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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.

Known for

Fing!
Fing!
2026
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
2025 • Isobel Merton
Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale
Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale
2025 • Self
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
2023 • Maureen Fry
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
2022 • Self
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022 • Isobel Merton
Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat
2022 • Hester Leggett
Eternal Beauty
Eternal Beauty
2020 • Vivian

Full filmography

Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat
2022 • Hester Leggett
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Summerland
Summerland
2020 • Older Alice
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Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey
2019 • Isobel Merton
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Zoo
Zoo
2018 • Denise Austin
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The BFG
The BFG
2016 • The Queen
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Belle
Belle
2013 • Lady Mary Murray
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The Girl
The Girl
2012 • Peggy Robertson
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Margot
Margot
2009 • B.Q.
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Celebration
Celebration
2007 • Julie
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The History Boys
The History Boys
2006 • Mrs. Bibby
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Match Point
Match Point
2005 • Eleanor Hewett
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Pride & Prejudice
Pride & Prejudice
2005 • Mrs. Gardiner
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Falling
Falling
2005 • Daisy Langrish
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Lucky Jim
Lucky Jim
2003 • Celia Welch
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Iris
Iris
2001 • Janet Stone
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Victoria & Albert
Victoria & Albert
2001 • Princess Mary Louise Victoria
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The Whistle-Blower
The Whistle-Blower
2001 • Heather Graham
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Rockaby
Rockaby
2000 • Old Woman
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Tom's Midnight Garden
Tom's Midnight Garden
1999 • Aunt Melbourne
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Landscape
1995 • Beth
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Carrington
Carrington
1995 • Lady Ottoline Morrell
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The Deep Blue Sea
The Deep Blue Sea
1994 • Hester Collyer
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The Secret Rapture
1993 • Marion French
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Blame It on the Bellboy
Blame It on the Bellboy
1992 • Patricia Fulford
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Cry Freedom
Cry Freedom
1987 • Wendy Woods
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Clockwise
Clockwise
1986 • Pat Garden
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Laughterhouse
Laughterhouse
1984 • Alice Singleton
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King Lear
King Lear
1982 • Regan
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Country
Country
1981 • Virginia Carlion
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Othello
Othello
1981 • Desdemona
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Pasmore
Pasmore
1980 • Helen
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Able's Will
Able's Will
1977 • Journalist
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Joseph Andrews
Joseph Andrews
1977 • Mrs. Wilton
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King Lear
King Lear
1975 • Regan
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The Sullens Sisters
1972 • Rachel Sullens
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Penelope Wilton – Biography, Known For & Filmography