Imelda Staunton

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Dame Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre productions in the West End and across the UK. Over her career, she has received several awards including a British Academy Film Award, and five Laurence Olivier Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award, three British Academy Television Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and three Emmy Awards.

On London stage, she has received fourteen Laurence Olivier Award nominations, winning the Best Supporting Role in a Play for her work in both A Chorus of Disapproval / The Corn Is Green (1985) followed by four wins for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in the musicals Into the Woods (1991), Sweeney Todd (2013), Gypsy (2016), and Hello, Dolly! (2024). She was Olivier-nominated for The Beggar's Opera (1982), The Wizard of Oz (1988), Uncle Vanya (1988), Guys and Dolls (1997), Entertaining Mr Sloane (2010), Good People (2015), and Follies (2018).

On film, Staunton took early roles in films such as Peter's Friends (1992), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1995), and Shakespeare in Love (1998). Staunton won a BAFTA Award for playing the title role of a working-class woman in Vera Drake (2004). She later gained notoriety for playing Dolores Umbridge in two of the Harry Potter films in 2007 and 2010. She also acted in Nanny McPhee, Another Year (2010), Pride (2014), and Downton Abbey (2019), and voiced roles in Chicken Run (2000), Arthur Christmas (2011), and Paddington (2014).

On television, Staunton starred in the sitcoms Up the Garden Path from (1990–1993) and Is it Legal? (1995–1998). She received Primetime Emmy Award and British Academy Television Award nominations for her portrayals of Alma Hitchcock in the HBO television film The Girl (2012) and Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix historical series The Crown (2022–2023).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Staunton also took roles in Antonia and Jane (1990), Citizen X (1995), David Copperfield (1999), My Family and Other Animals (2005), Cranford (2007), and Flesh and Blood (2020).

Early life and education

Staunton was born in Archway, north London, the only child of Bridie (née McNicholas), a hairdresser, and Joseph Staunton, a labourer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They lived over Staunton's mother's salon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her parents were immigrants from County Mayo, Ireland;<ref name=looks>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> her father from Ballyvary and her mother from Bohola.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Her mother, a musician, had played in Irish showbands; while she could not read music, she could play almost any tune by ear on the accordion or fiddle.<ref name=looks/> When Staunton was in her teens, her parents separated, both later meeting new partners.

As a pupil at La Sainte Union Catholic School,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Staunton took drama classes with her elocution teacher and had starring roles in school plays, including that of Polly Peachum in The Beggar's Opera.<ref name=looks/><ref name=big>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Encouraged by her teacher, she auditioned for drama schools: while the Central School of Speech and Drama and Guildhall School of Music and Drama did not extend offers to her,<ref name=big/> she was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at age 18.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Acting career

1976–1999: Career beginnings and early roles

Staunton graduated from RADA in 1976,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> then spent six years in British repertory theatre, including a period at the Northcott Theatre, Exeter, where she had the title role in Shaw's Saint Joan (1979). She then moved on to roles the National Theatre, including Lucy Lockit in The Beggar's Opera (1982), which earned her Olivier Award nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical and Most Promising Newcomer of the Year in Theatre.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also appeared in two revivals of Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre; the first in 1982 in which she met her husband Jim Carter<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the second in 1996 in which she played Miss Adelaide and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1985, Staunton won her first Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for her work in both The Corn Is Green at The Old Vic and A Chorus of Disapproval at the National Theatre.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She also played Dorothy Gale in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1987 revival of The Wizard of Oz at the Barbican Centre,<ref name="stage">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which earned her another Olivier nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Staunton won her first Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for playing the Baker's Wife in the original London production of Into the Woods (1990).<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Staunton's first big-screen role came in a 1986 film Comrades. She then appeared in the 1991 film Antonia and Jane, and in the 1992 film Peter's Friends. Other film roles include performances in Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Deadly Advice (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Twelfth Night (1996). In 1993, she appeared on television alongside Richard Briers and Adrian Edmondson in If You See God, Tell Him. Staunton also played the wife of Detective Burakov in the 1995 HBO movie, Citizen X, which recounted the pursuit and capture of Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. She has had other television parts in The Singing Detective (1986), Midsomer Murders, and the sitcom Is It Legal? (1995–98), as well as A Bit of Fry and Laurie. She was a voice artist on Mole's Christmas (1994). Staunton shared a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Performance by a Cast in 1998 for Shakespeare in Love.

