Miriam Margolyes

Miriam Margolyes, OBE (/ˈmɑːrɡəliːz/; born 18 May 1941) is an English-Australian actress and voice artist. Her earliest roles were in theatre and after several supporting roles in film and television she won a BAFTA Award for her role in The Age of Innocence (1993) and went on to take the role of Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series.
For many years she has divided her time between England and Australia, and she has starred in productions in both countries, including the Australian premiere of the 2013 play I'll Eat You Last. In 2013, she became an Australian citizen, thereby holding dual British and Australian citizenship.[1]
== Early life ==
Margolyes was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, on 18 May 1941,[2] the only child of Ruth (née Walters; 1905–1974), a property investor and developer, and Joseph Margolyes (1899–1995), a physician from Glasgow.[3] She grew up in a Jewish family;[4][5][6] her ancestors migrated to the UK from Poland and Belarus. Her great-grandfather, Symeon Sandmann, was born in the town of Margonin in central-western Poland, which Margolyes visited in 2013.
She attended Newnham College, Cambridge, where she read English.[7] There, in her twenties, she began acting and appeared in productions by the Cambridge Footlights comedy troupe;[8] she represented the university in the first series of University Challenge.[citation needed]
== Acting career ==
With her distinctive voice, Margolyes first gained recognition for her work as a voice artist. In the 1970s she recorded a soft-porn audio called Sexy Sonia: Leaves from my Schoolgirl Notebook.[9] She performed most of the supporting female characters in the dubbed Japanese action TV series Monkey. She also worked with the theatre company Gay Sweatshop and provided voiceovers in the Japanese TV series The Water Margin (credited as Mirium Margolyes).
In 1974, she appeared with Kenneth Williams and Ted Ray in the BBC Radio 2comedy series The Betty Witherspoon Show.
Margolyes' first major role in a film was as Elephant Ethel in Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977). In the 1980s, she made appearances in Blackadder opposite Rowan Atkinson: these roles include the Spanish Infanta in The Black Adder, Lady Whiteadder in Blackadder II and Queen Victoria in Blackadder's Christmas Carol. In 1986 she played a major supporting role in the BBC drama The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. She won the 1989 LA Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Flora Finching in the 1988 film Little Dorrit. On American television, she headlined the short-lived 1992 CBS sitcom Frannie's Turn. In 1994 she won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993).
In 1989, Margolyes co-wrote and performed a one-woman show, Dickens' Women, in which she played 23 characters from Dickens' novels.[10]
Margolyes came to the notice of younger audiences when she starred as Aunt Sponge in James and the Giant Peach (1996); she also provided the voice of the Glowworm in the same film. During the same time she played the Nurse in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996). Around this time, she voiced the rabbit character in the animated commercials for Cadbury's Caramel bars[11] and provided the voice of Fly the dog in the Australian-American family film Babe(1995).[12]
She played Professor Sprout in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002.
In 2004, Margolyes played the role of Peg Sellers, the mother of Peter Sellers, in the Golden Globe winning film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
She was one of the original cast of the London production of the musical Wicked in 2006, playing Madame Morrible opposite Idina Menzel, a role she also played on Broadway in 2008.[13]
In 2009, she appeared in a new production of Endgame by Samuel Beckett at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End.[14]
Margolyes voiced the role of Mrs. Plithiver, a blind snake in 3D-animated-epic film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole in 2010. Margolyes reprised her role as Professor Sprout in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011.
She played recurring character Prudence Stanley in the Australian-based TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries from 2012 to 2015.
In 2014, she voiced Nana in the Disney Junior animated series for pre-school-age viewers Nina Needs to Go![15]
