Acting
Geraldine James
Geraldine James, OBE (born 6 July 1950), is an English film, television, and stage actress. Born in Maidenhead, Berkshire, she trained at the Drama Centre London and began her professional acting career in the 1970s. She gained recognition for her performances in the television drama Dummy (1977) and the miniseries The Jewel in the Crown (1984). Her performance alongside Peggy Ashcroft in She’s Been Away (1989) earned her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. Her film credits include Gandhi (1982), Calendar Girls (2003), Sherlock Holmes (2009), Alice in Wonderland (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), and 45 Years (2015). She portrayed Mrs. Hudson in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films and Queen Mary in Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). James is also known for her television roles in Band of Gold (1995), Utopia (2013-2014), Anne with an E (2017-2019), and Silo (2023). Her portrayal of Marilla Cuthbert in Anne with an E brought her widespread international recognition. Throughout her career, she has received four BAFTA Television Award nominations and has performed extensively in theater, including a Broadway production of The Merchant of Venice opposite Dustin Hoffman. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003 for her services to drama.
Filmography
The Cage
Series · 2026
Run Away
Series · 2026
Tank Boy
Film · 2025
Creditors
Film · 2025
Dope Girls
Series · 2025
This Town
Series · 2024
The Trap
Film · 2023
Eiffel Tower: Building the Impossible
Film · 2023
Silo
Series · 2023
Benediction
Film · 2021
The Beast Must Die
Series · 2021
A Very Royal Christmas: Sandringham Secrets
Film · 2020
Downton Abbey
Film · 2019
Back to Life
Series · 2019
Beast
Film · 2018
Megan Leavey
Film · 2017
Daphne
Film · 2017
Anne with an E
Series · 2017
Alice Through the Looking Glass
Film · 2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Film · 2016
The Five
Series · 2016
Robot Overlords
Film · 2015
45 Years
Film · 2015
Black Work
Series · 2015
Hidden India
Series · 2015
Richard Attenborough: A Life in Film
Film · 2014
Uncle
Series · 2014
Diana
Film · 2013
Dr. Easy
Film · 2013
Legacy
Film · 2013
The Genius of Marie Curie: The Woman Who Lit up the World
Film · 2013
Utopia
Series · 2013
13 Steps Down
Film · 2012
13 Steps Down
Series · 2012
Playhouse Presents
Series · 2012
Arthur
Film · 2011
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Film · 2011
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Film · 2011
Planet of the Apemen: Battle for Earth
Series · 2011
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Series · 2011
Made in Dagenham
Film · 2010
Alice in Wonderland
Film · 2010
Sherlock Holmes
Film · 2009
Caught in a Trap
Film · 2008
The Last Enemy
Series · 2008
Little Britain USA
Series · 2008
Fairy Tales
Series · 2008
Phoo Action
Series · 2008
City of Vice
Series · 2008
The 50 Greatest Television Dramas
Film · 2007
Northanger Abbey
Film · 2007
Ocean Voyagers
Film · 2007
The Time of Your Life
Film · 2007
The Time of Your Life
Series · 2007
A Harlot's Progress
Film · 2006
The Amazing Mrs Pritchard
Series · 2006
Jane Hall
Series · 2006
Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
Series · 2006
The Fever
Film · 2004
Hex
Series · 2004
He Knew He Was Right
Series · 2004
Calendar Girls
Film · 2003
Hearts of Gold
Film · 2003
State of Play
Series · 2003
Little Britain
Series · 2003
Tom & Thomas
Film · 2002
White Teeth
Film · 2002
An Angel for May
Film · 2002
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Film · 2002
An Angel For May
Series · 2002
Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale
Series · 2002
Crime and Punishment
Series · 2002
White Teeth
Series · 2002
All Forgotten
Film · 2001
The Luzhin Defence
Film · 2000
The Sins
Series · 2000
Seesaw
Series · 1998
The Man Who Knew Too Little
Film · 1997
Rebecca
Series · 1997
Midsomer Murders
Series · 1997
Drovers' Gold
Series · 1997
Moll Flanders
Film · 1996
Band of Gold
Series · 1995
Kavanagh Q.C.
Series · 1995
Kavanagh Q.C.
Series · 1995
No Worries
Film · 1994
Doggin' Around
Film · 1994
The Healer
Film · 1994
Words Upon the Window Pane
Film · 1994
Losing Track
Film · 1992
A Doll's House
Film · 1992
The Bridge
Film · 1992
Ex
Film · 1991
Prince of Shadows
Film · 1991
If Looks Could Kill
Film · 1991
Performance
Series · 1991
Stanley and the Women
Series · 1991
In Suspicious Circumstances
Series · 1991
The Tall Guy
Film · 1989
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Film · 1989
She's Been Away
Film · 1989
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Series · 1989
Screen One
Series · 1989
Screen One
Series · 1989
Screen One
Series · 1989
Wall of Tyranny
Film · 1988
Inspector Morse
Series · 1987
Blott on the Landscape
Film · 1985
Blott on the Landscape
Series · 1985
The Jewel in the Crown
Series · 1984
Natural World
Series · 1983
Gandhi
Film · 1982
Chains
Film · 1982
I Remember Nelson
Series · 1982
The History Man
Series · 1981
Sweet William
Film · 1980
Bloody Kids
Film · 1980
Hesther for Example
Film · 1980
Who's Who
Film · 1979
The Dumb Waiter
Film · 1979
Shoestring
Series · 1979
General Studies
Series · 1979
An Audience with...
Series · 1978
Dummy
Film · 1977
The Sweeney
Series · 1975
Playhouse
Series · 1974
Playhouse
Series · 1974
Crown Court
Series · 1972
Play for Today
Series · 1970
Now & Then
Film