Penelope Wilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Penelope Wilton
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Wilton in 2013
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| Born | 3 June 1946 Scarborough, England
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| Alma mater | Drama Centre London |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1969–present |
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| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Linden Travers (aunt) Bill Travers (uncle) Angela Morant (cousin) Richard Morant (cousin) |
Dame Penelope Alice Wilton (born on June 3, 1946) is a famous English actress. She has had a long career in plays, TV shows, and movies.
Many people know her from her roles in popular TV series. She played Isobel Crawley in the hit show Downton Abbey. She was also Harriet Jones, the Prime Minister, in Doctor Who. Penelope Wilton has won many awards for her acting. She is known for bringing many different characters to life.
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Early Life and Family
Penelope Wilton was born in Scarborough, England. Her father, Cliff Wilton, was a businessman and a rugby player. Her mother, Alice Linda Travers, was a tap dancer and an actress.
Penelope comes from a family of performers. Her aunt and uncle, Bill Travers and Linden Travers, were also actors. Her cousins, Angela Morant and Richard Morant, are actors too. Her grandparents even owned theatres!
She studied acting at the Drama Centre London. She attended from 1965 to 1968. This is where she learned many of the skills she uses today.
Acting Career
Penelope Wilton started her acting journey on stage in 1969. Her first roles were in plays at the Nottingham Playhouse. She even played Cordelia in the famous play King Lear.
She soon began acting on Broadway in New York City. This was in 1971. She also performed in London's West End theatres. These are some of the most famous theatre districts in the world.
Her TV career began in 1972. She appeared in a BBC show called Mrs. Warren's Profession. After this, she got many more important TV roles. She acted in two BBC Television Shakespeare productions.
Penelope became widely known in 1984. She starred in the BBC comedy show Ever Decreasing Circles. She played Ann, the wife of a very particular man. The show was very popular and ran for five years.
In 2005, she joined the popular science-fiction series Doctor Who. She played Harriet Jones, a Member of Parliament. Her character later became the Prime Minister. She returned for special episodes in 2005 and 2008. Her character was very brave and sacrificed herself to help the Doctor's friends.
From 2010 to 2015, Penelope starred in Downton Abbey. She played Isobel Crawley, a kind and strong-willed widow. The show was a huge success around the world. She also appeared in the Downton Abbey movies in 2019 and 2022.
Penelope has also been in many movies. Some of her film roles include Calendar Girls (2003) and Shaun of the Dead (2004). She was in Pride & Prejudice (2005). She also played the Queen in The BFG (2016). More recently, she appeared in the Netflix comedy After Life.
Personal Life
Penelope Wilton was married to actor Daniel Massey from 1975 to 1984. They had one daughter named Alice.
Later, in 1991, she married actor Ian Holm. They even acted together in the TV show The Borrowers in 1992. Ian Holm was later given the title of "Sir." This meant Penelope became "Lady Holm." They divorced in 2001.
Awards and Honours
Penelope Wilton has received special honours for her acting. She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004. This is a special award from the British King or Queen.
In 2016, she was given an even higher honour. She became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This means she can use the title "Dame" before her name. Both awards were given for her great contributions to drama.
She has won several acting awards. She won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2015. This was for her role in the play Taken at Midnight. She has also won three Screen Actors Guild Awards. These were for her work with the cast of Downton Abbey.
Images for kids
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Wilton in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Penelope Wilton para niños
