Penelope Wilton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Penelope Wilton DBE
Wilton in 2013
Born	(1946-06-03) 3 June 1946 (age 79) Scarborough, England
Alma mater	Drama Centre London
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1969–present
Spouse(s)	Daniel Massey ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1984)​ Sir Ian Holm ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 2001)​
Children	1
Relatives	Linden Travers (aunt) Bill Travers (uncle) Angela Morant (cousin) Richard Morant (cousin)

Dame Penelope Wilton is a well-known English actress. She was born on June 3, 1946. She is famous for her many roles in TV shows, movies, and plays.

Penelope Wilton is especially recognized for playing Isobel Crawley in the popular TV drama Downton Abbey from 2010 to 2015. She also played Harriet Jones in Doctor Who and Anne in the Netflix comedy After Life.

On stage, she has been nominated for the prestigious Olivier Award six times. She won the award in 2015 for her role in the play Taken at Midnight. Her movie roles include Calendar Girls (2003), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Pride & Prejudice (2005), and The BFG (2016).

Early Life and Family Background

Penelope Wilton was born in Scarborough, England. She was the second of three daughters. Her father, Cliff Wilton, was a businessman and lawyer. He also played and managed rugby union.

Her mother, Alice Linda Travers, was a tap dancer and actress. Penelope comes from a family of performers. Her aunt and uncle, Bill Travers and Linden Travers, were also actors. Her cousins, Angela and Richard Morant, are actors too. Her grandparents owned theatres.

Penelope studied acting at the Drama Centre London from 1965 to 1968. This is where she learned her craft.

Acting Career Highlights

Penelope Wilton started her acting career on stage in 1969. Her first performances were at the Nottingham Playhouse. She played important roles like Cordelia in King Lear.

Early Stage and TV Roles

She made her first appearance on Broadway in New York City in 1971. She played Araminta in the play The Philanthropist. Later that year, she performed in London's West End in the play West of Suez.

Her television career began in 1972. She starred in the BBC2 show Mrs. Warren's Profession. After this, she had many other big TV roles. These included playing Desdemona in Othello and Regan in King Lear for BBC Television Shakespeare.

Gaining Fame in Comedy and Drama

Penelope Wilton became widely known when she starred in the BBC comedy Ever Decreasing Circles. This show ran for five years, from 1984 to 1989. She played Ann, the patient wife of Martin, a very particular character.

In 2005, she joined the popular science-fiction series Doctor Who as a guest star. She played Harriet Jones, who later became the Prime Minister. This role was specially written for her. She appeared in four episodes, including the 2005 Christmas special "The Christmas Invasion". Her character made a final appearance in 2008.

Wilton with Downton Abbey co-star Jim Carter, 2013

From 2010 to 2015, Penelope Wilton played Isobel Crawley in the very successful drama Downton Abbey. She was a main character throughout all six seasons of the show. She also appeared in the Downton Abbey movies in 2019 and 2022.

More recently, she played Anne in the Ricky Gervais' Netflix comedy series After Life. This show ran for three seasons.

Film Appearances

Penelope Wilton has also had a successful film career. Some of her notable movies include:

• The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
• Cry Freedom (1987)
• Calendar Girls (2003)
• Shaun of the Dead (2004)
• Pride & Prejudice (2005)
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)
• The BFG (2016), where she played the Queen.
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2023)

Personal Life

Penelope Wilton was married to actor Daniel Massey from 1975 to 1984. They had a daughter named Alice, who was born in 1977.

In 1991, she married actor Ian Holm. They worked together in the BBC TV series The Borrowers (1992) and The Return of the Borrowers (1993). Ian Holm was knighted in 1998, which meant Penelope became Lady Holm. They divorced in 2001.

Awards and Recognition

Penelope Wilton has received many honors for her acting. She was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004. This award recognized her services to drama.

In 2016, she was given an even higher honor. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This means she is now known as Dame Penelope Wilton.

Theatre Awards

Penelope Wilton has been nominated for the prestigious Olivier Award six times. She won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2015 for her role in Taken at Midnight. She also won the Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress twice.

Film and Television Awards

She has also been recognized for her work in film and television. In 2012, she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for her role in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

She and the cast of Downton Abbey won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series three times. They won in 2012, 2014, and 2015.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Stage Performances

See also

In Spanish: Penelope Wilton para niños