Miriam Margolyes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miriam Margolyes
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Margolyes in 2008
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| Born | 18 May 1941 Oxford, England
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| Education | Oxford High School |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
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| Years active | 1963–present |
| Political party | Labour |
| Partner(s) | Heather Sutherland (1968–present) |
Miriam Margolyes (born 18 May 1941) is a talented British and Australian actress. She is famous for playing many different kinds of characters in movies, TV shows, and plays. You might know her best as Professor Sprout from the Harry Potter movies. She also won a special award, the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in the movie The Age of Innocence in 1993.
Miriam Margolyes was honored with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002 for her amazing contributions to drama.
She started her acting journey in theatre. Later, she moved into films, with her first small part in the comedy A Nice Girl Like Me (1969). She has been in many other movies like Yentl (1983), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), and Balto (1995). She also lent her voice to popular animated films such as Babe (1995), Mulan (1998), and Happy Feet (2006).
On television, Miriam Margolyes has appeared in shows like Blackadder (1983–1988) and Call the Midwife (2018–2021). She also played Prudence Stanley in the Australian drama series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012–2015).
Miriam has also performed in a one-woman show called Dickens' Women, where she played 23 characters from Charles Dickens' books. She also played Madame Morrible in the musical Wicked in London and on Broadway. Besides acting, she has hosted travel shows and written two books about her life.
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Early Life and Education
Miriam Margolyes was born in Oxford, England, on 18 May 1941. She grew up in a Jewish family and was an only child. Her father, Joseph Margolyes, was a doctor from Scotland, and her mother, Ruth, was a property developer.
Miriam went to Oxford High School and then to Newnham College, Cambridge at the University of Cambridge. While at Cambridge, she started acting and joined the famous comedy group Cambridge Footlights. She even appeared on the TV show University Challenge in 1963.
Miriam's Acting Career
Miriam Margolyes is known for her amazing voice acting. In the 1970s, she provided voices for many characters in the English versions of Japanese TV shows like Monkey and The Water Margin.
Her first big movie role was in Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977). In the 1980s, she became well-known for her roles in the comedy series Blackadder, where she played characters like the Spanish Infanta and Queen Victoria. She won an award in 1989 for her role as Flora Finching in the film Little Dorrit. In 1994, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Age of Innocence.
Miriam also played the dental nurse in the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors.
In 1989, Miriam created and performed her one-woman show, Dickens' Women. In this show, she brought to life 23 different characters from Charles Dickens' famous novels. Later, in 2005, she hosted a BBC documentary series called Dickens in America, where she followed Dickens' journey across the United States.
She voiced Aunt Sponge and the Glow-Worm in the movie James and the Giant Peach (1996). She also played the Nurse in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996) and voiced Fly the dog in the movie Babe (1995).
One of her most famous roles is Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) films.
In 2004, Miriam played Peg Sellers, the mother of Peter Sellers, in the film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
She was part of the original cast of the musical Wicked in London in 2006, playing Madame Morrible. She later played this role on Broadway in 2008.
In 2010, she voiced Mrs. Plithiver, a blind snake, in the animated film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. From 2012 to 2015, Miriam played Prudence Stanley in the Australian TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
In 2016, Miriam appeared in The Real Marigold Hotel, a TV show where celebrities traveled to India to see what retirement might be like there. She also hosted a BBC series called Miriam's Big American Adventure in 2018, exploring different parts of the United States. Since 2018, she has played Mother Mildred in the BBC drama Call The Midwife.
In 2019, she played Miss Shepherd in a play called The Lady in the Van in Australia. In 2021, she released her autobiography, This Much Is True. In 2023, she voiced The Meep in a special Doctor Who episode called "The Star Beast".
Miriam's Life and Interests
Miriam Margolyes has spent a lot of time living in Australia and became an Australian citizen in 2013, while also keeping her British citizenship. She has been in a relationship with Heather Sutherland, a retired professor, since 1968. They divide their time between homes in England, Australia, and Italy.
Miriam has openly talked about some health challenges she has faced as she's gotten older. She has a condition called spinal stenosis, which affects how she moves. Because of this, she uses walking sticks, a walker, and a mobility scooter. She also has osteoarthritis and has had knee replacement surgery. In May 2023, she had a heart procedure to replace a heart valve.
Miriam supports several charities. She is a patron of My Death My Decision, an organization that wants a more caring approach to dying. She also supports Sense, a charity for deafblind people, and Crossroads Care, which helps people who care for others.
Miriam has been interested in politics since her university days. She is a member of the Labour Party in the UK. She has spoken out about various issues, including her concerns about the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Film and Television Roles
Miriam Margolyes has had a very busy career in both films and television. Here are some of her notable roles:
Film Roles
- Yentl (1983) as Sarah
- Little Shop of Horrors (1986) as Dental Nurse
- Little Dorrit (1988) as Flora Finching
- The Age of Innocence (1993) as Mrs. Mingott
- Balto (1995) as Grandma Rosy (voice)
- Babe (1995) as Fly the Female Sheepdog (voice)
- Romeo + Juliet (1996) as The Nurse
- James and the Giant Peach (1996) as Aunt Sponge/Glowworm (voice)
- Mulan (1998) as The Matchmaker (voice)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) as Professor Pomona Sprout
- Happy Feet (2006) as Mrs. Astrakhan (voice)
- Early Man (2018) as Queen Oofeefa (voice)
Television Roles
- Blackadder (1983–1988) in various roles
- Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story (1987) as Elsa Maxwell
- Stalin (1992) as Nadezhda Krupskaya
- Cold Comfort Farm (1995) as Mrs. Beetle
- Vanity Fair (1998) as Miss Crawley
- The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) as Peg Sellers
- Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012–2015) as Prudence Elizabeth Stanley
- Call the Midwife (2018–2021) as Sister Mildred/Mother Mildred
- Doctor Who (2023) as The Meep (voice)
Non-fiction Television Roles
- Dickens in America (2005) as Herself
- The Real Marigold Hotel (2016) as Herself
- Miriam's Big American Adventure (2018) as Herself
- Miriam's Dead Good Adventure (2019) as Herself
- Miriam's Big Fat Adventure (2020) as Herself
- Miriam Margolyes: Almost Australian (2020) as Herself
- Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland (2021, 2022) as Herself
- Miriam Margolyes: Up for Grabs (2022) as Herself
- Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked (2022) as Herself
- Miriam's Dickensian Christmas (2022) as Herself
- Irish Road Trip with Miriam Margolyes (2023) as Herself
- Impossibly Australian (2024) as Herself
- Miriam Margolyes: A New Australian Adventure (2024) as Herself
Theatre Roles
- Fiddler on the Roof (1970) as Matchmaker
- Canterbury Tales (1974) as Wife of Bath
- Dickens' Women (1989–2012) as Performer
- Wicked (2006, 2008) as Madame Morrible
- The Lady in the Van (2019) as Miss Shepherd
Awards and Recognitions
Miriam Margolyes has received several awards for her acting:
- 1989: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Supporting Actress in Little Dorrit.
- 1993: Sony Radio Award for Best Actress On Radio in The Queen and I.
- 1994: British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in The Age of Innocence.
- 1997: The Talkies Performer of the Year for Oliver Twist.
- 2007: Theatregoer's Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Wicked.
- 2010: Theatregoer's Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Endgame.
She was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002 for her services to drama.
Images for kids
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Miriam Margolyes with Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013, after becoming an Australian citizen.
See also
In Spanish: Miriam Margolyes para niños
