Geraldine James | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1950-07-06)6 July 1950 (age 75) Maidenhead, Berkshire, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse | |
Geraldine James (born 6 July 1950) is an English actress. She has worked extensively on television, on stage and in film. She is known for her roles as Sarah Layton inThe Jewel in the Crown (1984), Marilla Cuthbert in theNetflix seriesAnne with an E (2017–2019) and asQueen Mary in the 2019 filmDownton Abbey. And she won theVolpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance in the television filmShe's Been Away.
Geraldine James Thomas was born inMaidenhead,Berkshire, on 6 July 1950, the daughter of Gerald Trevor Griffith Thomas, a cardiologist,[1] and his wife Annabella Doogan.[2] Her parents divorced.[3] After failing her11-plus exam, she was educated atDowne House School inNewbury, Berkshire, where she was known as Gerry Thomas. Embarrassed by her simple surname, she used the grander-sounding name of Vaughan-Thomas while at the school.[4] Her stage name makes use of her middle name of James.[5]
She studied drama at theDrama Centre London.[4]
After graduating from the Drama Centre, James spent three years in repertory theatre and school theatre.[4]
Her film credits includeGandhi (1982),The Tall Guy (1989),The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1989),Sherlock Holmes (2009),Alice in Wonderland (2010),The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011),Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), and45 Years (2015).[citation needed]
On television, Geraldine James played Sarah Layton inThe Jewel in the Crown (1984), Rosemary "Rose" Garrity inBand of Gold (1995) and Gloria Green inThe Sins (2000). She is also known as Mrs. Pincher, the breastfeeding mother inLittle Britain (2004).
From 2017 to 2019, she starred in theNetflix seriesAnne with an E as Marilla Cuthbert, and in the 2019 filmDownton Abbey asQueen Mary.[citation needed]
In 2020 James voiced the spoken words on the track "All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World" ("Vista", "Ad Astra") on the albumHuman. :II: Nature. by Finnish symphonic metal bandNightwish.[6]
James was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004.[4]
Theatre directorPeter Hall said that James ranks among the great English classical actresses.[7]
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Dummy | BAFTA TV Award | Best Actress | Nominated | [8] |
| 1984 | The Jewel in the Crown | BAFTA TV Award | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| 1989 | She's Been Away | Venice Film Festival | Volpi Cup for Best Actress | Won | [9][10] |
| 1990 | The Merchant of Venice | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Won | |
| 1990 | The Merchant of Venice | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Play | Nominated | |
| 1995 | Band of Gold | BAFTA TV Award | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| 2000 | The Sins | BAFTA TV Award | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Anne with an E | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Supporting Actress, Drama | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Won | [11] |
James is married to actor and director Joseph Blatchley. They have a daughter.[3]
| Date | Title | Role | Director | Station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 February 2000 –3 March 2000 | The Hours | Gaynor Macfarlane | BBC Radio 4Woman's Hour Drama | |
| 21 March 2003 | Baldi: The Book Case | Maggie | Mark Lambert | BBC Radio 4Afternoon Play |
| 19 April 2003 | Turtle Diary | Neaera | Gaynor Macfarlane | BBC Radio 4Saturday Play |
| 2005 | The Raj Quartet | Mildred Layton | Jeremy Mortimer | BBC Radio 4 |
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