Penelope Wilton
Known for Acting · 88 credits
- Born
- 1946-06-03 (age 80)
- Place of birth
- Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK
- Also known as
- Penelope Alice Wilton · Penelope Winton · Пенелопа Уилтон · 페네로프 윌튼
Biography
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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Known For
TV Shows (28)
Doctor Who
2005
as Harriet Jones
Play for Today
1970
as Virginia Carlion
Downton Abbey
2010
as Isobel Merton
BBC Play of the Month
1965
as Regan
An Audience with...
1978
as Self
Performance
1991
as Beth / Hester Collyer
Remembers…
2022
After Life
2019
as Anne
Kavanagh Q.C.
1995
as Barbara Watkins
C.A.T.S. Eyes
1985
Five Days
2007
as Barbara Poole
Wives and Daughters
1999
as Mrs Hamley
The Borrowers
1992
as Homily
Country Matters
1972
as Rachel Sullens
The Passion
2008
as Mary
Murder Is Easy
2023
as Miss Pinkerton
Comedy Connections
2003
Ever Decreasing Circles
1984
Talking Heads
1988
as Rosemary
The Return of the Borrowers
1993
as Homily
Dead Hot
2024
as Francine
South Riding
2011
as Mrs Beddows
Bob & Rose
2001
as Monica Gossage
Brief Encounters
2016
as Pauline
Screaming
1992
The Norman Conquests
1977
as Annie
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
1982
as Beatrix Potter
Mavis Eccleston
as Mavis Eccleston
Movies (60)
Pride & Prejudice
2005
as Mrs. Gardiner
Shaun of the Dead
2004
as Barbara
The BFG
2016
as The Queen
Match Point
2005
as Eleanor Hewett
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
2025
as Isobel Merton
Downton Abbey
2019
as Isobel Merton
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
as Isobel Merton
Operation Mincemeat
2022
as Hester Leggett
Summerland
2020
as Older Alice
Alice Through the Looking Glass
1998
as White Queen
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
2018
as Amelia Maugery
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2012
as Jean Ainslie
Iris
2001
as Janet Stone
Belle
2013
as Lady Mary Murray
Calendar Girls
2003
as Ruth
Cry Freedom
1987
as Wendy Woods
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2015
as Jean Ainslie
The French Lieutenant's Woman
1981
as Sonia
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
2023
as Maureen Fry
Fing!
2026
Zoo
2018
as Denise Austin
National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage
2013
as Delia
The History Boys
2006
as Mrs. Bibby
Eternal Beauty
2020
as Vivian
The Girl
2012
as Peggy Robertson
Clockwise
1986
as Pat Garden
Carrington
1995
as Lady Ottoline Morrell
King Lear
1982
as Regan
Blame It on the Bellboy
1992
as Patricia Fulford
Visitation
Margot
2009
as B.Q.
Tom's Midnight Garden
1999
as Aunt Melbourne
Judi Dench: Our National Treasure
2022
as Self
Harold Pinter: A Celebration
2010
as Self
The Whistle-Blower
2001
as Heather Graham
Joseph Andrews
1977
as Mrs. Wilton
Victoria & Albert
2001
as Princess Mary Louise Victoria
Celebration
2007
as Julie
Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings
2000
as Mrs. Cratchit
Othello
1981
as Desdemona
Falling
2005
as Daisy Langrish
The Strange Case of Delfina Potocka
1999
as Delfina / Paulina
Country
1981
as Virginia Carlion
The Secret Rapture
1993
as Marion French
The Deep Blue Sea
1994
as Hester Collyer
Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale
2025
as Self
Mrs. Warren's Profession
1972
as Vivie Warren
Laughterhouse
1984
as Alice Singleton
Pasmore
1980
as Helen
Landscape
1995
as Beth
King Lear
1975
as Regan
The Tale of Beatrix Potter
1983
as Beatrix Potter
Half Broken Things
2007
as Jean
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
2016
as Narrator (voice)
Rockaby
2000
as Old Woman
Able's Will
1977
as Journalist
Lucky Jim
2003
as Celia Welch
The Sullens Sisters
1972
as Rachel Sullens
Brexit Shorts: The End
2017
as Helen
Talking Heads 2
1998
About Penelope Wilton
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 (200… With 88 credits spanning from 1965 to 2026, Penelope Wilton has appeared in 60 films and 28 TV shows.
Fans searching for Penelope Wilton movies, Penelope Wilton filmography, or the latest projects starring Penelope Wilton can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Penelope Wilton Movies
- Pride & Prejudice (2005) — as Mrs. Gardiner
- Shaun of the Dead (2004) — as Barbara
- The BFG (2016) — as The Queen
- Match Point (2005) — as Eleanor Hewett
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) — as Isobel Merton
Where to Watch Penelope Wilton Films
Most Penelope Wilton movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Penelope Wilton, check our movies catalogue and browse page.