In January 2016, she appeared in The Real Marigold Hotel, a travel documentary in which a group of eight celebrities travel to India to see whether retirement would be more rewarding there than in the UK.[16] The series was reprised for two Christmas Specials The Real Marigold On Tour, from Florida and Kyoto.[17]She narrated the 2016 ITV documentary about Lady Colin Campbell entitled Lady C and the Castle.[18]
In December 2017, she appeared in the second season of The Real Marigold On Tour to Chengdu and Havana.[19]
In January 2018, Margolyes hosted a 3-part series for the BBC titled Miriam's Big American Adventure, highlighting the citizens of the USA and the issues facing the nation.[20]
== Other work ==
Margolyes is a supporter of Sense (the National Deafblind and Rubella Association) and was the host at the first Sense Creative Writing Awards, held at the Charles Dickens Museum in London in December 2006, where she read a number of works written by talented deafblind people.[21]
In 2011, Margolyes recorded a narrative for the album The Devil's Brides by klezmer musician-ethnographer Yale Strom.[22]
== Personal life ==
Margolyes is a lesbian.[23] On becoming an Australian citizen,[24] on Australia Day 2013, Margolyes referred to herself as a "dyke" live on national television and in front of the then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.[citation needed]
Since 1967, her partner has been Heather Sutherland,[12][25] a retired Australian Professor of Indonesian Studies.[26] Formerly based in Amsterdam, Margolyes divides her time between homes in London, Tuscany, Italy, Kent and Robertson, New South Wales.[27][28][29][30]
Margolyes is a pro Palestinian activist, having been a member of the British-based ENOUGH! coalition that seeks "a just settlement between Israelis and Palestinians".[31] She is also a signatory of Jews for Justice for Palestinians.[32]“What I want to try to do is to get Jewish people to understand what’s really going on,” she has said, “and they don’t want to hear it. If you speak to most Jews and say ‘Can Israel ever be in the wrong?’ they say ‘No. Our duty as Jews is to support Israel whatever happens.’ And I don’t believe that. It is our duty as human beings to report the truth as we see it.” [33] Margolyes is a campaigner for a respite care charity, Crossroads.[24]
Margolyes is a Labour Party member of the Vauxhall Constituency Labour Party. In August 2015, she was a signatory to a letter criticising The Jewish Chronicle's reporting of Jeremy Corbyn's association with alleged antisemites.[34] In April 2016, she was one of 82 Jewish members and supporters of the Labour Partyand of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership who wrote an open letter to The Guardianstating that they "do not accept that antisemitism is 'rife' in the Labour party" and that "these accusations are part of a wider campaign against the Labour leadership, and they have been timed particularly to do damage to the Labour party and its prospects in elections in the coming week."[35]
Author and comedian David Walliams says he used Margolyes as a model for the title character in his children's book Awful Auntie after a rude exchange with the actress during a stage production. He stresses that he has nothing against Margolyes and is a fan of her work.[36]
== TV and filmography ==
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1965 	Theatre 625 	Rita 	1 episode ("Enter Solly Gold")
1967 	Boy Meets Girl 	Maria 	1 episode
1968 	Jackanory 	Storyteller 	5 episodes
1968 	Dixon of Dock Green 	Anna 	1 episode
1973 	Doctor in Charge 	Doris 	1 episode
1974 	World of Laughter 	Various parts 	TV series
1974 	Fall of Eagles 	Anna Vyrubova 	TV miniseries
1975 	Rime of the Ancient Mariner 	Dorothy Wordsworth 	
1975 	The Girls of Slender Means 	Jane Wright 	TV
1976 	Christmas Box 	Maurie Kaplan's Mother 	TV
1976 	Angels 	June Morris 	2 episodes
1976 	Kizzy 	Mrs Doe 	2 episodes
1976 	The Glittering Prizes 	Olive Wise 	TV miniseries
1976 	The Battle of Billy's Pond 	Tour Guide 	
1976–1982	Crown Court 	Marilyn Munro (1976)
Mrs King (1982) 	2 episodes
1977 	Play for Today 	Veronica 	1 episode
1977 	Spasms 	Rose Finn 	TV
1977 	Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers 	Elephant Ethel 	
1978 	Monkey 	 	English dub of Japanese TV series Saiyûki
1978 	On a Paving Stone Mounted 	 	
1980 	The Apple 	Landlady 	
1980 	The Lost Tribe 	Queenie 	TV miniseries
1980 	The Awakening 	Dr Kadira 	
1980 	Tales of the Unexpected 	Mary Burge 	1 episode
1981 	Reds 	Woman writing in notebook 	Uncredited
1981 	Take a Letter, Mr. Jones 	Maria 	6 episodes
1981 	A Kick Up the Eighties 	Various roles 	TV series
1981 	The History Man 	Melissa Tordoroff 	TV
1982 	Crystal Gazing 	Newsreader 	
1983 	Yentl 	Sarah 	
