Siân Phillips

Biography

Dame Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips DBE (born 14 May 1933), known professionally as Siân Phillips, is a Welsh actress, author and singer. Phillips was the daughter of Sally (née Thomas), a teacher, and David Phillips, a steelworker-turned-policeman. She is a Welsh-speaker and in the first volume of her autobiography, "Private Faces", she notes that she spoke only Welsh for much of her childhood, learning English by listening to the radio. She attended Pontardawe Grammar School and later read English and Philosophy at University College Cardiff, graduating in 1955. She entered RADA in LOndon, England with a scholarship in September 1955, the same year as Diana Rigg and Glenda Jackson. She went on to win the prestigious Bancroft Gold Medal for Hedda Gabler and was offered work in Hollywood when she left RADA. While still a student she was offered three film contracts, entailing her to work for an extended period of time in the United States; but she declined, preferring to work on stage instead.

Known For

Midsomer Murders

Agatha Christie's Poirot

Silent Witness

Tony Awards

Tales of the Unexpected

Good Omens

BBC Play of the Month

BBC Play of the Month

All Movies (68)

• Richard Burton: Wild Genius2025 · as Self
• Apple Cider Vinegar2024 · as Voice
• Alec Guinness: A Class Act2024 · as self
• Siân Phillips at 902023 · as Self
• Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba2022 · as Self
• Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends2022 · as Self
• National Theatre Live: Under Milk Wood2021 · as Mrs Utah Watkins / Polly Garter / Mrs Beyon
• Dream Horse2021 · as Maureen
• A Christmas Carol2020 · as Grandmother / narrator (voice)
• Summerland2020 · as Margaret Corey
• National Theatre Live: Les Blancs2019 · as Madame Neilsen
• Time & Again2019 · as Eleanor
• Be Happy!2019
• Nureyev2018 · as Narrator
• To Provide All People2018 · as Patient
• Miss Dalí2018 · as Anna Maria Dalí
• Voyageuse2018 · as Erica
• Hochelaga, Land of Souls2017 · as Sarah Walker
• Aberfan: The Green Hollow2016
• Under Milk Wood2014 · as Mrs. Pugh
• A Picture of London2012 · as Narrator
• Lovesong2012 · as Maggie
• The Mountain That Had To Be Painted2011 · as Narrator
• The 50 Greatest Television Dramas2007 · as Self
• The Murder Room2004 · as Marie Strickland
• Still: Here/Now2003 · as Self
• Check the Gate: Putting Beckett on Film2003 · as Self - Ru (archive footage)
• Stalin: Inside the Terror2003 · as Narrator
• I, Claudius: A Television Epic2002 · as Self
• Cinderella: The ITV Pantomime2000 · as Evil Baroness
• Come and Go2000 · as Ru
• Aristocrats1999 · as Narrator/Older Lady Emily Lennox
• Alice Through the Looking Glass1998 · as Red Queen
• The Scold's Bridle1998 · as Mathilda Gillespie
• House of America1997 · as Mam
• The Mousehole Cat1995 · as Narrator
• The Vacillations of Poppy Carew1995 · as Calypso
• The Age of Innocence1993 · as Mrs. Archer
• The Chestnut Soldier1991 · as Nain Griffiths
• The Black Candle1991 · as Daisy Barnett
• Emlyn's Moon1990 · as Nain Griffiths
• Dark River1990 · as Mrs. Blessington
• Valmont1989 · as Madame de Volanges
• David Macaulay: Pyramid1989 · as Mersyankh (voice)
• The Snow Spider1988 · as Nain Griffiths
• Ewoks: The Battle for Endor1985 · as Charal
• The Doctor and the Devils1985 · as Annabella Rock
• Dune1984 · as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam
• How Many Miles to Babylon?1982 · as Mrs Alicia Moore
• Clash of the Titans1981 · as Cassiopeia
• Carpathian Eagle1980 · as Mrs. Henska
• Nijinsky1980 · as Lady Ripon
• Heartbreak House1977 · as Hesione Hushabye
• The Achurch Letters1977 · as Janet Achurch
• Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill1974 · as Mrs. Patrick Campbell
• Under Milk Wood1972 · as Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard
• Platonov1971 · as Anna
• Murphy's War1971 · as Hayden
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips1969 · as Ursula Mossbank
• Laughter in the Dark1969 · as Lady Pamela More
• Thief1968 · as Woman
• It’s Dearer After Midnight1968 · as Jo
• Eh, Joe?1966 · as Voice
• Young Cassidy1965 · as Ella
• Becket1964 · as Gwendolen
• Don Juan in Hell1962 · as Dona Ana
• The Longest Day1962 · as WRNS Officer (uncredited)
• Frank and Percy—

All TV Shows (54)

• Emperor: Rise & Fall of a Dynasty2024 · as Narrator
• Doctor Who2024 · as Enid Meadows
• Remembers…2022 · as Self
• The Chelsea Detective2022 · as Grandma Dix
• Wonders of the Celtic Deep2021 · as Self - Narrator
• A Year in the Beacons2021 · as Narrator
• McDonald & Dodds2020 · as Agnes Gillian
• Good Omens2019 · as Mr. Henderson
• Playhouse Presents2012 · as May
• Lewis2007 · as Adele Goffe
• The Last Detective2003 · as Vera Dulciman
• Attila2001 · as Grandmother
• The Magician's House1999 · as Meg Lewis
• The Scold's Bridle1998 · as Mathilda
• Arthouse1997 · as Self - Commentary
• Midsomer Murders1997 · as Lady Annabel Butler
• La Femme Nikita1997 · as Adrian
• Ivanhoe1997 · as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
• Silent Witness1996 · as Beattie Elletson
• The Return of the Borrowers1993 · as Mrs. Driver
• Heidi1993 · as Frau Sesemann
• The Sherman Plays1993 · as Self - Introduction
• The Borrowers1992 · as Mrs. Driver
• Perfect Scoundrels1990 · as Mother Aloysius
• Red Empire1990 · as Narrator (voice)
• Shadow of the Noose1989 · as Lady Scott
• Agatha Christie's Poirot1989 · as Mrs. Laura Upward
• Vanity Fair1987 · as Matilda Crawley
• A Killing on the Exchange1987 · as Isobel Makepeace
• The Two Mrs. Grenvilles1987 · as Duchess of Windsor
• Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years1981 · as Clementine Churchill
• Hammer House of Horror1980 · as Mrs. Henska
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy1979 · as Ann Smiley
• Crime and Punishment1979 · as Katerina Ivánovna
• Tales of the Unexpected1979 · as Hermione
• Warrior Queen1978 · as Queen Boudicca
• I, Claudius1976 · as Livia
• How Green Was My Valley1975 · as Beth Morgan
• Shoulder to Shoulder1974 · as Emmeline Pankhurst
• Playhouse1974 · as Janet Achurch
• Playhouse1974 · as Alicia Moore
• W. Somerset Maugham1969 · as Martha Jones
• ITV Saturday Night Theatre1969 · as Sally Stirling
• The Sex Game1968 · as Louisa
• ITV Playhouse1967 · as May Bartram
• Half Hour Story1967 · as A Girl
• BBC Play of the Month1965 · as Anna Voinitseva
• BBC Play of the Month1965 · as The Duchesse of Berwich
• BBC Play of the Month1965 · as Hesione Hushabye
• Espionage1963 · as Anna
• Drama 61-671961 · as Carole Blair
• Armchair Theatre1956
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Nominee
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Lady Lavery