Julie Walters,
CBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 22 February 1950) is an English actress and novelist. She came to international prominence in 1983 for
Educating RitaEducating Rita is a 1983 film of Willy Russell's play of the same title directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Julie Walters, Michael Caine, and Maureen Lipman with a screenplay by Russell.-Premise:...
, performing in the title role opposite
Michael CaineSir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
. It was a role she had created on the West End stage and it won her BAFTA and
Golden GlobeThe Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
awards for Best Actress. She is best known internationally for her on-screen characterisation of Molly Weasley in the
Harry PotterThe Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
motion picture octalogy. In 2006, she came fourth in
ITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's poll of the public's 50 Greatest Stars in the UK. She is also well-known for her collaborations with
Victoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
, such as appearing in and co-writing with her the award-winning sitcoms
Victoria Wood As Seen On TVVictoria Wood As Seen On TV was a British comedy sketch series starring comedienne Victoria Wood, with Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Duncan Preston, Susie Blake and Patricia Routledge...
and
DinnerladiesDinnerladies is a British sitcom written, co-produced by and starring Victoria Wood. It ran on BBC One for 16 episodes from 1998 to 2000.-Plot:...
.
Early life
Julia Mary Walters was born in
SmethwickSmethwick is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the historic boundaries of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire....
, Sandwell to parents Mary Bridget (née O'Brien), a postal clerk of Irish Catholic extraction, and Thomas Walters, a builder and decorator. The youngest of three children and only girl, Walters had an early education at a convent school and later at
Holly Lodge Grammar School for GirlsHolly Lodge High School College of Science is a secondary school located in Smethwick, West Midlands, England.-Admissions:It is located on Holly Lane on the middle point between Smethwick and Oldbury, near West Smethwick Park and West Park Road less than a mile from the M5. There is also an...
on Holly Lane in Smethwick, although she was asked to leave at the end of her lower sixth due to her "high jinks". In an interview with Alison Oddey, Walters said about her early schooling: "I was never going to be academic, so [my mother] suggested that I try teaching or nursing [...] I'd been asked to leave school, so I thought I'd better do it."
Her first job was in insurance at the age of 15. At 18 she trained as a nurse at the
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, BirminghamThe Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is an NHS hospital in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, situated very close to the University of Birmingham. The hospital, which cost £545 million to construct, opened in June 2010 replacing the previous Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Selly Oak Hospital...
and worked on the ophthalmic, casualty and coronary care wards during the 18 months she spent there. Walters decided to leave nursing, and studied English and Drama at Manchester Polytechnic (now
Manchester Metropolitan UniversityManchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
) and pursued a career in the
performing artsThe performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
. Walters worked for the
Everyman Theatre CompanyThe Everyman Theatre stands at the north end of Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Established in 1964 in a former cinema, it encouraged local talent and played a part in the development of new artistes and writers. The theatre was rebuilt between 1975 and 1977, and was closed again for...
in Liverpool in the mid 1970s, alongside several other notable performers:
Bill NighyWilliam Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
,
Pete PostlethwaitePeter William "Pete" Postlethwaite, OBE, was an English stage, film and television actor.After minor television appearances including in The Professionals, Postlethwaite's first success came with the film Distant Voices, Still Lives in 1988. He played a mysterious lawyer, Mr...
,
Jonathan PryceJonathan Pryce, CBE is a Welsh stage and film actor and singer. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and meeting his longtime partner English actress Kate Fahy in 1974, he began his career as a stage actor in the 1970s...
,
Willy Russell and
Alan BleasdaleAlan Bleasdale is an English television dramatist, best known for writing several social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people.The Bleasdales live in prescot,liverpool,wales and london.-Early life:Bleasdale is an only child; his father worked in a food factory and his mother...
.
1978–99
Walters first received notice as the occasional partner of comedienne
Victoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
, whom she had briefly met in Manchester. The two first worked together in the 1978 theatre revue
In At The DeathA sketch revue performed at The Bush Theatre, London in 1978, most notable for being the first time that future colleagues Victoria Wood and Julie Walters would work together....
, followed by the television adaptation of Wood's play
TalentTalent is a play written by Victoria Wood, first performed in 1978. It centres around two friends, one of whom is about to enter a talent contest in a run down nightclub. Commissioned for the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, it received much acclaim and transferred to a London run in 1979. That same...
