Imelda Staunton

Biography

Imelda Staunton, born in Archway, North London, in 1956, is an English actress and singer. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began in repertory theater in 1976, later working in the West End. She has won five Olivier Awards, including for Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly!. On film, she won a BAFTA for the title role in Vera Drake (2004) and earned an Academy Award nomination. She played Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter series and appeared in Pride (2014) and Downton Abbey (2019), along with Nanny McPhee (2005) and Another Year (2010). She voiced roles in the Paddington films and in Chicken Run (2000) and Arthur Christmas (2011). On television, she starred in Up the Garden Path and Is It Legal? and was nominated for an Emmy and a BAFTA for The Girl (2012) and for The Crown.

70years old

Turns 71 on January 9in 89 days

Born January 9, 1956Archway district
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19

Movie Career

Films: 40
Career span: 37 years1987 to 2024

Genres

Comedy55%, 22 films
Drama55%, 22 films
Family28%, 11 films
Adventure20%, 8 films
Romance20%, 8 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Behind the award
Staunton won her fourth Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2024 for playing Dolly Gallagher Levi in a revival of Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium.
Early training
After the Central School of Speech and Drama and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama did not offer her places, Staunton gained admission to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art when she was 18.

Imelda Staunton movies on Netflix

Paddington in Peru2024IMDb rating 6.6as Aunt Lucy (voice)
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget2023IMDb rating 6.3as Bunty (voice)
The Canterville Ghost2023IMDb rating 5.9as Mrs Umney (voice)
Downton Abbey: A New Era2022IMDb rating 7.4as Maud Bagshaw
Amulet2020IMDb rating 4.9as Sister Claire
Downton Abbey2019IMDb rating 7.4as Maud Bagshaw
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil2019IMDb rating 6.6as Knotgrass
Finding Your Feet2017IMDb rating 6.8as Sandra Abbott
Paddington 22017IMDb rating 7.8as Aunt Lucy (voice)
Maleficent2014IMDb rating 6.9as Knotgrass
Paddington2014IMDb rating 7.3as Aunt Lucy (voice)
Pride2014IMDb rating 7.8as Hefina
The Girl2012IMDb rating 6.3as Alma Reville Hitchcock
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!2012IMDb rating 6.7as Queen Victoria (voice)
Arthur Christmas2011IMDb rating 7.1as Mrs Santa (voice)
The Awakening2011IMDb rating 6.5as Maud Hill
Alice in Wonderland2010IMDb rating 6.4as Talking Flowers (voice)
Another Year2010IMDb rating 7.4as Janet
Taking Woodstock2009IMDb rating 6.7as Sonia Teichberg
A Bunch of Amateurs2008IMDb rating 6.0as Mary
A Deal Is a Deal2008IMDb rating 6.2as Rosemary Cassidy
Freedom Writers2007IMDb rating 7.6as Margaret Campbell
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix2007IMDb rating 7.5as Dolores Umbridge
How About You...2007IMDb rating 6.6as Hazel Nightingale
Shadow Man2006IMDb rating 4.0as Ambassador Cochran
My Family and Other Animals2005IMDb rating 7.3as Mother
Nanny McPhee2005IMDb rating 6.6as Mrs. Blatherwick
Vera Drake2004IMDb rating 7.6as Vera
Blackball2003IMDb rating 5.6as Bridget
Bright Young Things2003IMDb rating 6.5as Lady Brown
I'll Be There2003IMDb rating 6.5as Dr. Bridget
Chicken Run2000IMDb rating 7.1as Bunty (voice)
Shakespeare in Love1998IMDb rating 7.1as Nurse
Twelfth Night1996IMDb rating 7.1as Maria
Citizen X1995IMDb rating 7.4as Mrs. Burakov
Sense and Sensibility1995IMDb rating 7.7as Charlotte Jennings Palmer
Don't Leave Me This Way1993IMDb rating 6.5as Bridget Bennet
Much Ado About Nothing1993IMDb rating 7.3as Margaret
Peter's Friends1992IMDb rating 7.0as Mary Charleston
Comrades1987IMDb rating 7.3as Betsy Loveless

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix2007 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas Dolores Umbridge
IMDb rating 7.5712K votes
Maleficent2014 Action, Adventure, Familyas Knotgrass
IMDb rating 6.9428K votes
Chicken Run2000as Buntyvoice
IMDb rating 7.1227K votes
Shakespeare in Love1998as Nurse
IMDb rating 7.1244K votes
Vera Drake2004as Vera
IMDb rating 7.629K votes
The Awakening2011as Maud Hill
IMDb rating 6.573K votes
Freedom Writers2007as Margaret Campbell
IMDb rating 7.694K votes
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!2012as Queen Victoriavoice
IMDb rating 6.755K votes

Most often with

Peter Lord directed two of these films, Paul King two and Ang Lee two. Jim Broadbent appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Jim Broadbent