On radio, she has appeared in the title role of the detective drama series Julie Enfield Investigates, as the lead "Izzy Comyn" in the comedy Up the Garden Path (which later moved to ITV with Staunton reprising the role), in Diary of a Provincial Lady (from 1999), as "Courageous Kate" in Series 1 of Elephants to Catch Eels and as "Xanthippe" in Series 2 of Acropolis Now. She starred opposite Anna Massey in the post-World War II mystery series Daunt and Dervish, and opposite Patrick Barlow in The Patrick and Maureen Maybe Music Experience. She played the role of a schoolboy as the lead character in the five part (15 minutes each): "The Skool Days of Nigel Molesworth" for BBC Radio 4.

2000–2011: Vera Drake and Harry Potter films

File:Imelda Staunton.jpg

Staunton at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011

During this period she acted in Chicken Run (2000), Another Life (2001), Bright Young Things (2003), Nanny McPhee (2005), Freedom Writers (2007) and How About You (2007). In 2004, she received the Best Actress honours at the European Film Awards, the BAFTAs, and the Venice Film Festival for her performance of the title role in Mike Leigh's Vera Drake, which also won Best Picture.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> For the same role, she received her first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.

She had a guest role playing Mrs. Mead in Little Britain in 2005, and in 2007 played the free-thinking gossip, Miss Pole, in Cranford, the five-part BBC series based on Mrs Gaskell's novels.

Staunton portrayed Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), for which she received widespread acclaim.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She was nominated in the "British Actress in a Supporting Role" category at the London Film Critics Circle Awards.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Staunton reprised her role as Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 in 2010. In 2011, she played Grace Andrews in the second series of Psychoville.

Other film roles include the 2008 movie A Bunch of Amateurs, in which she starred alongside Burt Reynolds, Derek Jacobi and Samantha Bond, and the character of Sonia Teichberg in Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock (2009). Staunton provided the voice of the Talking Flowers in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010), and played one of the lead roles in the ghost film The Awakening in 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the ensuing 20 years, Staunton mainly had roles in plays, including Sonya in Uncle Vanya (1988), Kath in Entertaining Mr Sloane (2009) and Good People (2014), for which she received Olivier nominations for Best Actress in a Play. She also appeared in two productions at the Almeida Theatre, firstly in the premiere of Frank McGuinness's There Came a Gypsy Riding in 2007 and secondly in a revival of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance in 2011. In 2011, she was the Voice of the Interface in the highly acclaimed and nominee for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) episode of Doctor Who – "The Girl Who Waited". In 2012, she portrayed Alma Reville, the wife of Alfred Hitchcock, in the HBO television movie The Girl, which also starred Toby Jones and Sienna Miller. Her performance saw her nominated for a BAFTA Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

2012–2019: Return to musical theater

Most recently, Staunton has appeared in two Chichester Festival Theatre productions, taking on the role of Mrs. Lovett in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd between 2011 and 2012, starring opposite Michael Ball, before starring as Rose in a revival of Gypsy between 2014 and 2015.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Both productions transferred to London for critically and commercially acclaimed runs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Staunton won her second and third Olivier Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for the two productions in 2013 and 2016 respectively.<ref name=":5">Shenton. Mark. "Winners of 2016 Olivier Awards Announced: 'Gypsy', 'Kinky Boots', 'In the Heights' Emerge Victorious" Playbill, 3 April 2016</ref> In 2012, she voiced Queen Victoria in the Aardman film The Pirates! Band of Misfits, where she serves as the main antagonist. In 2014, she co-starred in Maleficent as well as the British comedy-drama Pride. In late 2014, she had a voice role in Paddington, a film based on the Paddington Bear books by Michael Bond. Staunton and her Harry Potter co-star Michael Gambon voiced Paddington's Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo, respectively.