. They went on to appear in their own
Granada TelevisionGranada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
series,
Wood and WaltersWood and Walters is a British television comedy sketch show starring Julie Walters and Victoria Wood for Granada Television and written entirely by Wood...
, in 1982. They have continued to perform together frequently over the years. The
BAFTAThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
-winning BBC follow-up,
Victoria Wood As Seen On TVVictoria Wood As Seen On TV was a British comedy sketch series starring comedienne Victoria Wood, with Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Duncan Preston, Susie Blake and Patricia Routledge...
, featured one of Walters' best-known roles, Mrs. Overall in Wood's parodic soap opera,
Acorn AntiquesAcorn Antiques is a parodic soap opera written by Victoria Wood as a regular feature in the two seasons of Victoria Wood As Seen On TV, which ran from 1985 to 1987. It was turned into a musical by Wood, opening in 2005.-Television version:...
(she later appeared in the musical version, and received an Olivier Award nomination for her efforts). She also appeared as Petula Gordino in Wood's sitcom
dinnerladiesDinnerladies is a British sitcom written, co-produced by and starring Victoria Wood. It ran on BBC One for 16 episodes from 1998 to 2000.-Plot:...
.
Before making her London stage debut in
Educating Rita, Walters had worked in regional theatre, stand-up comedy and cabaret. Her first serious acting role on TV was in the classic
Boys from the BlackstuffBoys from the Blackstuff is a British television drama series of five episodes, originally transmitted from 10 October to 7 November 1982 on BBC2....
in 1982, and she broke into films with her
Academy-AwardAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-nominated, BAFTA Best Actress award-winning and
Golden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical/Comedy award-winning performance opposite
Michael CaineSir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
in
Educating RitaEducating Rita is a 1983 film of Willy Russell's play of the same title directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Julie Walters, Michael Caine, and Maureen Lipman with a screenplay by Russell.-Premise:...
(1983), a role she had created on the West End stage.
In 1985, she played Adrian Mole's mother Pauline in the TV adaptation of
The Secret Diary of Adrian MoleThe Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ is a British television series based on the book of the same name written by Sue Townsend. It started in 1985 and starred Gian Sammarco, as the title character Adrian Mole, Stephen Moore as Adrian's father George Mole and Julie Walters followed by Lulu as...
. Walters starred as the lead in the 1987 film
Personal ServicesPersonal Services is a 1987 British comedy film directed by Terry Jones and written by David Leland. It is the story of the rise of a madam of a suburban brothel which caters to older men. The story is inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne, the legendary "House of Cyn" madam. The film...
– a dramatic comedy about a UK brothel owner. Walters played the lead character's wife, June, in the film
BusterBuster is a 1988 comedy-drama film starring musician Phil Collins, Julie Walters, Larry Lamb and Sheila Hancock. The soundtrack featured two Phil Collins singles which eventually topped the Billboard 100 singles chart.-Plot:...
, released in 1988. She also appeared as Mrs. Peachum in the 1989 film version of
The Threepenny OperaThe Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
, which was renamed
Mack the Knife"Mack the Knife" or "The Ballad of Mack the Knife", originally "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their music drama Die Dreigroschenoper, or, as it is known in English, The Threepenny Opera. It premiered in Berlin in 1928 at the...
for the screen. In 1991 she starred opposite
Liza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
in
Stepping OutStepping Out is a play written by Richard Harris in 1984. It was produced in the West End, London, where it received the Evening Standard Comedy of the Year Award, and on Broadway, New York.-Plot:...
and had a one-off television special,
Julie Walters and FriendsJulie Walters and Friends was a one-off comedy sketch show showcasing the talents of actress Julie Walters.Sketches were written by Walters' frequent collaborators, including Victoria Wood, Alan Bennett, Willy Russell and Alan Bleasdale...
, which featured writing contributions from
Victoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
and
Alan BennettAlan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
. In 1998 she starred as the Fairy Godmother in the ITV Pantomime – Jack and the Beanstalk, alongside actors Neil Morrissey,
Adrian EdmondsonAdrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones and Bottom , for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaboration partner Rik Mayall.-Early life:Edmondson, the second of four children, was...
