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Penelope Wilton

Highest Rated: 92% Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Lowest Rated: 20% Blame It on the Bellboy (1992)

Birthday: Jun 3, 1946

Birthplace: Scarborough, England, UK

One of the most respected English stage actresses of the late 20th century and beyond, Penelope Wilton also enjoyed a lengthy career as a film and television actress with appearances in "Cry Freedom" (1987), "Calendar Girls" (2003) and most notably, the hugely popular "Downton Abbey" (ITV/PBS, 2010-16) TV series. Frequently hailed for her versatility, which allowed her to move successfully between classical and modern drama, as well as for what critics often described as her "quintessential Englishness" - which translated into finely calibrated performances that allowed her to express layers of emotion through dialogue alone - Wilton came to be regarded as an "actress's actress," a performer who could deliver a memorable turn, no matter the material or author. The stage dominated her career for several decades before she began appearing in British TV and features, as well as the occasional international feature like "Shaun of the Dead" (2004) and "Match Point" (2005). But it was her turn as the steely, staunchly middle-class Isobel Crawley on "Downton" that brought Wilton international acclaim as the series drew in audiences around the globe in devoted numbers. "Downton" fans soon discovered what English theatergoers had known since the early 1970s - that Penelope Wilton represented the best that her country could offer as a performer.

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Highest rated movies

92% 93% Shaun of the Dead Watchlist 88% 64% Zoo Watchlist 87% 89% Pride & Prejudice Watchlist 86% 97% Downton Abbey: A New Era Watchlist 84% 94% Downton Abbey Watchlist
84% 82% Belle
Watchlist
83% 65% Operation Mincemeat Watchlist 82% 81% The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Watchlist
80% 66% Clockwise
Watchlist
79% 73% Iris
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Downton Abbey 3 Isobel Merton (Character) - 2025
74% 76% The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Maureen (Character) - 2023
86% 97% Downton Abbey: A New Era Isobel Merton (Character) $43.3M 2022
83% 65% Operation Mincemeat Hester Leggett (Character) - 2021
78% 73% Summerland Older Alice (Character) $58.3K 2020
79% 60% Eternal Beauty Vivian (Character) - 2019
84% 94% Downton Abbey Isobel Crawley (Character) $96.8M 2019
82% 81% The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Amelia Maugery (Character) - 2018
88% 64% Zoo Denise Austin (Character) - 2017
74% 57% The BFG The Queen (Character) $55.5M 2016
67% 59% The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Jean Ainslie (Character) $33.0M 2015
84% 82% Belle Lady Mary Murray (Character) $10.7M 2013
70% 41% The Girl Peggy Robertson (Character) - 2012
77% 78% The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Jean Ainslie (Character) $46.4M 2011
No Score Yet 70% Margot B.Q (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Marple: They Do It With Mirrors Carrie Louise Serrocold (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet 69% Half Broken Things Jean (Character) - 2007
66% 70% The History Boys Mrs. Bibby (Character) $2.7M 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Falling Daisy Langrish (Character) - 2005
77% 81% Match Point Eleanor Hewett (Character) $23.1M 2005
87% 89% Pride & Prejudice Mrs. Gardiner (Character) $38.4M 2005
92% 93% Shaun of the Dead Barbara (Character) $14.1M 2004
73% 67% Calendar Girls Ruth (Character) $31.0M 2003
No Score Yet 78% Victoria & Albert Princess Mary Louise Victoria (Character) - 2001
79% 73% Iris Janet Stone (Character) $5.6M 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka: The Mystery of Chopin Delfina / Paulina (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 49% Alice Through the Looking Glass White Queen (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 59% Tom's Midnight Garden Aunt Melbourne (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet This Could Be the Last Time Marjorie (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Return of the Borrowers Homily (Character) - 1996
54% 74% Carrington Lady Ottoline Morrell (Character) $2.3M 1995
No Score Yet 53% The Borrowers Homily (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Secret Rapture Marion French (Character) - 1993
20% 39% Blame It on the Bellboy Patricia Fulford (Character) $3.0M 1992
73% 87% Cry Freedom Wendy Woods (Character) $4.9M 1987
80% 66% Clockwise Woman Teacher (Character) $640.2K 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Singleton's Pluck Alice Singleton (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Laughter House Alice Singleton (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Othello Desdemona (Character) - 1981

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dead Hot Francine (Character) 2024
36% 27% Murder is Easy Miss Pinkerton (Character) 2023
88% 93% Downton Abbey Isobel Crawley (Character) 2010-2015 2023
71% 86% After Life Anne (Character) 2019-2020 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Brief Encounters Pauline (Character) 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Great Performances Guest 2014
50% No Score Yet South Riding Mrs Beddows (Character) 2011
90% 64% Doctor Who Harriet Jones (Guest Star) 2005 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Passion Unknown (Character) 2008
78% 17% Five Days Barbara Poole (Character) 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Masterpiece Theatre Unknown (Character) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Borrowers Homily (Character) 1992-1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ever Decreasing Circles Ann Bryce (Character) 1984 1986-1987 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet BBC Television Shakespeare Regan (Character) 1982