Staunton returned to the Harold Pinter Theatre in London West End in 2017 as Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring alongside Conleth Hill, Luke Treadaway and Imogen Poots at the Harold Pinter Theatre.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This play was broadcast in National Theatre Live on 18 May 2017. Staunton performed the role of Sally in the 2017 National Theatre revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies, alongside Janie Dee as Phyllis, and Philip Quast as Ben.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The show was broadcast through the National Theatre Live initiative on 16 November 2017. An August 2018 announcement revealed that Staunton would be among the new cast to join the original actors in Downton Abbey which started principal photography at about the same time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2020–present: The Crown and theatre roles

Since May 2020, Staunton stars in the Apple TV+ comedy series Trying. The first season premiered on 1 May 2020 and the second-season premieres on 14 May 2021, with the show already renewed for a third season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 31 January 2020, it was announced that she would be portraying Queen Elizabeth II in the fifth season of the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Crown.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 9 July 2020, it was announced that the series had been extended to a sixth and final season, with Staunton again to reprise her role of the Queen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Staunton's performance in the fifth season earned her nominations for a Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Television Award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Her performance in the sixth season earned her nominations for another Golden Globe Award and Primetime Emmy Award.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In summer 2024, Staunton played the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in a revival of the musical Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium.<ref>Al-Hassan, Aliya. Review Roundup: Did Imelda Staunton Delight in HELLO, DOLLY! at The London Palladium? broadwayworld.com, 19 July 2024</ref> Staunton's performance won her another Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Staunton has narrated unabridged audio-book versions of many of Julia Donaldson's children's books, including The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Monkey Puzzle, The Snail and the Whale, Stick Man and Zog, as well as other children's books. In 2014 she collaborated with her husband, Jim Carter, and Show of Hands on Centenary: Words and Music of the Great War, an album of songs and poetry from and inspired by World War I. Staunton reprised her role as Dolores Umbridge for the Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry attraction opening at Universal Epic Universe in 2025.

Personal life

Staunton and her husband, actor Jim Carter, have a daughter, Bessie, born in 1993. In 2007, they appeared in the BBC series Cranford, with Carter as Captain Brown and Bessie as a maid.<ref>"Imelda Staunton on acting naturally" The Sunday Times, 21 June 2008</ref> They live in West Hampstead.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2025 Staunton and her daughter Bessie Carter co-starred in a production of Mrs. Warren's Profession in London.<ref name="Observer202504">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2014, Staunton's dog, Molly, appeared as Chowsie the dog in Gypsy at the Chichester Festival Theatre from 6 October to 8 November. Staunton played the leading role of Mama Rose.<ref>Chichester Festival Theatre "Gypsy A Musical Fable" 2014 Official Program.</ref>

Political Views

Staunton endorsed the Labour Party in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Staunton is also a patron for the Milton Rooms, a new arts centre in Malton, North Yorkshire along with Bill Nighy, Jools Holland and Kathy Burke<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and is also patron at Swan Theatre, Worcester where she made her acting debut as well as leading creative health charity Breathe Arts Health Research <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Performances and works

Film

Year	Title	Role(s)	Notes	Template:Abbr
1986	Comrades	Template:Sort		<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1992	Peter's Friends	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1993	Much Ado About Nothing	Margaret		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1994	Deadly Advice	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Voice; Direct-to-video	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	Sense and Sensibility	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1996	Twelfth Night	Maria		<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1996	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Voice; Direct-to-video	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1997	Remember Me?	Lorna		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1997	Template:Sort	Scruffy	Voice; Direct-to-video	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1998	Shakespeare in Love	Nurse		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1999	Jack & the Beanstalk	Dilly	Voice; Direct-to-video	<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
2000	Chicken Run	Bunty	Voice	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2000	Rat	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2001	Another Life	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2001	Crush	Janine		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2002	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Short; Direct-to-video	<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
2002	Ready	Naomi	ShortTemplate:Efn	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	Template:Sort	Template:Sort		<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
	Bright Young Things	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	I'll Be There	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Blackball	Bridget		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	Vera Drake	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2005	Nanny McPhee	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006	Shadow Man	Template:Sort	Direct-to-video	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	Freedom Writers	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	How About You	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Three and Out	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Template:Sort	Mary		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	Taking Woodstock	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	Alice in Wonderland	Tall Flower Faces	Voice	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Another Year	Janet		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Template:Sort	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Arthur Christmas	Template:Sort	Voice	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Voice	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	Pride	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Maleficent	Knotgrass		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Paddington	Template:Sort	Voice	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017	Little Bird	Template:Sort	Short	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Finding Your Feet	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Paddington 2	Template:Sort	Voice	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019	Downton Abbey	Lady Maud Bagshaw		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019	Maleficent: Mistress of Evil	Knotgrass		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020	Amulet	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2022	Downton Abbey: A New Era	Lady Maud Bagshaw		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2023	The Canterville Ghost	Mrs. Umney	Voice	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2023	Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget	Bunty		<ref name="THR 2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2024	Paddington in Peru	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2025	& Sons		Post-production	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Television

