Harriet Mary Walter
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Dame Harriet Mary Walter (born 24 September 1950) is a British actress. She has received a
Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
as well as numerous nominations including for a Tony Award, three
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
, and a
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
. In 2011, she was appointed
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(DBE) for services to drama. Walter began her career in 1974 and made her Broadway debut in 1983. For her work in various
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
productions, including '' Twelfth Night'' (1987–88) and '' Three Sisters'' (1988), she won the 1988 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Revival. Her other notable work for the RSC includes leading roles in ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' (1999) and ''
Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...
'' (2006). She won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress for her role as Elizabeth I in the 2005 London revival of ''
Mary Stuart Mary Stuart or Mary Stewart may refer to: People *Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan (before 1428–1465), fifth daughter of James I of Scotland, 1st Countess of Buchan *Mary of Guelders (c. 1434–1463), queen to James II of Scotland * Mary Stewart, ...
'', and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play when she reprised the role on Broadway in 2009. She reprised her roles of Brutus in ''
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
'' (2012) and the title role in '' Henry IV'' (2014), as well as playing Prospero in '' The Tempest'', as part of an all-female Shakespeare trilogy in 2016. Her film appearances include '' Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), ''
The Governess ''The Governess'' is a 1998 British period drama film written and directed by Sandra Goldbacher. The screenplay focuses on a young Jewish woman of Sephardic background, who reinvents herself as a gentile governess when she is forced to find w ...
'' (1998), '' Villa des Roses'' (2002), '' Atonement'' (2007), '' The Young Victoria'' (2009), '' A Royal Affair'' (2012), '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), '' Denial'' (2016), ''
The Sense of an Ending ''The Sense of an Ending'' is a 2011 novel written by British author Julian Barnes. The book is Barnes's eleventh novel written under his own name (he has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh) and was released on 4 Augus ...
'' (2017), ''
Rocketman ''RocketMan'' (also written as ''Rocket Man'') is a 1997 American comic science fiction film directed by Stuart Gillard and starring Harland Williams, Jessica Lundy, William Sadler, and Jeffrey DeMunn. A partial remake of the 1967 film, ''The ...
'' (2019) and
Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...
's '' The Last Duel'' (2021). On television she starred as
Harriet Vane Harriet Deborah Vane, later Lady Peter Wimsey, is a fictional character in the works of British writer Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957). Vane, a mystery writer, initially meets Lord Peter Wimsey while she is on trial for poisoning her lover (' ...
in the 1987 BBC Wimsey dramatisations, as Natalie Chandler in the
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
drama series '' Law & Order: UK'' (2009–14), in four episodes of '' Downton Abbey'' (2013–15), in the miniseries ''
London Spy ''London Spy'' is a British-American five-part drama television serial created and written by Tom Rob Smith that aired on BBC Two from 9 November until 7 December 2015. It was aired on Netflix in 2018. Plot ''London Spy'' begins as the story ...
'' (2015), as Clementine Churchill in '' The Crown'' (2016), in '' Patrick Melrose'' (2018), and in the third season of ''
Killing Eve ''Killing Eve'' is a British spy thriller television series, produced in the United Kingdom by Sid Gentle Films for BBC America and BBC Three. The series follows Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), a British intelligence investigator tasked with capturi ...
'' (2020). She is a three-time
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
nominee; two for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for ''
Succession Succession is the act or process of following in order or sequence. Governance and politics *Order of succession, in politics, the ascension to power by one ruler, official, or monarch after the death, resignation, or removal from office of ...
'' (2018–21) and one for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for '' Ted Lasso'' (2021).


