Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton

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.

Shaun of the Dead
2004
Barbara
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
2025
Isobel Crawley
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
2023
Maureen Fry
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
2022
Self
Operation Mincemeat
2022
Hester Leggett
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
Isobel Merton
Summerland
2020
Older Alice
Eternal Beauty
2020
Vivian
Downton Abbey
2019
Isobel Merton
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
2018
Amelia Maugery
Zoo
2018
Denise Austin
Brexit Shorts: The End
2017
Helen
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
2016
Narrator (voice)
The BFG
2016
The Queen
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2015
Jean Ainslie
Belle
2013
Lady Mary Murray
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
2013
Delia
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2012
Jean Ainslie
The Girl
2012
Peggy Robertson
Harold Pinter: A Celebration
2010
Self
Margot
2009
B.Q.
Celebration
2007
Julie
Half Broken Things
2007
Jean
The History Boys
2006
Mrs. Bibby
Match Point
2005
Eleanor Hewett
Falling
2005
Daisy Langrish
Pride & Prejudice
2005
Mrs. Gardiner
Calendar Girls
2003
Ruth
Iris
2001
Janet Stone
Victoria & Albert
2001
Princess Mary Louise Victoria
The Whistle-Blower
2001
Heather Graham
Rockaby
2000
Old Woman
Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings
2000
Mrs. Cratchit
Tom's Midnight Garden
1999
Aunt Melbourne
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
1999
Delfina / Paulina
Alice Through the Looking Glass
1998
White Queen
Talking Heads 2
1998
Carrington
1995
Lady Ottoline Morrell
The Deep Blue Sea
1994
Hester Collyer
Blame It on the Bellboy
1992
Patricia Fulford
Cry Freedom
1987
Wendy Woods
Clockwise
1986
Pat Garden
Laughterhouse
1984
Alice Singleton
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
1983
Beatrix Potter
The French Lieutenant's Woman
1981
Sonia
Country
1981
Virginia Carlion
Othello
1981
Desdemona
Pasmore
1980
Helen
Joseph Andrews
1977
Mrs. Wilton
Able's Will
1977
Journalist
King Lear
1975
Regan
Mrs. Warren's Profession
1972
Vivie Warren