Anne Reid

Perhaps best known for her role as Valerie Tatlock on the evening soap "Coronation Street," Anne Reid has spent over five decades gracing the screen, primarily on British television. Born and raised in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Reid trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After a few small roles on "The Benny Hill Show" and "The Adventures of Robin Hood," she quickly landed the role of Val on "Coronation Street," and remained one of the show's most popular characters throughout her years on the show. She regularly drew in a wide audience for Val's dramatic peaks, including the character's wedding, the christening of her child, and her being held hostage by a rapist. After leaving "Coronation Street" Reid spent the next few decades working steadily, popping up in minor roles in a variety of British shows, including the sci-fi staple "Doctor Who" and the medical drama "Peak Practice." After voicing Wendolene Ramsbottom in the beloved Wallace and Gromit film "Wallace and Gromit in A Close Shave," Reid landed her other most memorable role as long-suffering wife Jean on "Dinnerladies," a BBC comedy about cafeteria workers at a Manchester factory. In 2003 she starred in the drama "The Mother," portraying a woman having an affair with her daughter's lover. Her performance landed her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2004 BAFTAs. Throughout the 2000s she appeared in various West End stage productions and in minor roles in Edgar Wright's "Hot Fuzz" and Stephen Merchant's "Cemetery Junction."