Penelope Wilton
Born
June 3, 1946 (78 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK
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).
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Dead Hot
Francine · (6 episodes)
2024
Shaun of the Dead
Barbara
2004
Visitation
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Isobel Crawley
2025
Murder Is Easy
Miss Pinkerton · (2 episodes)
2023
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Maureen Fry
2023
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
Self
2022
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Isobel Merton
2022
Operation Mincemeat
Hester Leggett
2022
Eternal Beauty
Vivian
2020
Summerland
Older Alice
2020
Downton Abbey
Isobel Merton
2019
After Life
Anne · (18 episodes)
2019
Zoo
Denise Austin
2018
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
Amelia Maugery
2018
Brexit Shorts: The End
Helen
2017
Brief Encounters
Pauline · (6 episodes)
2016
The BFG
The Queen
2016
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
Narrator (voice)
2016
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jean Ainslie
2015
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
Delia
2013
Belle
Lady Mary Murray
2013
The Girl
Peggy Robertson
2012
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jean Ainslie
2012
South Riding
Mrs Beddows · (3 episodes)
2011
Downton Abbey
Isobel Merton · (47 episodes)
2010
Harold Pinter: A Celebration
Self
2010
Margot
B.Q.
2009
The Passion
Mary · (6 episodes)
2008
Half Broken Things
Jean
2007
Celebration
Julie
2007
Five Days
Barbara Poole · (10 episodes)
2007
The History Boys
Mrs. Bibby
2006
Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion
Harriet Jones
2005
Match Point
Eleanor Hewett
2005
Pride & Prejudice
Mrs. Gardiner
2005
Doctor Who
(0 episode)
2005
Doctor Who
Harriet Jones · (3 episodes)
2005
Falling
Daisy Langrish
2005
Calendar Girls
Ruth
2003
Comedy Connections
(1 episode)
2003
Lucky Jim
Celia Welch
2003
Iris
Janet Stone
2001
Bob & Rose
Monica Gossage · (6 episodes)
2001
Victoria & Albert
Princess Mary Louise Victoria
2001
The Whistle-Blower
Heather Graham
2001
Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings
Mrs. Cratchit
2000
Rockaby
Old Woman
2000
Wives and Daughters
Mrs. Hamley · (6 episodes)
1999
Tom's Midnight Garden
Aunt Melbourne
1999
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
Delfina / Paulina
1999
Alice Through the Looking Glass
White Queen
1998
Talking Heads 2
1998
Landscape
Beth
1995
Carrington
Lady Ottoline Morrell
1995
Kavanagh Q.C.
Barbara Watkins · (1 episode)
1995
The Deep Blue Sea
Hester Collyer
1994
The Return of the Borrowers
Homily · (6 episodes)
1993
The Secret Rapture
Marion French
1993
The Borrowers
Homily · (12 episodes)
1992
Screaming
(8 episodes)
1992
Blame It on the Bellboy
Patricia Fulford
1992
Performance
Beth · (1 episode)
1991
Talking Heads
Rosemary · (1 episode)
1988
Cry Freedom
Wendy Woods
1987
Clockwise
Pat Garden
1986
C.A.T.S. Eyes
(1 episode)
1985
Laughterhouse
Alice Singleton
1984
Ever Decreasing Circles
(26 episodes)
1984
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
1983
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter · (1 episode)
1982
King Lear
Regan
1982
Country
Virginia Carlion
1981
Othello
Desdemona
1981
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Sonia
1981
Pasmore
Helen
1980
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Regan · (1 episode)
1978
The BBC Television Shakespeare
Desdemona · (1 episode)
1978
An Audience with...
Self · (1 episode)
1978
Able's Will
Journalist
1977
The Norman Conquests
Annie · (3 episodes)
1977
Joseph Andrews
Mrs. Wilton
1977
King Lear
Regan
1975
Mrs. Warren's Profession
Vivie Warren
1972
Fing!
Play for Today
Virginia Carlion · (1 episode)
1970