,
Paul MertonPaul Merton is a British comedian, writer, actor and television presenter. Known for his improvisation skill, his humour is rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy...
,
Denise van OutenDenise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
and
Julian ClaryJulian Peter McDonald Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:...
. The show was first broadcast 25 December 1998 on ITV1 and continues to be shown every year around Christmas on ITV2.
2000–present
Walters has won numerous other acting awards, and was appointed Officer of the
Order of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) in 1999 and raised to Commander level (CBE) in the
2008 New Year HonoursThe New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008....
for her services to drama. In 2001, she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in
Arthur MillerArthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
's
All My SonsAll My Sons is a 1947 play by Arthur Miller. The play was twice adapted for film; in 1948, and again in 1987.The play opened on Broadway at the Coronet Theatre in New York City on January 29, 1947, closed on November 8, 1947 and ran for 328 performances...
. She received her second Oscar nomination and won a BAFTA for her supporting role as the ballet teacher in
Billy ElliotBilly Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
(2000). In 2002, she again won a BAFTA for her performance as
Paul ReiserPaul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
's mother in
My Beautiful Son.
Walters also played Molly Weasley in
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, released in the United States and India as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film is the first instalment in the Harry Potter film series,...
(UK Title) (2001)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (US title) ,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the second instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
(2002),
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...
(2004),
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
(2007),
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
(2009) and
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and
Part 2Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...
(2011).
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
is the only
Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
film to have not starred Walters.
In 2003, Walters starred as a widow (Annie Clark) determined to make some good come out of her husband's death from cancer in
Calendar GirlsCalendar Girls is a 2003 comedy film directed by Nigel Cole. Produced by Buena Vista International and Touchstone Pictures, it features a screenplay by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi based on a true story of a group of Yorkshire women who produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia...
, which also starred
Helen MirrenDame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
and
Ciarán HindsCiarán Hinds is an Irish film, television and stage actor. He has built up a reputation as a versatile character actor appearing in such high profile films as Road to Perdition, The Phantom of the Opera, Munich, There Will Be Blood and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. His television roles include...
; in 2005, Walters again starred as inspirational real-life figure
Marie StubbsMarie, Lady Stubbs, DSG is a British educator and academic.She was the headteacher at Douai Martyrs School, and brought it to beacon status. She wrote Ahead of the Class , a book in which she details how she helped reform St George's Roman Catholic Secondary School in Maida Vale...
in the
ITV1ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
drama
Head of the Class.
In 2006, she came fourth in ITV's poll of the public's 50 Greatest Stars, coming four places above frequent co-star
Victoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
. Also in 2006, she starred in the film
Driving LessonsDriving Lessons is a 2006 British dramedy film written and directed by Jeremy Brock. The plot focuses on the relationship between a shy teenaged boy and an ageing eccentric actress.-Plot:...
alongside
Rupert GrintRupert Alexander Lloyd Grint is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group...
(who played her son Ron in the
Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series), and later had a leading role in the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's adaptation of Phillip Pullman's novel
The Ruby in the SmokeThe Ruby in the Smoke is a novel by the English author Philip Pullman. It was also adapted for television in 2006.-Plot summary:This book takes place in 1872. A sixteen year old girl named Veronica Beatrice “Sally” Lockhart goes to visit where her father used to work, a shipping company named...
. In the summer of 2006, she published her first novel,
Maggie's Tree. Walters starred in
AsdaAsda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
's Christmas 2007 TV advertising campaign. She also appeared alongside
Patrick StewartSir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
in UK Nintendo DS Brain Training television advertisements, and in a
Public Information FilmPublic Information Films are a series of government commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the UK. The US equivalent is the Public Service Announcement .-Subjects:...
about smoke alarms. In summer 2008, Walters appeared in the movie version of
Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
, marking her second high profile musical, after
Acorn AntiquesAcorn Antiques:The Musical! is a musical about an antiques dealer, based on the parodic soap opera of the same name by Victoria Wood. It premiered in the West End in 2005, and starred Julie Walters and Celia Imrie...
.
