Frances Barber
Known for: Acting
Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays Camille (1985), and Uncle Vanya (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears (1987), We Think the World of You (1988) and Dead Fish (2005); as well as Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987); Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992); and latterly Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017). Barber's numerous television credits include The Street (2009), Doctor Who (2011), Silk (2012–2014), and Whitstable Pearl (2021–2022).
Filmography
Series
Midsomer Murders
Ingrid Lockston
1997
Series
Midsomer Murders
Constance Fielding
1997
Series
Doctor Who
Madame Kovarian
2005
Series
Doctor Who
Eye Patch Lady
2005
Series
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Lady Millicent
1989
Series
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Merlina Rival
1989
Series
Death in Paradise
Diana Watson
2011
Series
Casualty
Nancy
1986
Series
Play for Today
Melody
1970
Series
Father Brown
Davina Malmort
2013
Series
Screen Two
Jenny Coldfield
1985
Series
Screen Two
Karen
1985
Series
Screen Two
Mother
1985
Series
New Tricks
2004
Series
Omnibus
1967
Series
Hustle
Clarissa
2004
Series
Agatha Christie's Marple
Lizzie Hinchcliffe
2004
Series
An Audience with...
Self
1978
Series
Red Dwarf
Genny
1988
Series
Dalziel and Pascoe
Amanda 'Cap' Marvell
1996
Series
Inspector Morse
Nicole Burgess
1987
Series
Inside No. 9
Lesley
2014
Series
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Self - Participant
2011
Series
The Chelsea Detective
Olivia Arnold
2022
Series
Law & Order: UK
2009
Series
The IT Crowd
Doctor Mendall
2006
Series
Benidorm
Daisy
2007
Series
Timewatch
Annie Besant
1982
Series
Playhouse Presents
Bette Davis
2012
Series
Playhouse Presents
Doris Stokes
2012
Series
Playhouse Presents
Catherine the Great
2012
Series
Screen One
Freddie Hancock
1989
Series
Great Expectations
Mrs. Brandley
2011
Series
Silk
Caroline Warwick QC
2011
Series
Space Precinct
Erika Brandt
1994
Series
The Modern World: Ten Great Writers
Winnie Verloc
1988
Series
Murder Most Horrid
Gloria Twigge
1991
Series
Ruby
Self
1997
Series
Reilly: Ace of Spies
Dagmara
1983
Series
Hotel Babylon
2006
Series
Friday Night Dinner
Sheila Bloom
2011
Series
A Ghost Story for Christmas
Mrs Ambrigail
1971
Film
Mr. Holmes
Matinee "Madame Schirmer"
2015
Series
Whitstable Pearl
Dolly Nolan
2021
Series
Chef
Anita Lawrence
1993
Series
Bremner, Bird and Fortune
1999
Series
The Storyteller: Greek Myths
Medusa
1991
Series
The Street
2006
Film
The Bookshop
Jessie Welford
2017
Series
Psychobitches
Bette Davis
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Doris Stokes
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Catherine the Great
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Elizabeth I
2013
Series
Psychobitches
St Catherine
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Whistler's Mother
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Thora Hind
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Josephine-Joseph
2013
Series
Psychobitches
Barbara Cartland
2013
Series
Vexed
Pat Poynter
2010
Series
Gimme Gimme Gimme
Janine
1999
Series
Queens of Mystery
Viv Collins
2019
Series
Monkey Dust
(voice)
2003
Film
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Joy
2017
Series
Funland
Connie Woolf
2005
Series
Beautiful People
Miss Prentice
2008
Series
Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow
Narrator
2015
Series
Rik Mayall Presents
Sally Denton
1993
Film
Goal!