Early life

Walter was born in London, England. She is the niece of British actor
Sir Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Film Productions, Ham ...
, being the daughter of his elder sister Xandra Lee. On her father's side, she is a great-great-great-granddaughter of John Walter, founder of '' The Times''. She was educated at
Cranborne Chase School Cranborne Chase School was an independent boarding school for girls, originally opened in 1946 at Crichel House in the village of Moor Crichel in Dorset. In 1961, the school moved to New Wardour Castle near Tisbury in Wiltshire, and extensively ...
. After turning down a university education, she was in turn rejected by five different drama schools before being admitted to the
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal is ...
. Following her training she gained early experience with the
Joint Stock Theatre Company The Joint Stock Theatre Company was founded in London 1974 by David Hare, Max Stafford-Clark Paul Kember and David Aukin. The director William Gaskill was also part of the company. It was primarily a company which presented new plays. Joint Stock ...
, Paines Plough touring, and the
Duke's Playhouse The Dukes is a theatre in Lancaster, England. It is the county's only producing theatre venue, and is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. As well as producing two theatre productions each year, it also hosts a varied progr ...
, Lancaster.


Career

She has worked many times throughout her career with the
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
, in productions including '' Nicholas Nickleby'' (1980), ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'' (1981), as Helena in ''
All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the ''First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangin ...
'' (1981), '' The Castle'' (1985), Dasha in ''A Question of Geography'', Viola in '' Twelfth Night'' (1988), Masha in '' Three Sisters'' (1988), ''
The Duchess of Malfi ''The Duchess of Malfi'' (originally published as ''The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy'') is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by English dramatist John Webster in 1612–1613. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre, ...
'' (1989), ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' (1999) and '' Much Ado about Nothing'' (2002). She returned to the RSC in 2015 to play Linda Loman in '' Death of a Salesman'', directed by Gregory Doran. She was made an associate artist of the
Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...
in 1987. Her other theatre work includes '' Three Birds Alighting on a Field'' (1991), ''
Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...
'' (1993), '' Hedda Gabler'' (1996), ''
Ivanov Ivanov, Ivanoff or Ivanow (masculine, bg, Иванов, russian: ИвановSometimes the stress is on Ива́нов in Bulgarian if it is a middle name, or in Russian as a rare variant of pronunciation), or Ivanova (feminine, bg, Иванов ...
'' (1997) and ''
Mary Stuart Mary Stuart or Mary Stewart may refer to: People *Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan (before 1428–1465), fifth daughter of James I of Scotland, 1st Countess of Buchan *Mary of Guelders (c. 1434–1463), queen to James II of Scotland * Mary Stewart, ...
'' (2005). In New York, she made her Broadway debut in 1983, when the RSC production of ''All's Well That Ends Well'' transferred there. In 1993 she starred as Biddy in the
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
production of ''Three Birds Alighting on a Field'', for which she received a
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
nomination. She returned to the Broadway stage in 2009 when she and Janet McTeer reprised their roles in ''Mary Stuart''. In 2014 Walter starred as Brutus in an all-female production of ''
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
'' Off-Broadway and received her second Drama Desk nomination. Her films include '' Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), '' Bedrooms and Hallways'' (1998), ''
The Governess ''The Governess'' is a 1998 British period drama film written and directed by Sandra Goldbacher. The screenplay focuses on a young Jewish woman of Sephardic background, who reinvents herself as a gentile governess when she is forced to find w ...
'' (1998), '' Onegin'' (1999), '' Villa des Roses'' (2002) and '' Bright Young Things'' (2003). On television, in 1987, she portrayed Lord Peter Wimsey's love interest
Harriet Vane Harriet Deborah Vane, later Lady Peter Wimsey, is a fictional character in the works of British writer Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957). Vane, a mystery writer, initially meets Lord Peter Wimsey while she is on trial for poisoning her lover (' ...
for three instalments of the BBC's ''
A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery ''A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery'' is a series of television adaptations of three Lord Peter Wimsey novels—''Strong Poison'', ''Have his Carcase'' and ''Gaudy Night''—by Dorothy L. Sayers. The series follows the aristocratic sleuth Lord Peter's ...
'', played Detective Inspector Natalie Chandler from 2009 to 2012 in the
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
drama series '' Law & Order: UK''. Other TV roles include Annie Keel in the 2001 series '' Waking the Dead'', Mrs. Gowan in the 2008 BBC adaptation of '' Little Dorrit'', Clare in '' A Short Stay in Switzerland'' (2009) and Lady Shackleton in four episodes of the series '' Downton Abbey'' (2013–15). In 2016, she played Clementine Churchill on the Netflix series '' The Crown'', and in 2017, appeared in two episodes of the BBC drama '' Call the Midwife'' as Sister Ursula. She is also a patron of several notable charities; the Shakespeare Schools Festival, a charity that enables school children across the UK to perform Shakespeare in professional theatres,
Prisoners Abroad Prisoners Abroad is a UK-registered human rights and welfare charity which supports British citizens who are imprisoned overseas. It also works with ex-prisoners returning to the UK and family members and friends of those detained. The organisat ...
, a charity that supports the welfare of Britons imprisoned overseas and their families and Clean Break, a charity and theatre company dedicated to sharing the often hidden stories of imprisoned women, and to transforming the lives of women offenders and—through theatre education—of women at risk of offending. Walter played Brutus in ''Julius Caesar'' in 2012, and the title role in '' Henry IV'' in 2014, in all-female productions at the Donmar Warehouse. Both productions transferred to Brooklyn's
St. Ann's Warehouse St. Ann's Warehouse is a performing arts institution in Brooklyn, New York City. Formerly the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity on Montague Street, in 1980 the site was converted into a venue for classical music. Initially known as ''Arts a ...
in New York. She was set to reprise both roles, as well as playing Prospero in an all-female production of '' The Tempest'', as part of director Phyllida Lloyd's Shakespeare trilogy at the Donmar's temporary, in-the-round, 420-seat theatre next to King's Cross station in 2016. On 19 August 2019 '' Deadline'' reported that Walter would be joining the cast of the BBC America and AMC series ''
Killing Eve ''Killing Eve'' is a British spy thriller television series, produced in the United Kingdom by Sid Gentle Films for BBC America and BBC Three. The series follows Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), a British intelligence investigator tasked with capturi ...
''. Walter played Dasha, a Russian exile and former Olympics gymnastics champion who trained Villanelle in assassination.