Walters played
Mary WhitehouseMary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
in the BBC Drama
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse StoryFilth: The Mary Whitehouse Story is a 2008 BBC Television docudrama written by Amanda Coe, telling the life story of the British morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse...
, an adaptation of the real-life story of Mrs. Whitehouse, who campaigned for "taste and decency on television". Walters commented, "I am very excited to be playing Mary Whitehouse, and to be looking at the time when she attacked the BBC and started to make her name."
Filth won Best Motion Picture Made for Television, and Walters was nominated for Best Actress In A Miniseries Or A Motion Picture Made For Television, at the 2008 13th Annual Satellite Awards.
In 2009 Walters received a star in the
Birmingham Walk of StarsThe Broad Street Walk of Stars is an installation on the pedestrian pavement on Broad Street, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It is of a similar style to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California...
on Birmingham's Golden Mile,
Broad StreetBroad Street is a major thoroughfare and popular nightspot in Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom. Traditionally, Broad Street was considered to be outside Birmingham City Centre, but as the city centre expanded with the removal of the Inner Ring Road, Broad Street has been incorporated into...
. She said: "I am very honoured and happy that the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands want to include me in their Walk of Stars and I look forward to receiving my star. Birmingham and the West Midlands is where I'm from; these are my roots and in essence it has played a big part in making me the person I am today". Other awards include an International Emmy with Ben Whishaw for "A Short Stay In Switzerland".
Later that year Walters played the late MP and former
Secretary of State for Northern IrelandThe Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
,
Mo MowlamMarjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
in a drama for
Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, broadcast in early 2010. She had misgivings about taking on the role because of the differences in their physical appearance, but the result was highly praised by critics.
Personal life
Walters met her husband, Grant Roffey, an
Automobile AssociationThe Automobile Association , a British motoring association founded in 1905 was demutualised in 1999 to become a private limited company which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice, and other services...
patrol man, in a whirlwind romance. The couple have a daughter, Maisie Mae Roffey (born April 26 1988,
City of WestminsterThe City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, London - see IMDb), but did not marry until 1997, 11 years into their relationship, when they went to New York. The couple live on an organic farm run by Roffey in
West SussexWest Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.
Filmography
| Year(s) |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1975 |
Second City Firsts |
|
TV: 1 episode |
| 1977 |
The Liver Birds The Liver Birds is a British situation comedy, set in Liverpool, Merseyside, North-West of England, which aired on BBC1 from 1969 to 1978, and again in 1996. It was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpool housewives had met at a local writers club and decided to pool their talents...
|
Girl in surgery |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1978 |
Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf |
Woman in waiting room |
TV Movie |
| 1978/1982 |
Play for Today Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted...
|
Debbie/Valerie |
TV: 2 episodes |
| 1979 |
Empire Road Empire Road is a British television series, made by the BBC in 1978 and 1979.The series was the first British television series to be written, acted and directed entirely by black artists...
|
Jean Watson |
TV: 2 episodes |
| 1979–1981 |
Screenplay |
Frances/Julie |
TV: 3 episodes |
| 1980 |
Nearly a Happy Ending Nearly A Happy Ending is a television play written by Victoria Wood, which ITV broadcast on 1 June 1980.It is a sequel to Wood's earlier play Talent, with the same lead character's, Julie and Maureen ....
|
Julie Stephens |
TV Movie |
| 1981 |
Wood and WaltersWood and Walters is a British television comedy sketch show starring Julie Walters and Victoria Wood for Granada Television and written entirely by Wood...
|
Various roles |
TV |
| 1981 |
BBC2 Playhouse |
Mrs Morgan |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1982 |
Boys from the BlackstuffBoys from the Blackstuff is a British television drama series of five episodes, originally transmitted from 10 October to 7 November 1982 on BBC2....
|
Angie Todd |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1982 |
Objects of Affection |
June Potter |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1983 |
Educating Rita Educating Rita is a 1983 film of Willy Russell's play of the same title directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Julie Walters, Michael Caine, and Maureen Lipman with a screenplay by Russell.-Premise:...
|
Susan "Rita" White |
|
| 1984 |
Love and Marriage "Love and Marriage" is a song with lyrics by Sammy Cahn and music by Jimmy Van Heusen. It is published by Barton Music Corporation .-Frank Sinatra versions:...
