The Wrong Mans
2013The Wrong Mansas LindaTV
Heading Out
2013Heading Outas FrancesTV
Five Go to Rehab
2012Five Go to Rehabas GeorgeMovie
30 Years of Comic Strip
201230 Years of Comic StripMovie
Superstar
2012Superstaras Self - Chief JudgeTV
Matthew Bourne's Christmas
2011Matthew Bourne's Christmasas Self - HostMovie
M
2011Michael Bublé: Home for Christmasas SelfMovie
Catherine Tate: Laughing at the Noughties
2011Catherine Tate: Laughing at the Noughtiesas SelfMovie
French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years
2011French & Saunders: The Ingenue YearsMovie
Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders
2011Gentlemen Prefer French & SaundersMovie
Psychoville Halloween Special
2010Psychoville Halloween Specialas Joy AstonMovie
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
2010Roger & Val Have Just Got Inas Val StevensonTV
Victoria Wood: Seen on TV
2009Victoria Wood: Seen on TVMovie
Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'
2009Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'as SelfMovie
Psychoville
2009Psychovilleas Joy AstonTV
Coraline
2009Coralineas Miss Miriam Forcible / Other Forcible (voice)Movie
French and Saunders: Still Alive
2008French and Saunders: Still Aliveas SelfMovie
Lark Rise to Candleford
2008Lark Rise to Candlefordas Caroline ArlessTV
D
2007Dawn French's Boys Who Do Comedyas PresenterTV
More Dawn French's Boys Who Do: Comedy
2007More Dawn French's Boys Who Do: Comedyas PresenterTV
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
2007A Bucket O' French and SaundersTV
Donizetti: La Fille du Régiment
2007Donizetti: La Fille du Régimentas La Duchesse de CrackentorpMovie
The Graham Norton Show
2007The Graham Norton Showas SelfTV
C
2007Comedy ShuffleTV
More Dawn French's Girls Who Do: Comedy
2006More Dawn French's Girls Who Do: Comedyas PresenterTV
Jam and Jerusalem
2006Jam and Jerusalemas Rosie BalesTV
Love and Other Disasters
2006Love and Other Disastersas TherapistMovie
The One Show
2006The One Showas Self - GuestTV
When Comedy Changed Forever
2006When Comedy Changed Foreveras Self (archive material)Movie
D
2006DavinaTV
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2005The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeas Mrs. Beaver (voice)Movie
The F Word
2005The F WordTV
The Comic Strip - A Retrospective
2005The Comic Strip - A Retrospectiveas SelfMovie
T
2005The Funny Blokes of British Comedyas SelfMovie
C
2005Comic AidMovie
Agatha Christie's Marple
2004Agatha Christie's Marpleas Janet ErskineTV
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
2004Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?as Self - NarratorMovie
The Paul O'Grady Show
2004The Paul O'Grady ShowTV
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2004Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanas The Fat LadyMovie
B
2004Bosom PalsTV
Wild West
2002Wild Westas Mary TrewednackTV
Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy
2002Dawn French's Girls Who Do ComedyTV
The Best of French & Saunders
2002The Best of French & Saundersas VariousMovie
P
2002PongwiffyTV
V Graham Norton
2002V Graham Nortonas SelfTV
T
2002Ted and AliceTV
Absolutely Fabulous
2001Absolutely FabulousWriterMovie
Happiness
2001Happinessas Dawn FrenchTV
Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl
2001Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacCollas SelfMovie
French & Saunders - Live
2000French & Saunders - Liveas Various rolesMovie
Maybe Baby
2000Maybe Babyas CharleneMovie
The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything
2000The Nearly Complete and Utter History of EverythingTV
David Copperfield
1999David Copperfieldas Mrs. CruppTV
It’s Lulu
1999It’s Luluas SelfMovie
Let Them Eat Cake
1999Let Them Eat CakeTV
Milk
1999Milkas VirginiaMovie
Four Men in a Car
1998Four Men in a Caras StellaMovie
Parkinson
1998Parkinsonas SelfTV
Sex & Chocolate
1997Sex & Chocolateas Bev BodgerMovie
T
1997Treasure Islandas Jim HawkinsMovie
The Adventures of Pinocchio
1996The Adventures of Pinocchioas Baker's WifeMovie
TFI Friday
1996TFI Fridayas SelfTV
L
1995Look at the State We're In!as Mrs DuvetTV
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
1995How to Be Absolutely FabulousWriterMovie
French and Saunders' Christmas Carol
1994French and Saunders' Christmas Carolas Various RolesMovie
The Vicar of Dibley
1994The Vicar of Dibleyas Revd Geraldine GrangerTV