Personal life

From 1996 until his death in 2004, Walter's partner was actor Peter Blythe. In 2009, she met actor Guy Paul. They married in May 2011.


Filmography


Film


Television


Theatre

notable performances * 1979, Royal Shakespeare Company, ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'' * 1981/82, Royal Shakespeare Company, Helena in ''
All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the ''First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangin ...
'' * 1987/88, Royal Shakespeare Company, Imogen in '' Cymbeline'' * 1987/88, Royal Shakespeare Company, Viola in '' Twelfth Night'' * 1987/88, Royal Shakespeare Company, Dacha in ''A Question of Geography'' * 1988, Royal Shakespeare Company, Masha in Chekhov's '' Three Sisters'' * 1989/90, Royal Shakespeare Company, Duchess in John Webster's ''
The Duchess of Malfi ''The Duchess of Malfi'' (originally published as ''The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy'') is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written by English dramatist John Webster in 1612–1613. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre, ...
'' * 1991, Royal Court Theatre (and Broadway transfer), Biddy in Timberlake Wertenbaker's '' Three Birds Alighting on a Field'' * 1993, Royal National Theatre, Lady Croom in ''
Arcadia Arcadia may refer to: Places Australia * Arcadia, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney * Arcadia, Queensland * Arcadia, Victoria Greece * Arcadia (region), a region in the central Peloponnese * Arcadia (regional unit), a modern administrative un ...
'' by
Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...
* 1999 Royal Shakespeare Company, Lady Macbeth in ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' * 2002 Royal National Theatre Paige in '' Dinner'' by Moira Buffini, co-starring Nicholas Farrell and Catherine McCormack * 2005, Donmar Warehouse and West End, ''
Mary Stuart Mary Stuart or Mary Stewart may refer to: People *Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan (before 1428–1465), fifth daughter of James I of Scotland, 1st Countess of Buchan *Mary of Guelders (c. 1434–1463), queen to James II of Scotland * Mary Stewart, ...
'' by
Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...
* 2006, Royal Shakespeare Company, ''
Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...
'' * 2009, ''Mary Stuart'', Broadway transfer * 2010, Royal National Theatre, '' Women Beware Women'' * 2012/13 Donmar Warehouse, Brutus in ''
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
'' * 2014, Donmar Warehouse, King Henry IV in '' Henry IV''. * 2015, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Noël Coward Theatre, Linda Loman in '' Death of a Salesman'' * 2016, Donmar Warehouse, Prospero in '' The Tempest''.