|
Bonnie |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1985 |
She'll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas |
Fran |
|
| 1985 |
Dreamchild Dreamchild is a 1985 British drama film produced by Verity Lambert, directed by Gavin Millar and written by Dennis Potter. It stars Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher, Nicola Cowper and Amelia Shankley and is a fictionalized account of Alice Liddell, the child who inspired Lewis Carroll's...
|
Dormouse |
Voice |
| 1985 |
The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ is a British television series based on the book of the same name written by Sue Townsend. It started in 1985 and starred Gian Sammarco, as the title character Adrian Mole, Stephen Moore as Adrian's father George Mole and Julie Walters followed by Lulu as...
|
Pauline Mole |
TV: 5 episodes |
| 1985 |
Car Trouble |
Jacqueline Spong |
|
| 1985–1986 |
Victoria Wood As Seen On TVVictoria Wood As Seen On TV was a British comedy sketch series starring comedienne Victoria Wood, with Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Duncan Preston, Susie Blake and Patricia Routledge...
|
Various characters |
TV: 13 episodes |
| 1987 |
Personal Services Personal Services is a 1987 British comedy film directed by Terry Jones and written by David Leland. It is the story of the rise of a madam of a suburban brothel which caters to older men. The story is inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne, the legendary "House of Cyn" madam. The film...
|
Christina Painter |
|
| 1987 |
Prick Up Your Ears Prick Up Your Ears is a 1987 film, directed by Stephen Frears, about the playwright Joe Orton and his lover Kenneth Halliwell. The screenplay was written by Alan Bennett, based on the book by John Lahr...
|
Elsie Orton |
|
| 1987 |
Theatre Night |
Lulu |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1986–1987 |
Acorn Antiques Acorn Antiques is a parodic soap opera written by Victoria Wood as a regular feature in the two seasons of Victoria Wood As Seen On TV, which ran from 1985 to 1987. It was turned into a musical by Wood, opening in 2005.-Television version:...
|
|
TV: 6 episodes |
| 1988 |
Talking HeadsTalking Heads is a series of dramatic monologues written for BBC television by British playwright Alan Bennett. The two series were first broadcast in 1988 and 1998, and have since been broadcast on BBC Radio and included on the A-level and GCSE English Literature syllabus.A West End theatre...
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Lesley |
TV: 1 episode: "Her Big Chance" |
| 1988 |
Buster Buster is a 1988 comedy-drama film starring musician Phil Collins, Julie Walters, Larry Lamb and Sheila Hancock. The soundtrack featured two Phil Collins singles which eventually topped the Billboard 100 singles chart.-Plot:...
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June Edwards |
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| 1988 |
Mack the Knife Mack the Knife is an American film adaptation of the Brecht/Weill musical The Threepenny Opera . The film was made in 1989.It was directed by Menahem Golan, with Raúl Juliá as Macheath, Richard Harris as Mr...
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| 1989 |
Victoria WoodVictoria Wood was a series of six one-off situation comedies written by and starring Victoria Wood in 1989, who took a break from sketches, two years after her very successful and award winning series Victoria Wood As Seen On TV. Wood appeared as "Victoria" in all six episodes and "Miss Wood" in...
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Various roles |
TV: 3 episodes |
| 1990 |
Killing Dad or How to Love Your Mother |
Judith |
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| 1991 |
Julie Walters and Friends |
Herself/Various roles |
TV |
| 1991 |
G.B.H. |
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TV: 7 episodes |
| 1991 |
Stepping Out Stepping Out is a 1991 musical-comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert, starring Liza Minnelli, written by Richard Harris and based on a play also written by Harris. Minnelli plays the role of a has-been Broadway performer who gives tap lesson to a group of misfits who, through their dance classes,...
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Vera |
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| 1992 |
Just Like a Woman |
Monica |
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| 1992 |
Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast A one-off, fifty minute comedy sketch show special, written by and starring comedian Victoria Wood. Broadcast on Christmas day 1992.The show was linked by Duncan Preston and Wood as husband and wife daytime TV presenters 'Martin Cumbernauld' and 'Sally Crossthwaite'...
