Biography
Who is Penelope Wilton?
Early life and background
Penelope Alice Wilton was born in Scarborough, United Kingdom. Her father, Cliff Wilton, was a businessman and a barrister who played rugby union, while her mother, Alice Linda Travers, was a former actress and tap dancer. She grew up with connections to the theatrical world, as her maternal grandparents owned theatres and her uncle was the actor Bill Travers.
To pursue her craft, she attended the Drama Centre London from 1965 to 1968. Her formal training provided the foundation for a career that would eventually span across West End, Broadway, and major television networks.
Career on stage and screen
Penelope Wilton began her professional acting career in 1969 at the Nottingham Playhouse. Early stage credits included roles in King Lear and West of Suez. She made her Broadway debut in 1971 in The Philanthropist. Over the years, she earned significant critical acclaim on the stage, securing six Olivier Award nominations for performances in plays such as The Deep Blue Sea and John Gabriel Borkman. In 2015, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for her work in Taken at Midnight.
Her television work gained widespread attention through the BBC sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles, where she starred opposite Richard Briers. She later reached global audiences as Isobel Crawley in the period drama Downton Abbey. She also appeared in the science-fiction series Doctor Who as Harriet Jones, a role written specifically for her by Russell T. Davies. Her film credits are extensive, ranging from Calendar Girls and Shaun of the Dead to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and The BFG.
Family and personal history
In her private life, she was married to actor Daniel Massey between 1975 and 1984. They had one daughter, Alice, born in 1977. She later married actor Ian Holm in 1991. The couple appeared together on screen in the BBC adaptation of The Borrowers and its sequel, The Return of the Borrowers. They divorced in 2001.
For her significant contributions to drama, she received several honors. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2004. In 2016, she was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Also, York St John University made her an Honorary Graduate and Fellow in 2017.
Birthday and age
Penelope Wilton was born on June 3, 1946, which makes Penelope 80 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Penelope shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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