Year(s)	Title	Role(s)	Notes	Template:Abbr
1982	Playhouse	Template:Sort	Episode: "Easy Money"	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1986	Ladies in Charge	Edith	Episode: "Double Act"	<ref name=TV>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1986	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Miniseries; 5 episodes	<ref name=TV/>
1988	Thompson	Various roles	Miniseries; 6 episodes	<ref name=TV/>
1989	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	3 episodes	<ref name=TV/>
1990–1993	Up the Garden Path	Template:Sort	Main role; 18 episodes	<ref name=TV/>
1990	ScreenPlay	Template:Sort	Episode: "Antonia and Jane" Episode: "The Englishman's Wife"	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Episode: "Yellowbacks"	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	Masterpiece	Louie	Episode: "The Heat of the Day"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1991	Screen Two	Template:Sort	Episode: "They Never Slept"	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1992	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Television film	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1992	Performance	Template:Sort	Episode: "Roots"	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1993	Don't Leave Me This Way	Template:Sort	Television film	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1993	If You See God, Tell Him	Template:Sort	Miniseries; 4 episodes	<ref name=TV/>
1994	Woodcock	Edna	Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Frank Stubbs Promotes	Susan	Episode: "Charity"	<ref name=TV/>
	Mole's Christmas	Various roles	Voice; Television film	<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
1995	Citizen X	Template:Sort	Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	Look at the State We're In!	Template:Sort	Miniseries; Episode: "Local Government"	<ref name=TV/>
1995–1998	Is It Legal?	Template:Sort	Main role; 21 episodes	<ref name=TV/>
1995	Template:Sort	Various roles	Voice; Television film	<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
1996	Template:Sort	Various roles	Voice; Television film	<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
1996	Tales from the Crypt	Template:Sort	Episode: "About Face"	<ref name=TV/>
1998–2000	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Miniseries; 3 episodes	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1999	Midsomer Murders	Template:Sort	Episode: "Dead Man's Eleven"	<ref name=TV/>
1999	David Copperfield	Template:Sort	Two-part television special	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2002	Murder	Template:Sort	Miniseries; 4 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	Let's Write a Story	Template:Sort	Docuseries; Episode: "Humour"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Cambridge Spies	Template:Sort	Miniseries; Episodes 2 and 4	<ref name=TV/>
	Strange	Template:Sort	Miniseries; Episode: "Incubus"	<ref name=TV/>
2005	Fingersmith	Template:Sort	3 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	ShakespeaRe-Told	Template:Sort	Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Little Britain	Template:Sort	Series 3, episode 6	<ref name=TV/>
	My Family and Other Animals	Template:Sort	Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006	Dogtown	Template:Sort	Miniseries; Episode 4	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006	Template:Sort	Barge Lady	Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	Where Have I Been All Your Life?	Angela	Television short	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	Cranford	Template:Sort	Miniseries; 5 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Clay	Template:Sort	Television film	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	Coming Up	Mother	Episode: "Lickle Bill Um"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Big & Small	Template:Sort	Voice; 28 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	Return to Cranford	Template:Sort	Episodes: "August 1844", "October 1844"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010–2011	Psychoville	Template:Sort	Guest role (Halloween special) main role (series 2); 7 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	White Other	Template:Sort	Television short	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Doctor Who	Template:Sort	Voice; Episode: "The Girl Who Waited"	<ref name=TV/>
2012	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	Mouse and Mole at Christmas Time	Various roles	Voice; Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	That Day We Sang	Enid	Television film	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Miniseries; 6 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020	Flesh and Blood	Mary	Miniseries; 4 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020	Talking Heads	Template:Sort	Episode: "A Lady of Letters"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020–2021	Trying	Penny	8 episodes	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2022–2023	The Crown	Queen Elizabeth II	Main role (Seasons 5–6); 20 episodes	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2023	Brassic	Aunt Edie	Episode: "A Very Brassic Christmas"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Theatre

