Penelope Wilton

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 Sea(1994), John Gabriel Borkman (2008) and The Chalk Garden (2009) before winning the 2015 Olivier Award for Best Actress for Taken at Midnight. Her film appearances include Clockwise (1986), Cry Freedom (1987), Blame It on the Bellboy (1992), Calendar Girls (2003), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Match Point (2005), Pride & Prejudice (2005), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), The Girl (2012), The BFG (2016) and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2023). Description above from the Wikipedia article Penelope Wilton, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Doctor Who

Doctor Who

Downton Abbey

Play for Today

BBC Play of the Month

Pride & Prejudice

An Audience with...

Performance

All Movies (60)

• Fing!2026
• Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale2025 · as Isobel Merton
• Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale2025 · as Self
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry2023 · as Maureen Fry
• Judi Dench: Our National Treasure2022 · as Self
• Downton Abbey: A New Era2022 · as Isobel Merton
• Operation Mincemeat2022 · as Hester Leggett
• Eternal Beauty2020 · as Vivian
• Summerland2020 · as Older Alice
• Downton Abbey2019 · as Isobel Merton
• Zoo2018 · as Denise Austin
• The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society2018 · as Amelia Maugery
• Brexit Shorts: The End2017 · as Helen
• The BFG2016 · as The Queen
• All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film2016 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel2015 · as Jean Ainslie
• National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage2013 · as Delia
• Belle2013 · as Lady Mary Murray
• The Girl2012 · as Peggy Robertson
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel2012 · as Jean Ainslie
• Harold Pinter: A Celebration2010 · as Self
• Margot2009 · as B.Q.
• Half Broken Things2007 · as Jean
• Celebration2007 · as Julie
• The History Boys2006 · as Mrs. Bibby
• Match Point2005 · as Eleanor Hewett
• Pride & Prejudice2005 · as Mrs. Gardiner
• Falling2005 · as Daisy Langrish
• Shaun of the Dead2004 · as Barbara
• Calendar Girls2003 · as Ruth
• Lucky Jim2003 · as Celia Welch
• Iris2001 · as Janet Stone
• Victoria & Albert2001 · as Princess Mary Louise Victoria
• The Whistle-Blower2001 · as Heather Graham
• Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings2000 · as Mrs. Cratchit
• Rockaby2000 · as Old Woman
• Tom's Midnight Garden1999 · as Aunt Melbourne
• The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka1999 · as Delfina / Paulina
• Alice Through the Looking Glass1998 · as White Queen
• Talking Heads 21998
• Landscape1995 · as Beth
• Carrington1995 · as Lady Ottoline Morrell
• The Deep Blue Sea1994 · as Hester Collyer
• The Secret Rapture1993 · as Marion French
• Blame It on the Bellboy1992 · as Patricia Fulford
• Cry Freedom1987 · as Wendy Woods
• Clockwise1986 · as Pat Garden
• Laughterhouse1984 · as Alice Singleton
• The Tale of Beatrix Potter1983 · as Beatrix Potter
• King Lear1982 · as Regan
• Country1981 · as Virginia Carlion
• Othello1981 · as Desdemona
• The French Lieutenant's Woman1981 · as Sonia
• Pasmore1980 · as Helen
• Able's Will1977 · as Journalist
• Joseph Andrews1977 · as Mrs. Wilton
• King Lear1975 · as Regan
• Mrs. Warren's Profession1972 · as Vivie Warren
• The Sullens Sisters1972 · as Rachel Sullens
• Visitation—

All TV Shows (30)

• Dead Hot2024 · as Francine
• Murder Is Easy2023 · as Miss Pinkerton
• Remembers…2022
• After Life2019 · as Anne
• Brief Encounters2016 · as Pauline
• South Riding2011 · as Mrs Beddows
• Downton Abbey2010 · as Isobel Merton
• The Passion2008 · as Mary
• Five Days2007 · as Barbara Poole
• Doctor Who2005
• Doctor Who2005 · as Harriet Jones
• Comedy Connections2003
• Bob & Rose2001 · as Monica Gossage
• Wives and Daughters1999 · as Mrs Hamley
• Kavanagh Q.C.1995 · as Barbara Watkins
• The Return of the Borrowers1993 · as Homily
• The Borrowers1992 · as Homily
• Screaming1992
• Performance1991 · as Beth
• Performance1991 · as Hester Collyer
• Talking Heads1988 · as Rosemary
• C.A.T.S. Eyes1985
• Ever Decreasing Circles1984
• The Tale of Beatrix Potter1982 · as Beatrix Potter
• An Audience with...1978 · as Self
• The Norman Conquests1977 · as Annie
• Country Matters1972 · as Rachel Sullens
• Play for Today1970 · as Virginia Carlion
• BBC Play of the Month1965 · as Regan
• Mavis Eccleston— · as Mavis Eccleston