Penelope Wilton
8.5Acting

Penelope Wilton

Jun 3, 1946 - Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK

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).

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Credits

Cast

Media
Movie2004Shaun of the DeadBarbara
MovieN/AVisitation
Movie1986ClockwisePat Garden
Movie2001IrisJanet Stone
Movie2006The History BoysMrs. Bibby
Movie2003Calendar GirlsRuth
Movie1981The French Lieutenant's WomanSonia
Movie1987Cry FreedomWendy Woods
Movie1992Blame It on the BellboyPatricia Fulford
Movie1977Joseph AndrewsMrs. Wilton
Movie1998Alice Through the Looking GlassWhite Queen
Movie1995CarringtonLady Ottoline Morrell
Movie2012The Best Exotic Marigold HotelJean Ainslie
Movie1984LaughterhouseAlice Singleton
Movie1999Tom's Midnight GardenAunt Melbourne
Movie2000RockabyOld Woman
Movie2017Brexit Shorts: The EndHelen
Movie2012The GirlPeggy Robertson
Movie1995LandscapeBeth
Movie2013BelleLady Mary Murray
Movie2001Victoria & AlbertPrincess Mary Louise Victoria
Movie1993The Secret RaptureMarion French
Movie2005Match PointEleanor Hewett
Movie2016All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on FilmNarrator (voice)
Movie1994The Deep Blue SeaHester Collyer
Movie1975King LearRegan
Movie1981CountryVirginia Carlion
Movie2015The Second Best Exotic Marigold HotelJean Ainslie
Movie2022Judi Dench: Our National TreasureSelf
Movie1998Talking Heads 2
Movie2000Victoria Wood with All the TrimmingsMrs. Cratchit
Movie2005FallingDaisy Langrish
Movie2007CelebrationJulie
Movie2025Downton Abbey: The Grand FinaleIsobel Crawley
Movie2016The BFGThe Queen
Movie2003Lucky JimCelia Welch
Movie2001The Whistle-BlowerHeather Graham
Movie2007Half Broken ThingsJean
Movie2009MargotB.Q.
Movie2013National Theatre Live: 50 Years on StageDelia
Movie2010Harold Pinter: A CelebrationSelf
Movie2018The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie SocietyAmelia Maugery
Movie2018ZooDenise Austin
Movie2020SummerlandOlder Alice
Movie2020Eternal BeautyVivian
Movie2019Downton AbbeyIsobel Merton
Movie1981OthelloDesdemona
Movie1982King LearRegan
Movie2022Operation MincemeatHester Leggett
Movie2005Pride & PrejudiceMrs. Gardiner
Movie1972Mrs. Warren's ProfessionVivie Warren
Movie1980PasmoreHelen
Movie1999The Strange Case of Delfina PotockaDelfina / Paulina
Movie2022Downton Abbey: A New EraIsobel Merton
Movie2023The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold FryMaureen Fry
Movie1977Able's WillJournalist
Movie1983The Tale of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter
MovieN/AFing!
TV Show1984Ever Decreasing Circles26
TV Show2003Comedy Connections1
TV Show1985C.A.T.S. Eyes1
TV Show2007Five DaysBarbara Poole10
TV Show2001Bob & RoseMonica Gossage6
TV Show1993The Return of the BorrowersHomily6
TV Show2008The PassionMary6
TV Show1992Screaming8
TV Show2010Downton AbbeyIsobel Merton47
TV Show2005Doctor Who0
TV Show1992The BorrowersHomily12
TV Show2005Doctor WhoHarriet Jones3
TV Show1991PerformanceBeth1
TV Show2011South RidingMrs Beddows3
TV Show1988Talking HeadsRosemary1
TV Show2016Brief EncountersPauline6
TV Show2023Murder Is EasyMiss Pinkerton2
TV Show1978An Audience with...Self1
TV Show1995Kavanagh Q.C.Barbara Watkins1
TV Show1977The Norman ConquestsAnnie3
TV Show1999Wives and DaughtersMrs. Hamley6
TV Show2024Dead HotFrancine6
TV Show2019After LifeAnne18
TV Show1970Play for TodayVirginia Carlion1
TV Show1982The Tale of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter1
TV Show1991PerformanceHester Collyer1
TV Show1965BBC Play of the MonthRegan1

Crew

No crew credits available.