Penelope Wilton
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Doctor Who
2005
Series
Doctor Who
Harriet Jones
2005
Series
Play for Today
Virginia Carlion
1970
Series
Downton Abbey
Isobel Merton
2010
Series
Agatha Christie's Marple
Carrie Louise Serrocold
2004
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Regan
1965
Film
Pride & Prejudice
Mrs. Gardiner
2005
Series
Remembers…
2022
Series
An Audience with...
Self
1978
Film
Shaun of the Dead
Barbara
2004
Series
Performance
Beth
1991
Series
Performance
Hester Collyer
1991
Film
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Isobel Merton
2025
Series
After Life
Anne
2019
Film
The BFG
The Queen
2016
Series
Kavanagh Q.C.
Barbara Watkins
1995
Film
Downton Abbey
Isobel Merton
2019
Film
Match Point
Eleanor Hewett
2005
Series
Five Days
Barbara Poole
2007
Series
Wives and Daughters
Mrs Hamley
1999
Film
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Isobel Merton
2022
Series
Comedy Connections
2003
Film
Operation Mincemeat
Hester Leggett
2022
Film
Calendar Girls
Ruth
2003
Series
Ever Decreasing Circles
1984
Series
The Passion
Mary
2008
Series
C.A.T.S. Eyes
1985
Series
Country Matters
Rachel Sullens
1972
Film
Belle
Lady Mary Murray
2013
Film
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
Amelia Maugery
2018
Series
Bob & Rose
Monica Gossage
2001
Series
The Borrowers
Homily
1992
Series
Murder Is Easy
Miss Pinkerton
2023
Film
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jean Ainslie
2012
Film
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Sonia
1981
Film
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jean Ainslie
2015
Film
Cry Freedom
Wendy Woods
1987
Film
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Maureen Fry
2023
Film
Iris
Janet Stone
2001
4 Play
Julia
1989
Film
Eternal Beauty
Vivian
2020
Series
South Riding
Mrs Beddows
2011
Film
Summerland
Older Alice
2020
Film
The History Boys
Mrs. Bibby
2006
Series
Brief Encounters
Pauline
2016
Series
Talking Heads
Rosemary
1988
Film
Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings
Mrs. Cratchit
2000
Film
Clockwise
Pat Garden
1986
The Return of the Borrowers
Homily
1993
Film
Zoo
Denise Austin
2018
Film
Alice Through the Looking Glass
White Queen
1998
Series
Screaming
1992
Series
Dead Hot
Francine
2024
Film
Blame It on the Bellboy
Patricia Fulford
1992
Film
The Girl
Peggy Robertson
2012
Mavis Eccleston
Mavis Eccleston
Film
Othello
Desdemona
1981
Film
Tom's Midnight Garden
Aunt Melbourne
1999
Film
Fing!
2026
Film
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
Delia
2013
Film
Carrington
Lady Ottoline Morrell
1995
Film
Victoria & Albert
Princess Mary Louise Victoria
2001
Film
Joseph Andrews
Mrs. Wilton
1977
Series
The Norman Conquests
Annie
1977
Landscape
Beth
1995
Film
Harold Pinter: A Celebration
Self
2010
Series
The Song of Songs
Lilli Czepanek
1973
Film
Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale
Self
2025
Film
The Deep Blue Sea
Hester Collyer
1994
Film
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
Delfina / Paulina
1999
Film
Country
Virginia Carlion
1981
Film
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
Self
2022
Film
King Lear
Regan
1975
Series
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
1982
Film
King Lear
Regan
1982
Film
Half Broken Things
Jean
2007
Film
Rockaby
Old Woman
2000
Film
Margot
B.Q.
2009
Film
Able's Will
Journalist
1977
Film
Laughterhouse
Alice Singleton
1984
The Pearcross Girls
Anna Pearcross / Helen Charlesworth / Julia Pearcross / Lottie Merchant
1973
Film
Lucky Jim
Celia Welch
2003
The Secret Rapture
Marion French
1993
Film
The Whistle-Blower
Heather Graham
2001
Film
Falling
Daisy Langrish
2005
Film
Celebration
Julie
2007
Film
Pasmore
Helen
1980
Film
Talking Heads 2
1998
Film
Visitation
The Sullens Sisters
Rachel Sullens
1972
Film
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
Mrs. Warren's Profession
Vivie Warren
1972
Film
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
1983
Film
Brexit Shorts: The End
Helen
2017