Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton

Acting
Born 1946-06-03Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Biography

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.

Movies (61)

Pride & Prejudice
8.1

Pride & Prejudice

2005Movie8.1
Shaun of the Dead
7.5

Shaun of the Dead

2004Movie7.5
The BFG
6.3

The BFG

2016Movie6.3
Match Point
7.4

Match Point

2005Movie7.4
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
7.1

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

2025Movie7.1
Downton Abbey: A New Era
7.2

Downton Abbey: A New Era

2022Movie7.2
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
7.0

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

2012Movie7.0
Downton Abbey
7.1

Downton Abbey

2019Movie7.1
Belle
7.1

Belle

2013Movie7.1
Operation Mincemeat
6.5

Operation Mincemeat

2022Movie6.5
Cry Freedom
7.0

Cry Freedom

1987Movie7.0
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
7.4

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

2018Movie7.4
Eternal Beauty
6.2

Eternal Beauty

2020Movie6.2
Calendar Girls
6.5

Calendar Girls

2003Movie6.5
The French Lieutenant's Woman
6.5

The French Lieutenant's Woman

1981Movie6.5
Iris
6.4

Iris

2001Movie6.4
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
6.4

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

2015Movie6.4
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
6.7

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

2023Movie6.7
Alice Through the Looking Glass
5.2

Alice Through the Looking Glass

1998Movie5.2
The History Boys
6.6

The History Boys

2006Movie6.6
Zoo
6.7

Zoo

2018Movie6.7
The Girl
6.1

The Girl

2012Movie6.1
Summerland
7.5

Summerland

2020Movie7.5
Blame It on the Bellboy
5.4

Blame It on the Bellboy

1992Movie5.4
Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale
2.5

Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale

2025Movie2.5
Othello
6.7

Othello

1981Movie6.7
FING!

FING!

2027Movie
Clockwise
6.2

Clockwise

1986Movie6.2
Joseph Andrews
5.1

Joseph Andrews

1977Movie5.1
Country
7.5

Country

1981Movie7.5
The Sullens Sisters

The Sullens Sisters

1972Movie
Falling
7.9

Falling

2005Movie7.9
Carrington
6.2

Carrington

1995Movie6.2
The Deep Blue Sea
5.0

The Deep Blue Sea

1994Movie5.0
Victoria & Albert
7.6

Victoria & Albert

2001Movie7.6
Celebration
6.3

Celebration

2007Movie6.3
Lucky Jim
7.0

Lucky Jim

2003Movie7.0
Landscape
10.0

Landscape

1995Movie10.0
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
6.2

National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

2013Movie6.2
Tom's Midnight Garden
6.1

Tom's Midnight Garden

1999Movie6.1
Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion
8.5

Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion

2005Movie8.5
Able's Will

Able's Will

1977Movie
Harold Pinter: A Celebration
8.0

Harold Pinter: A Celebration

2010Movie8.0
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
8.0

Judi Dench: Our National Treasure

2022Movie8.0
Laughterhouse
5.8

Laughterhouse

1984Movie5.8
Pasmore

Pasmore

1980Movie
The Secret Rapture
4.8

The Secret Rapture

1993Movie4.8
The Whistle-Blower
7.8

The Whistle-Blower

2001Movie7.8
Talking Heads 2
8.5

Talking Heads 2

1998Movie8.5
Margot
5.5

Margot

2009Movie5.5
King Lear
6.5

King Lear

1982Movie6.5
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film

All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film

2016Movie
King Lear
10.0

King Lear

1975Movie10.0
Half Broken Things
6.5

Half Broken Things

2007Movie6.5
Visitation

Visitation

Movie
Brexit Shorts: The End
10.0

Brexit Shorts: The End

2017Movie10.0
Rockaby
5.1

Rockaby

2000Movie5.1
Mrs. Warren's Profession
9.0

Mrs. Warren's Profession

1972Movie9.0
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
10.0

The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka

1999Movie10.0
Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings
7.0

Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings

2000Movie7.0
The Tale of Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Beatrix Potter

1983Movie

TV Shows (32)

Doctor Who
7.6

Doctor Who

2005Series7.6
Play for Today
6.6

Play for Today

1970Series6.6
Downton Abbey
8.1

Downton Abbey

2010Series8.1
BBC Play of the Month
5.2

BBC Play of the Month

1965Series5.2
Agatha Christie's Marple
7.8

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004Series7.8
After Life
7.9

After Life

2019Series7.9
Performance
6.3

Performance

1991Series6.3
An Audience with...
5.3

An Audience with...

1978Series5.3
Remembers…
7.0

Remembers…

2022Series7.0
Kavanagh Q.C.
7.3

Kavanagh Q.C.

1995Series7.3
Wives and Daughters
7.3

Wives and Daughters

1999Series7.3
Five Days
5.8

Five Days

2007Series5.8
Comedy Connections
6.5

Comedy Connections

2003Series6.5
4 Play
7.0

4 Play

1989Series7.0
Bob & Rose
6.0

Bob & Rose

2001Series6.0
The Pearcross Girls

The Pearcross Girls

1973Series
The Borrowers
6.7

The Borrowers

1992Series6.7
The Passion
5.3

The Passion

2008Series5.3
C.A.T.S. Eyes
6.0

C.A.T.S. Eyes

1985Series6.0
Murder Is Easy
5.2

Murder Is Easy

2023Series5.2
Country Matters
4.6

Country Matters

1972Series4.6
South Riding
6.9

South Riding

2011Series6.9
Ever Decreasing Circles
7.5

Ever Decreasing Circles

1984Series7.5
Talking Heads
6.7

Talking Heads

1988Series6.7
Brief Encounters
6.7

Brief Encounters

2016Series6.7
The Norman Conquests
6.3

The Norman Conquests

1977Series6.3
Mavis Eccleston

Mavis Eccleston

Series
The Return of the Borrowers
7.0

The Return of the Borrowers

1993Series7.0
Screaming

Screaming

1992Series
The Song of Songs

The Song of Songs

1973Series
Dead Hot
7.7

Dead Hot

2024Series7.7
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
8.0

The Tale of Beatrix Potter

1982Series8.0