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Various roles |
TV |
| 1985/1993 |
Screen Two |
Mavis / Monica |
TV: 2 episodes |
| 1993 |
Screen One Screen One is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 between 1989 to 1993.Following the demise of the BBC's Play For Today which ran from 1970 to 1984, producer Kenneth Trodd was asked to formulate a new series of one-off television dramas...
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Diana Longden |
TV: 1 episode |
| 1994 |
Bambino Mio |
Alice |
TV Movie |
| 1994 |
Sister My Sister Sister My Sister is a 1995 film starring British actresses Joely Richardson, Jodhi May and Julie Walters. The film is directed by Nancy Meckler and written by Wendy Kesselman, based on her own play, My Sister in This House. Both the play and the subsequent film deal with societal repression and its...
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Madame Danzard |
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| 1994 |
Pat and Margaret Pat and Margaret is a British television film written by comedian Victoria Wood. The story follows sisters Margaret, a cook, and Pat, a successful actress in the United States, after they are reunited on a television programme after spending 27 years apart...
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Pat |
TV |
| 1994 |
Requiem Apache |
Mrs Capstan |
TV Movie |
| 1995 |
Jake's Progress |
Julie Diadoni |
TV: 6 episodes |
| 1995 |
Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
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Little Red Riding Hood / Grandma |
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| 1996 |
Intimate Relations |
Marjorie Beasley |
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| 1996 |
Brazen Hussies |
Maureen Hardcastle |
TV Movie |
| 1997 |
Bathtime |
Miss Gideon |
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| 1997 |
Melissa |
Paula Hepburn |
TV: 5 episodes |
| 1998 |
Jack and the BeanstalkJack and the Beanstalk is a folktale said by English historian Francis Palgrave to be an oral legend that arrived in England with the Vikings. The tale is closely associated with the tale of Jack the Giant-killer. It is known under a number of versions...
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Fairy Godmother |
TV Movie |
| 1998 |
Girls' Night Girl's Night is a 1998 British comedy-drama directed by Nick Hurran. Loosely based upon the real experiences of writer Kay Melior, the film stars Julie Walters and Brenda Blethyn as two sisters-in-law, one dying of cancer, who fulfil a lifelong dream of going to Las Vegas, Nevada after an...
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Jackie Simpson |
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| 1998 |
Titanic Town Titanic Town is a 1998 film. Ciarán Hinds and Julie Walters play Aidan and Bernie McPhelimy, a mother and father caught in the Northern Ireland Troubles in Belfast . Bernie's close friend is killed in the crossfire and so she becomes involved in the peace process.-Their children:*Nuala O'Neill ......
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Bernie McPhelimy |
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| 1998 |
Talking Heads 2Talking Heads is a series of dramatic monologues written for BBC television by British playwright Alan Bennett. The two series were first broadcast in 1988 and 1998, and have since been broadcast on BBC Radio and included on the A-level and GCSE English Literature syllabus.A West End theatre...
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Marjory |
TV: 1 episode: "The Outside Dog" |
| 1998–2000 |
DinnerladiesDinnerladies is a British sitcom written, co-produced by and starring Victoria Wood. It ran on BBC One for 16 episodes from 1998 to 2000.-Plot:...
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Petula |
TV: 9 episodes |
| 1999 |
Oliver Twist Oliver Twist is a 1999 television mini-series produced by ITV based on the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.-Plot:The first episode revolved around Oliver's parents as they struggled to fight their love for each other...
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TV: 4 episodes |
| 2000 |
Billy ElliotBilly Elliot is a 2000 British drama film written by Lee Hall and directed by Stephen Daldry. Set in the fictional town of "Everington" in the real County Durham, UK, it stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, an aspiring dancer, Gary Lewis as his coal miner father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older...
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| 2000 |
All Forgotten |
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| 2001 |
My Beautiful Son |
Sheila Fitzpatrick |
TV |
| 2001 |
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, released in the United States and India as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film is the first instalment in the Harry Potter film series,...
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Molly Weasley |
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| 2002 |
Murder |
Angela Maurer |
TV: 4 episodes |
| 2002 |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the second instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
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Molly Weasley |
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| 2002 |
Before You Go Before You Go is a 2002 comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert. The imperfect lives of three sisters are revealed at their unloved mother's funeral....