Carol Harmison
2005
Series
The Spa
Ginny
2013
Film
Goal II: Living the Dream
Carol Harmison
2007
Series
Semi-Detached
Patricia
2020
Series
Love in a Cold Climate
The Bolter
2001
Film
A Mother For An Hour
Nestan
Series
Dreamland
Cheryl
2023
Film
Prick Up Your Ears
Leonie Orton
1987
Series
Mapp and Lucia
Amelia, Contessa di Faraglione
2014
Film
Evilenko
Fenja Evilenka
2004
Summer Comedy Shorts
Mum
2017
Series
Behaving Badly
1989
Film
A Zed & Two Noughts
Venus de Milo
1985
Film
Giorgino
Marie
1994
Film
Muse of Fire
Self
2013
Series
Pete versus Life
2010
Series
The Nightmare Years
Helga Bauer
1989
Series
The Nativity
Elizabeth
2010
Series
Real Women
Anna Nicholls
1998
Film
Still Crazy
Lady in Black
1998
Film
A Bird Flew In
Marie
2022
Film
We'll Take Manhattan
Diana Vreeland
2012
Film
The Escape
Alison
2018
Film
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Perseus & the Gorgon
Medusa
1991
Film
King Lear
Goneril
2008
Series
The Leaving of Liverpool
1992
Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money
Dinner Guest
2008
Film
Superstition
Isabella Flores
2001
Series
The Rebel
Angela
2016
Celeb
2002
Series
Rhodes
Princess Catherine Radziwill
1996
Film
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid
Rosie
1987
Film
The Fattest Man in Britain
Janice
2009
Series
Let's Talk About Sex
Narrator
2019
Film
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel
Self
2021
Series
The Ice House
Diana Goode
1997
Film
The Red Siren
Eva
2002
Film
3 Steps to Heaven
Andrea Wallis
1995
Film
A Hand to Hold
Moira
2026
Film
Thatcherworld
Penny Jenkins
1993
Film
Castaway
Sister Saint Winifred
1986
Film
Blue Iguana
Princess
2018
Film
The Escort
Jessica
1999
Film
McKellen: Playing the Part
2018
Film
May I Kill U?
Bernice
2013
Film
Dead Fish
S & M Prostitute
2005
Film
Boudica
Agrippina
2003
Film
The Queen and I
Princess Margaret
2018
Film
The Chosen
Natalia Sedova
2016
Film
Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing
Adonia
1995
Film
Deep in My Heart - Germaine and Benjamin
Anna Lindsay
1994
Film
The Missionary
Mission Girl
1982
Film
We Think the World of You
Megan
1988
Circles of Deceit: Sleeping Dogs
Annie Shepherd
1996
Film
Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town
Sally Denton
1995
Series
Plastic Man
Louise Ferman
1999
Film
The Secret Santa Project
Carol
2025
Film
A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint
Mrs Ambrigail
2021
Film
Those Glory Glory Days
Woman
1983
Series
The Orchid House
Joan
1991
Film
Home Sweet Home
Melody
1982
Film
The IT Crowd Manual
Self
2014
Film
Photographing Fairies
Beatrice Templeton
1997
Film
Bad Education: Christmas Special
Alfie's Mum
2013
Film
Secret Friends
Angela
1991
Film
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
Viola / Cesario
1988
Film
The Leaving of Liverpool
Ellen, Lil's Mother
1992
Film
Soft Top Hard Shoulder
Miss Trumble
1993
Film
The State of Us
Joan
2026
Film
Esther Kahn
Rivka Kahn
2000
Listening
Woman
2003
Film
In The Cold Light Of Day
Mother
1994
Film
Scarborough Ahoy!
Maria
1994
Film
Trick or Treat
Miss Ferguson
2019
It Might Be You
Wendy
1995
Film
Young Soul Rebels
Ann
1991
Film
Return to Blood River
Karen
1994
From London with Love
Film
Shiner
Georgie
2000
Film
The Legend of the Tamworth Two
Miss Piggy (voice)
2004
Film
A Flame to the Phoenix
Wanda Grabinska
1983
Film
Hard Feelings
Viv
1984
Film
Acceptable Levels
Jill
1983
Having It Off
2002
Film
An Ideal Husband
Mrs. Cheveley
2018
Do Not Disturb
Jenny
1991
Film
Hamlet
First Player / Player Queen / Second Clown
2024
Film
The Grasscutter
Claire Deeds
1990
Film
Tea
Woman
1998
A Statement of Affairs
Pip
1993
Film
Separate Bedrooms
Gert
1989
Film
A Royal Scandal
Lady Jersey
1997
Film
The Gentleman Thief
Julia Sinclair
2001
Film
MUSIK
2026
Film
Toy Boys
Mrs. Chambers
1999
Film
The People Before
2025
Duck
1988
Film
His Passionate Bride
Narrator (voice)
2005
Film
White City
Alice
1985
Film
Hancock
Freddie Hancock
1991
Bucky
Miss Eversham
2014
Plastic Man
Louise Ferman
1999
Film
Flyfishing
Frances
2003
Just in Time
1998
Fish Tale
Helen Wormsley
1994