Penelope Wilton

Acting · Born 1946-06-03 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Biography

Dame Penelope Alice Wilton DBE (born 3 June 1946) is an English actress. She was formerly married to fellow actor Sir Ian Holm, and as she has not remarried, she retains her married style of Lady Holm. Wilton is known for starring opposite Richard Briers in the BBC sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles (1984–1989), playing Homily in The Borrowers (1992) and The Return of the Borrowers(1993), and for her role as the widowed Isobel Crawley in the ITV drama Downton Abbey (2010–2015). She also played the recurring role of Harriet Jones in Doctor Who (2005–2008) and Anne in Ricky Gervais' Netflix dark comedy After Life. Wilton has had an extensive career on stage, receiving six Olivier Award nominations. She was nominated for Man and Superman (1981), The Secret Rapture (1988), The Deep Blue…

Filmography

• Shaun of the Dead as Barbara
• Cry Freedom as Wendy Woods
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel as Jean Ainslie
• Belle as Lady Mary Murray
• Match Point as Eleanor Hewett
• Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale as Isobel Merton
• The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society as Amelia Maugery
• Summerland as Older Alice
• Downton Abbey as Isobel Merton
• Pride & Prejudice as Mrs. Gardiner

TV

• Downton Abbey as Isobel Merton
• Doctor Who
• Doctor Who as Harriet Jones
• After Life as Anne
• Ever Decreasing Circles
• Comedy Connections
• C.A.T.S. Eyes
• Five Days as Barbara Poole
• The Return of the Borrowers as Homily
• The Passion as Mary