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Theresa |
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| 2003 |
Calendar Girls Calendar Girls is a 2003 comedy film directed by Nigel Cole. Produced by Buena Vista International and Touchstone Pictures, it features a screenplay by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi based on a true story of a group of Yorkshire women who produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia...
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Annie |
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| 2003 |
The Return |
Lizzie Hunt |
TV |
| 2003 |
The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath The Canterbury Tales is a series of six single dramas that originally aired on BBC One in 2003. Each story is an adaptation of one of Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th century Canterbury Tales which are transferred to a modern, 21st century setting, but still set along the traditional Pilgrims' route to...
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Beth |
TV |
| 2004 |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...
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Molly Weasley |
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| 2004 |
Mickybo and Me Mickybo and Me is a 2004 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Terry Loane and based on the stage play Mojo Mickybo by Owen McCafferty...
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Mickybo's Ma |
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| 2005 |
Wah-WahWah-Wah is a 2005 drama film, written and directed by British actor Richard E. Grant and loosely based on his childhood in Swaziland. Filmed and set in Swaziland, the film was premiered at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival and also opened the Edinburgh Festival to critical acclaim...
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Gwen Traherne |
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| 2005 |
Ahead of the Class Ahead of the Class is a 2003 book and 2005 dramatic television film based on real-life events.-Plot:Marie Stubbs is a diminutive Glaswegian headmistress who is close to the age of retirement. After being Head teacher at The Douay Martyrs School, Ickenham, she takes on one last challenge: to improve...
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Marie Stubbs Marie, Lady Stubbs, DSG is a British educator and academic.She was the headteacher at Douai Martyrs School, and brought it to beacon status. She wrote Ahead of the Class , a book in which she details how she helped reform St George's Roman Catholic Secondary School in Maida Vale...
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TV |
| 2006 |
Driving Lessons Driving Lessons is a 2006 British dramedy film written and directed by Jeremy Brock. The plot focuses on the relationship between a shy teenaged boy and an ageing eccentric actress.-Plot:...
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Evie Walton |
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| 2006 |
The Ruby in the Smoke The Ruby in the Smoke is a novel by the English author Philip Pullman. It was also adapted for television in 2006.-Plot summary:This book takes place in 1872. A sixteen year old girl named Veronica Beatrice “Sally” Lockhart goes to visit where her father used to work, a shipping company named...
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TV |
| 2007 |
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
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Molly Weasley |
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| 2007 |
Becoming JaneBecoming Jane is a 2007 historical film directed by Julian Jarrold. It is inspired by the early life of author Jane Austen , and her posited relationship with Thomas Langlois Lefroy . Also appearing are Julie Walters, James Cromwell and Maggie Smith...
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| 2008 |
Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a 2008 musical/romantic comedy film adapted from the 1999 West End/2001 Broadway musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson...
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Rosie |
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| 2008 |
Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story is a 2008 BBC Television docudrama written by Amanda Coe, telling the life story of the British morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse...
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Mary Whitehouse Mary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
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TV |
| 2009 |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
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Molly Weasley |
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| 2009 |
A Short Stay in Switzerland |
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TV |
| 2009 |
Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas is a comedy sketch show written by and starring comedienne Victoria Wood, broadcast on Christmas Eve 2009....
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Bo Beaumont/Mrs. Overall |
TV |
| 2010 |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 |
Molly Weasley |
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| 2010 |
Mo Mo is a 2010 TV film about the later life and career of the British Labour Party politician Mo Mowlam, written by Neil McKay and directed by Philip Martin.-Synopsis:...
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Mo MowlamMarjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a British Labour Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Redcar from 1987 to 2001 and served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Mowlam's time as Northern...
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TV |
| 2011 |
Gnomeo and Juliet Gnomeo & Juliet is a 2011 computer-animated family comedy film based on William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. The film is directed by Kelly Asbury, and the two main characters are voiced by James McAvoy and Emily Blunt. The film was released on , 2011.-Plot:Mrs. Montague and Mr. Capulet are...
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(voice) |
| 2011 |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...