Year(s)	Title	Role(s)	Theatre(s)	Notes	Template:Abbr
1982–1983	Guys and Dolls	Template:Sort	Royal National Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1982–1983	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Royal National Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1982–1983	Schweyk in the Second World War	Anna	Royal National Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1984	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Theatre Royal Stratford East		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1984	Us Good Girls	Paulette	Soho Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1985	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1985–1986	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Royal National Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1987	Venus and Adonis	Venus	Barbican Centre		<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Mermaid Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	They Shoot Horses, Don't They?	Template:Sort	Mermaid Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1987–1988	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Barbican Centre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1988	Uncle Vanya	Sonya	Vaudeville Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1989	Template:Sort	Luba	King's Head Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1990–1991	Into the Woods	Template:Sort	Phoenix Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1991	Bold Girls	Cassie	Hampstead Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1994	On Borrowed Time	—	Southwark Playhouse	Producer and director	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1994–1995	Slavs!	Bonfila	Hampstead Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1996	Habeas Corpus	Template:Sort	Donmar Warehouse		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1996–1997	Guys and Dolls	Template:Sort	Royal National Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1998	Divas at the Donmar	—	Donmar Warehouse	Solo cabaret season	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2000–2001	Life x 3	Ines	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	Calico	Template:Sort	Duke of York's Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	There Came a Gypsy Riding	Margaret	Almeida Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	Follies in Concert	Template:Sort	London Palladium	Benefit concert	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	Entertaining Mr Sloane	Kath	Trafalgar Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Template:Sort	Claire	Almeida Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011–2012	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Template:Sort	Chichester Festival Theatre Adelphi Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	Circle Mirror Transformation	Marty	Royal Court Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	Good People	Template:Sort	Template:Sort		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014–2015	Gypsy	Template:Sort	Chichester Festival Theatre Savoy Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Martha	Harold Pinter Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017–2018	Follies	Template:Sort	Royal National Theatre		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020	Talking Heads	Template:Sort	Bridge Theatre	Segment: "A Lady of Letters"	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2024	Hello, Dolly!	Dolly Gallagher Levi	London Palladium		<ref>See Who's Joining Imelda Staunton in London Revival of Hello, Dolly!; Cast Complete</ref>
2025	Mrs. Warren's Profession	Kitty Warren	Garrick Theatre		<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Theme park


Year	Title	Role	Ref(s)
2025	Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry	Dolores Umbridge	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Discography

1990: Into the Woods – Original London Cast; as baker's wife.
2010: Julia Donaldson Audio Collection; as the narrator of the Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Highway Rat, Zog, and Charlie Cook's Favourite Book.
2012: Sweeney Todd – Revival Cast Recording; as Mrs. Lovett.
2015: Gypsy – London Cast Recording; as Momma Rose.
2019: Follies – London Cast Recording; as Sally.

Awards and honours

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Staunton has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, five Olivier Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Staunton was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours, all for services to drama, and the last additionally for charity.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Notes

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References

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External links

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Template:YouTube
Imelda Staunton in Conversation, filmed BAFTA event, March 2009

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Imelda Staunton

Contents

Early life and education

Acting career

1976–1999: Career beginnings and early roles

2000–2011: Vera Drake and Harry Potter films

2012–2019: Return to musical theater

2020–present: The Crown and theatre roles

Personal life

Political Views

Performances and works

Film

Television

Theatre

Theme park

Discography

Awards and honours

See also

Notes

References

External links

Navigation menu

Imelda Staunton

Early life and education

Acting career

1976–1999: Career beginnings and early roles

2000–2011: Vera Drake and Harry Potter films

2012–2019: Return to musical theater

2020–present: The Crown and theatre roles

Personal life

Political Views

Performances and works

Film

Television

Theatre

Theme park

Discography

Awards and honours

See also

Notes

References

External links

Navigation menu

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