Harry Enfield and Chums
1994Harry Enfield and Chumsas Mrs GogginsTV
Dusty
1994Dustyas Self - PresenterMovie
Tender Loving Care
1993Tender Loving Careas Elaine DobbsMovie
The Legends of Treasure Island
1993The Legends of Treasure Islandas Jim Hawkins (voice)Movie
The Legends of Treasure Island
1993The Legends of Treasure Islandas Jim Hawkins (voice)TV
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
1993Space Virgins from Planet Sexas GaynorMovie
French & Saunders: At the Movies
1993French & Saunders: At the MoviesMovie
I
1992In Dreamsas Driving InstructorMovie
Absolutely Fabulous
1992Absolutely Fabulousas KathyTV
Red Nose of Courage
1992Red Nose of Courageas Glynis KinnockMovie
Amnesty International's Big 30
1991Amnesty International's Big 30as SelfMovie
Murder Most Horrid
1991Murder Most Horridas WPC Diane SoftlyTV
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
1990The Tale of Little Pig Robinsonas PorcasMovie
French & Saunders LIVE
1990French & Saunders LIVEMovie
Spaghetti Hoops
1990Spaghetti Hoopsas FrancescaMovie
Oxford
1990Oxfordas CarolineMovie
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
1990South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1as Frances / Mrs. ShinesMovie
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!
1990South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!as FrancesMovie
GLC: The Carnage Continues
1990GLC: The Carnage Continuesas Cher as Joan RuddockMovie
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
1989The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ballas SelfMovie
Bosses From Hell
1989Bosses From HellMovie
Communicators From Hell
1989Communicators From HellMovie
Employees From Hell
1989Employees From HellMovie
Customer Service From Hell
1989Customer Service From HellMovie
Colleagues From Hell
1989Colleagues From HellMovie
Interviewers From Hell
1989Interviewers From HellMovie
French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88
1988French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88as Various CharactersMovie
An Audience With Victoria Wood
1988An Audience With Victoria Woodas SelfMovie
The Storyteller
1988The Storytelleras Badsister 2TV
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
1988Mr Jolly Lives Next Dooras Mrs. CooperMovie
More Bad News
1988More Bad Newsas RachelMovie
The Strike
1988The Strikeas Verity/Old Lady/CelebrityMovie
Eat the Rich
1987Eat the Richas Debbie DrawsMovie
Going Live!
1987Going Live!as SelfTV
French & Saunders
1987French & Saundersas Various CharactersTV
T
1987The Silurian Disruptionas Silurian #1Movie
The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live
1986The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video Liveas SelfMovie
Comedians Do It On Stage
1986Comedians Do It On Stageas SelfMovie
Private Enterprise
1986Private Enterpriseas NaylerMovie
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
1986Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)as ConsuelaMovie
The Supergrass
1985The Supergrassas AndreaMovie
Girls On Top
1985Girls On Topas AmandaTV
Happy Families
1985Happy Familiesas CookMovie
Happy Families
1985Happy Familiesas CookTV
Slags
1984Slagsas PassionMovie
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
1984Eddie Monsoon - a Life?as VeronicaMovie
Gino: Full Story and Pics
1984Gino: Full Story and Picsas Fiona/FrancesMovie
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
1984A Fistful of Travellers' Chequesas JackieMovie
Susie
1984Susieas SusieMovie
Dirty Movie
1984Dirty Movieas MonicaMovie
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
1983Five Go Mad on Mescalinas GeorgeMovie
Summer School
1983Summer Schoolas UrsulaMovie
Bad News
1983Bad Newsas TracyMovie
The Beat Generation
1983The Beat Generationas EleanorMovie
War
1983Waras HermineMovie
The Young Ones
1982The Young Onesas Christian EvangelistTV
Five Go Mad in Dorset
1982Five Go Mad in Dorsetas GeorgeMovie
The Comic Strip Presents...
1982The Comic Strip Presents...as GeorgeTV
Wogan
1982Woganas SelfTV
The Comic Strip
1981The Comic StripMovie
An Audience with...
1978An Audience with...as SelfTV
The Secret Policeman's Ball
1976The Secret Policeman's Ballas SelfTV
The BAFTA Awards
1949The BAFTA Awardsas SelfTV
E
—Experiment IVas First AssistantMovie
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
—The Storyteller: Sapsorrowas Badsister 2Movie