Radio

* ''
Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation ''Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation'' was a BBC Radio 4 series of comedy lectures hosted by Jeremy Hardy, first broadcast in September 1993. The tenth and final series aired in 2014. The lectures were on topics like "How to have a baby", "How to ...
'' * '' The Vortex by
Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...
'', BBC Radio 3, 2 January 2000, as Florence Lancaster * '' Scenes of Seduction'', radio play written by Timberlake Wertenbaker and directed by Ned Chaillet, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 7 March 2005 – Catherine. * '' Desmond Olivier Dingle'' (as herself), broadcast on BBC7 on 28 February 2007, episode 2 of 6, duration 30 minutes * ''
The Arts and How they was done ''The Arts and How They Was Done'' was a comedy radio programme that aired from April 2007-May 2007, featuring Desmond Olivier Dingle and the entire National Theatre of Brent, Raymond Box. There were six half-hour episodes and it was broadcast ...
'' (as herself), broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 4 April and 9 May 2007, episodes 1 and 6 out of 6, duration 30 minutes * '' I, Claudius'', broadcast on BBC Radio 4 December 2010 – Livia, wife of Augustus. * Guest in '' Desert Island Discs'' on BBC Radio 4 on 26 June 2011. * '' Time and the Conways'' as Mrs. Conway in
BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...
's adaptation of
J.B. Priestley John Boynton Priestley (; 13 September 1894 – 14 August 1984) was an English novelist, playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and social commentator. His Yorkshire background is reflected in much of his fiction, notably in ''The Good Compa ...
's play, broadcast on 14 September 2014.


Honours

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the
2000 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2000 for the United Kingdom and New Zealand were announced on 31 December 1999, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2000. The ''Honours list'' is a list of people who have been awarded one of the various or ...
and promoted to
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(DBE) in the
2011 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 2011 were announced on 31 December 2010 in the United Kingdom,United Kingdom: New Zealand,New Zealand"New Year Honours 2011"(14 January 2011) 2 ''New Zealand Gazette'' 55. The Cook IslandsThe Cook Islands: Grenada,Grenada: ...
for services to drama. In 2001 she and Kenneth Branagh were both given honorary doctorates and honorary fellowships at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford. Her performance in ''Mary Stuart'' at the Donmar Warehouse transferred to Broadway, where it was nominated for numerous Tony Awards, including Best Actress nods for her and her co-star Janet McTeer.


Bibliography

* ''Clamorous Voices: Shakespeare's Women Today'' (1988). Women's Press, . * ''Players of Shakespeare 3'' (1994). Cambridge University Press, . * ''Macbeth (Actors on Shakespeare)'' (2002). Faber and Faber, London. * ''Other People's Shoes'' (2003). Nick Hern Books, London. . Autobiography. * ''Facing It, Reflections on Images of Older Women'' (2010). Self Published, London. * ''Brutus and Other Heroines: Playing Shakespeare's Roles for Women'' (2016). Nick Hern Books, London.


References


External links

*
Company Members : Harriet Walter
at the
Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...

Official website

Facingitpublications.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walter, Harriet 1950 births 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses Living people Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Audiobook narrators Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire English film actresses English radio actresses English stage actresses English television actresses English voice actresses English women writers Laurence Olivier Award winners Actresses from London Royal Shakespeare Company members English Shakespearean actresses Actresses awarded British damehoods People educated at Cranborne Chase School Walter family