Hugh Bonneville

Emma Thompson

Jim Carter

Lesley Manville

Dominic West

Peter LordDirector, 2 films Paul KingDirector, 2 films

Ang LeeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Jim Broadbent6 films together, 2003 to 2024
Jim Broadbent's page
- Paddington in Peru2024IMDb rating 6.6Staunton as Aunt LucyvoiceBroadbent as Samuel Gruber
- Paddington 22017IMDb rating 7.8Staunton as Aunt LucyvoiceBroadbent as Samuel Gruber
- Paddington2014IMDb rating 7.3Staunton as Aunt LucyvoiceBroadbent as Samuel Gruber
- Arthur Christmas2011IMDb rating 7.1Staunton as Mrs SantavoiceBroadbent as Santavoice
- Another Year2010IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as JanetBroadbent as Tom
- Bright Young Things2003IMDb rating 6.5Staunton as Lady BrownBroadbent as The Drunken Major
Hugh Bonneville5 films together, 2014 to 2024
Hugh Bonneville's page
- Paddington in Peru2024IMDb rating 6.6Staunton as Aunt LucyvoiceBonneville as Henry Brown
- Downton Abbey: A New Era2022IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as Maud BagshawBonneville as Robert Crawley
- Downton Abbey2019IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as Maud BagshawBonneville as Robert Crawley
- Paddington 22017IMDb rating 7.8Staunton as Aunt LucyvoiceBonneville as Henry Brown
- Paddington2014IMDb rating 7.3Staunton as Aunt LucyvoiceBonneville as Henry Brown
Emma Thompson4 films together, 1992 to 2005
Emma Thompson's page
- Nanny McPhee2005IMDb rating 6.6Staunton as Mrs. BlatherwickThompson as Nanny McPhee
- Sense and Sensibility1995IMDb rating 7.7Staunton as Charlotte Jennings PalmerThompson as Elinor Dashwood
- Much Ado About Nothing1993IMDb rating 7.3Staunton as MargaretThompson as Beatrice
- Peter's Friends1992IMDb rating 7.0Staunton as Mary CharlestonThompson as Maggie Chester
Jim Carter4 films together, 1998 to 2022
Jim Carter's page
- Downton Abbey: A New Era2022IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as Maud BagshawCarter as Charles Carson
- Downton Abbey2019IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as Maud BagshawCarter as Mr Carson
- Bright Young Things2003IMDb rating 6.5Staunton as Lady BrownCarter as Chief Customs Officer
- Shakespeare in Love1998IMDb rating 7.1Staunton as NurseCarter as Ralph Bashford
Lesley Manville4 films together, 2004 to 2019
Lesley Manville's page
- Maleficent: Mistress of Evil2019IMDb rating 6.6Staunton as KnotgrassManville as Flittle
- Maleficent2014IMDb rating 6.9Staunton as KnotgrassManville as Flittle
- Another Year2010IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as JanetManville as Mary
- Vera Drake2004IMDb rating 7.6Staunton as VeraManville as Mrs. Wells
Dominic West4 films together, 2011 to 2022
Dominic West's page
- Downton Abbey: A New Era2022IMDb rating 7.4Staunton as Maud BagshawWest as Guy Dexter
- Pride2014IMDb rating 7.8Staunton as HefinaWest as Jonathan
- Arthur Christmas2011IMDb rating 7.1Staunton as Mrs SantavoiceWest as Lead Elfvoice
- The Awakening2011IMDb rating 6.5Staunton as Maud HillWest as Robert Mallory
Peter LordDirector, 2 films, 2000 to 2012
All films by Peter Lord
- The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!2012IMDb rating 6.7Staunton as Queen Victoriavoice
- Chicken Run2000IMDb rating 7.1Staunton as Buntyvoice
Paul KingDirector, 2 films, 2014 to 2017
All films by Paul King
- Paddington 22017IMDb rating 7.8Staunton as Aunt Lucyvoice
- Paddington2014IMDb rating 7.3Staunton as Aunt Lucyvoice
Ang LeeDirector, 2 films, 1995 to 2009
All films by Ang Lee
- Taking Woodstock2009IMDb rating 6.7Staunton as Sonia Teichberg
- Sense and Sensibility1995IMDb rating 7.7Staunton as Charlotte Jennings Palmer
Also four films together2 more actors
- Hugh LaurieThe Canterville Ghost (2023), Arthur Christmas (2011), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Peter's Friends (1992)
- Phyllida LawNanny McPhee (2005), I'll Be There (2003), Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and Peter's Friends (1992)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Imelda Staunton's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$5.6 billion

28 of the 40 films have a worldwide figure.

28Worldwide figure
2US gross only
4Never in cinemas
1Streaming, short cinema run
5Figure not found

Top grosser

Alice in Wonderland2010Talking Flowers$1.0 billion

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 78% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Alice in Wonderland2010as Talking Flowers (voice)
$1.0B18.4% of the total
2
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix2007as Dolores Umbridge
$938M16.9% of the total
3
Maleficent2014as Knotgrass
$759M13.6% of the total
4
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil2019as Knotgrass
$492M8.8% of the total
5
Paddington2014as Aunt Lucy (voice)
$334M6.0% of the total
6
Paddington 22017as Aunt Lucy (voice)
$290M5.2% of the total
7
Shakespeare in Love1998as Nurse
$289M5.2% of the total
8
Chicken Run2000as Bunty (voice)
$225M4.0% of the total

Sense and Sensibility (1995), $135 million

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012), $123 million

Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022), $92.7 million

Much Ado About Nothing (1993), $22.6 million

$1.2 billionfrom the other 20 films with a worldwide figure, 22% of the total

Awards

Twelve awards and honors from 1999 to 2025, three of them major.

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Imelda Staunton's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
BAFTA
2005	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Vera Drake	Won
SAG Awards
1999	Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture	Shakespeare in Love	Won
Venice Film Festival
	Volpi Cup for Best Actress		Won
Other honors
2025	Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical	Hello, Dolly!	Won
2016	Commander of the Order of the British Empire		Won
2013	Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Won
2004	British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film	Vera Drake	Won
2004	European Film Award for Best Actress	Vera Drake	Won
2004	London Film Critics Circle Award for Actress of the Year	Vera Drake	Won
2004	Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress	Vera Drake	Won
2004	National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress	Vera Drake	Won
2004	New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress	Vera Drake	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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