Siân Phillips facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Siân Phillips DBE
Phillips in 2022
Born	Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips (1933-05-14) 14 May 1933 (age 92) Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Wales, United Kingdom
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944–present
Spouse(s)	Don Roy ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1959)​ Peter O'Toole ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1979)​ Robin Sachs ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1991)​
Children	2, including Kate O'Toole

Dame Siân Phillips (born May 14, 1933) is a famous Welsh actress. She started her career mainly in plays. She became well-known for her roles in plays like Hedda Gabler and Saint Joan.

In the 1960s, she began acting more in TV shows and movies. She is especially famous for playing Livia in the 1976 BBC TV series I, Claudius. For this role, she won a BAFTA Award. She was also nominated for top awards for her role as Marlene Dietrich in the musical Marlene.

Siân Phillips's Early Life

Siân Phillips was born on May 14, 1933, in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Wales. Her mother, Sally, was a teacher, and her father, David, worked in a steel factory before becoming a policeman.

Siân grew up speaking mostly Welsh. She learned English by listening to the radio. She went to Pontardawe Grammar School. Her Welsh teacher started calling her Siân, which is the Welsh form of Jane. Later, she studied English and philosophy at University College Cardiff.

Phillips finished university in 1955. She then got a scholarship to join the RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art). She won a special award there for her acting in Hedda Gabler. Even while studying, she was offered movie deals in the United States, but she chose to focus on stage acting instead.

Siân Phillips's Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

Siân Phillips began acting professionally at just 11 years old. She worked for the BBC Radio in Wales. At the same age, she won her first acting award at a festival called the National Eisteddfod in 1944.

She first appeared on British television when she was 17. At 18, she won a Welsh acting award. In 1953, while still a student, she worked as a newsreader for the BBC in Wales. She also toured Wales, performing in plays.

From 1953 to 1955, Phillips was part of the BBC Repertory Company. She performed in many plays for the Welsh Arts Council. In 1957, she made her first appearance on the London stage in a play called Magda. This role was a big success for her.

She also played the main role in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler in London in 1957. In 1958, she played Joan in Saint Joan. People said her performance was "perfect."

Later Film and TV Roles

Phillips at Wilton's Music Hall in London in 2011

Siân Phillips has had a long career in many films and TV shows. She is very well known for playing Livia in the BBC show I, Claudius in 1976. This role won her a BAFTA TV Award.

She also appeared in many other notable productions:

• Becket (1964) with her then-husband Peter O'Toole.
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), a musical film.
• Shoulder to Shoulder (1974), where she played Emmeline Pankhurst.
• Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981), playing Clementine Churchill.
• Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979) and Smiley's People (1982).
• Clash of the Titans (1981), as Queen Cassiopeia.
• Dune (1984), as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam.
• Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985), as Charal.
• She appeared in the Canadian TV series La Femme Nikita in 1998 and 2000.
• More recently, she has appeared in shows like New Tricks (2010), Lewis (2011), Strike (2017), McDonald & Dodds (2022), and Doctor Who (2024).

Other Performances

Phillips has also performed in many famous plays in London's West End. These include Marlene, Pal Joey, and A Little Night Music.

She has also performed at the National Theatre. In 2009, she starred in the London play Calendar Girls. In 2011, she performed a new cabaret show called Crossing Borders.

In 2024, a BBC One documentary called Siân Phillips at 90 looked back at her life and career.

Awards and Special Honors

Siân Phillips has won many awards for her acting.

• In 1970, she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress for Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
• In 1976, she won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for I, Claudius.
• She has been nominated for several Olivier Awards and a Tony Award for her musical performances.
• In 2001, she received a Special Award from BAFTA Cymru (BAFTA in Wales).
• In 2018, she received a Radio Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC Audio Drama Awards.

Honors and Recognition

Phillips was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2000. She was then made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2016. These honors are for her great contributions to drama.

Since 2005, BAFTA Cymru has given out the Tlws Sian Phillips Award. This award goes to a Welsh person who has made a big impact in film or TV.

In 2024, Siân Phillips and Judi Dench became the first female members of the Garrick Club, a famous club in London.

Siân Phillips's Personal Life

Siân Phillips has been married three times. Her first husband was Donald Roy. They were married from 1956 to 1959.

She then married actor Peter O'Toole in 1959. They had two daughters, Kate (born 1960) and Patricia (born 1963). Kate is also an actress. Siân and Peter divorced in 1979.

Her third husband was actor Robin Sachs. They were married from 1979 to 1991.

Siân Phillips has written two books about her life: Private Faces (1999) and Public Places (2001).

Film and TV Appearances

Films

Television Shows

Video Games (Voice Roles)

See also

In Spanish: Siân Phillips para niños