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Molly Weasley |
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| 2011 |
The Jury |
Emma Watts |
TV |
| 2012 |
Brave |
Witch |
(voice) In pre-production |
| 2012 |
Thread of Evidence |
Betty Beesom |
Filming |
Theatre
- (London debut) Irene Tinsley, Funny Peculiar, Mermaid Theatre, then Garrick Theatre, London, 1976
- Vera, Breezeblock Park, Mermaid Theatre, then Whitehall Theatre, London, 1977
- Irene Goodnight, Flaming Bodies, ICA Theatre, London, 1979
- Rita, Educating Rita, Royal Shakespeare Company, London, 1980
- Having a Ball, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London, 1981
- Dotty, Jumpers
Jumpers is a 1972 play by Tom Stoppard. It explores and satirises the field of academic philosophy, likening it to a less-than skilful competitive gymnastics display...
, Royal Exchange Manchester, 1984
- Fool for Love, Royal National Theatre, London, 1984–1985
- Macbeth, Leicester Haymarket Theatre, 1985
- When I Was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout, Whitehall Theatre, 1986
- Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, Comedy Theatre, 1989
- Serafina, The Rose Tattoo, Playhouse, London, 1991
- All My Sons, Royal National Theatre, 2000
- Acorn Antiques: The Musical, 2005
- Also appeared in The Taming of the Shrew, produced in Liverpool, England; and in Jumpers, Royal Exchange; performed with *Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, and Bristol Old Vic.
Awards
| Year |
Work |
Role |
Awards |
| 1983 |
Educating Rita |
Susan White |
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading RoleBest Actress in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognise an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film.- Winners and nominees :...
Nominated – Academy Award for Best ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
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| 2001 |
Billy Elliot |
Georgia Wilkinson |
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film...
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting ActressGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress may refer to:*Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture or*Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film...
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role |
| All My Sons |
Kate Keller |
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress |
| 2002 |
My Beautiful Son |
Sheila Fitzpatrick |
British Academy Television Award for Best Actress- 1950s :*1955 Googie Withers*1956 Virginia McKenna*1957 Rosalie Crutchley*1958 Gwen Watford*1959 Catherine Lacey- 1960s :*1960 Catherine Lacey*1961 Billie Whitelaw*1962 Ruth Dunning*1963 Brenda Bruce*1964 Vivien Merchant*1965 Katherine Blake...
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| 2003 |
Murder |
Angela Maurer |
British Academy Television Award for Best Actress- 1950s :*1955 Googie Withers*1956 Virginia McKenna*1957 Rosalie Crutchley*1958 Gwen Watford*1959 Catherine Lacey- 1960s :*1960 Catherine Lacey*1961 Billie Whitelaw*1962 Ruth Dunning*1963 Brenda Bruce*1964 Vivien Merchant*1965 Katherine Blake...
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| 2004 |
Canterbury Tales |
Beth |
British Academy Television Award for Best Actress- 1950s :*1955 Googie Withers*1956 Virginia McKenna*1957 Rosalie Crutchley*1958 Gwen Watford*1959 Catherine Lacey- 1960s :*1960 Catherine Lacey*1961 Billie Whitelaw*1962 Ruth Dunning*1963 Brenda Bruce*1964 Vivien Merchant*1965 Katherine Blake...
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| 2009 |
A Short Stay in Switzerland |
Dr Anne Turner |
International Emmy The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is an organization of global broadcasters, with members from nearly 70 countries and over 400 companies...
Award for Best Actress |
| 2010 |
Mo |
Mo Mowlam |
British Academy Television Award for Best Actress- 1950s :*1955 Googie Withers*1956 Virginia McKenna*1957 Rosalie Crutchley*1958 Gwen Watford*1959 Catherine Lacey- 1960s :*1960 Catherine Lacey*1961 Billie Whitelaw*1962 Ruth Dunning*1963 Brenda Bruce*1964 Vivien Merchant*1965 Katherine Blake...
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| 2011 |
International Emmy The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is an organization of global broadcasters, with members from nearly 70 countries and over 400 companies...
Award for Best Actress |
Julie Walters has won 7 BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe, an Olivier, two International Emmys and has been nominated for two Academy Awards.
Styles
- Julie Walters (1950–1999)
- Julie Walters OBE (1999–2008)
- Julie Walters CBE (2008–present)
External links