1983 	The Black Adder 	Infanta Maria Escalosa of Spain 	1 episode
1983 	Scrubbers 	Jones 	
1984 	Freud 	Baroness 	TV mini-series
1984 	Electric Dreams 	Ticket Girl 	
1985 	The Good Father 	Jane Powell 	
1985 	Oliver Twist 	Mrs Corney 	TV miniseries
1985 	Morons from Outer Space 	Doctor Wallace 	
1986 	Little Shop of Horrors 	Dental Nurse 	
1986 	The Life and Loves of a She-Devil 	Nurse Hopkins 	2 episodes
1986 	Blackadder II 	Lady Whiteadder 	1 episode
1986 	A Little Princess 	Miss Amelia 	TV
1986 	Scotch and Wry 	Various 	TV
1987 	Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story 	Elsa Maxwell 	TV
1987 	Body Contact 	Tony's Mother 	
1988 	Little Dorrit 	Flora Finching 	
1988 	Blackadder's Christmas Carol 	Queen Victoria 	TV
1988 	Mr Majeika 	Wilhelmina Worlock 	TV series, Seasons 1 and 2
1989 	Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story 	Mrs Rajzman 	TV
1990 	Pacific Heights 	Realtor 	
1990 	Orpheus Descending 	Vee Talbot 	TV
1990 	The Finding 	Poll 	TV
1990 	I Love You to Death 	Joey's Mother 	
1990 	Old Flames 	Nellie 	TV
1990 	The Fool 	Mrs Bowring 	
1991 	Tonight at 8.30 	Mrs Wadhurst 	2 episodes
1991 	The Butcher's Wife 	Gina 	
1991 	Dead Again 	Lady 	Uncredited
1992 	Stalin 	Krupskaya 	TV
1992 	As You Like It 	Audrey 	
1992 	Frannie's Turn 	Frannie Escobar 	TV series
1993 	The Age of Innocence 	Mrs Mingott 	
1993 	The Comic Strip Presents... 	Mother 	1 episode
1993 	Ed and His Dead Mother 	Mabel Chilton 	
1994 	Just William 	Miss Polliter 	1 episode
1994 	Immortal Beloved 	Nanette Streicherová 	
1994 	Moonacre 	Old Elspeth 	TV series
1995 	Balto 	Grandma Rosy/Extra Voices 	
1995 	Babe 	Fly the Female Sheepdog (voice) 	
1995 	Cold Comfort Farm 	Mrs Beetle 	TV
1996 	Different for Girls 	Pamela 	
1996 	Romeo + Juliet 	The Nurse 	
1996 	James and the Giant Peach 	Aunt Sponge/Glowworm (voice) 	
1997 	The IMAX Nutcracker 	Sugar Plum 	
1997 	Castle Ghosts of Wales 	Hag ghost 	
1997 	The Phoenix and the Carpet 	Cook 	TV miniseries
1997 	The Place of Lions 	Miss Cole 	TV
1998 	Babe: Pig in the City 	Fly the Female Sheepdog (voice) 	
1998 	Vanity Fair 	Miss Crawley 	TV miniseries
1998-2001	Rugrats 	Shirley Finster 	3 episodes: The Family Tree, Parts One and Two; Finsterella
1998 	Mulan 	The Matchmaker (voice) 	
1998 	Left Luggage 	Mrs Goldman 	
1998 	The First Snow of Winter 	Sean Seamus Aloysius Dermot Duck (voice)	UK version
1998 	Candy 	Gisella 	
1998 	Supply & Demand 	Edna 	TV miniseries
1999 	Magnolia 	Faye Barringer 	Uncredited
1999 	End of Days 	Mabel 	
1999 	Dreaming of Joseph Lees 	Signora Caldoni 	
1999 	Sunshine 	Rose Sonnenschein 	
2000 	Dharma & Greg 	Chloe 	1 episode
2000 	House! 	Beth 	
2001 	Cats & Dogs 	Sophie the Castle Maid 	
2001 	Not Afraid, Not Afraid 	 	
2002 	Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 	Professor Pomona Sprout 	
2002 	Plots with a View 	Thelma & Selma 	
2002 	Alone 	Caseworker 	
2004 	Agatha Christie's Marple: The Murder at the Vicarage	Mrs Price-Ridley 	TV
2004 	Being Julia 	Dolly de Vries 	
2004 	Ladies in Lavender 	Dorcas 	
2004 	The Life and Death of Peter Sellers 	Peg Sellers 	
2004 	Modigliani 	Gertrude Stein 	
2004 	End of the Line 	Bag Lady 	
2004 	Chasing Liberty 	Maria 	
2005 	Wallis & Edward 	Aunt Bessie 	TV
2005 	Dickens in America 	Herself 	10 episodes
2005 	Inconceivable 	Malva 	1 episode
2006 	Jam & Jerusalem 	Mrs Midge 	1 episode
2006 	Happy Feet 	Mrs Astrakhan (Voice) 	
2006 	Flushed Away 	Rita's Grandma (Voice) 	
2006 	Sir Billi the Vet 	Baroness Chantal McToff (voice) 	
2007 	The Dukes 	Aunt Vee 	
2008 	How To Lose Friends and Alienate People 	Mrs Kowalski 	Film
2008 	Kingdom 	Henny 	1 episode
2009 	The Sarah Jane Adventures 	Leef Slitheen-Blathereen 	2 episodes: The Gift parts 1 and 2, Voice only
2010 	Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 	Mrs Plithiver (voice) 	
2010 	Tinga Tinga Tales 	Giraffe and Squirrel (voice) 	
2010 	Merlin[37] 	Grunhilda 	Episode: "The Changeling"
2011 	Doc Martin 	Shirley 	Guest appearance
2011 	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 	Professor Pomona Sprout 	
2012 	The Wedding Video 	Patricia 	
2012 	The Guilt Trip 	Anita 	
2012–2015	Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries 	Aunt Prudence 	
2013 	Hebburn 	Millie 	Christmas special
2014 	Maya the Bee 	The Queen (voice) 	
2014 	The Legend of Longwood 	Lady Thyrza 	
2014 	Nina Needs to Go! 	Nana Sheila (voice) 	
2014 	Trollied 	Rose 	Series 4
2016 	Plebs 	Iona 	Episode: "The Cupid"
2016 	Rake 	Huntley-Brown 	2 episodes
2016 	The Real Marigold Hotel 	Herself 	BBC TV documentary series
2016 	Lady C and the Castle 	Narrator 	ITV documentary
2016 	Matron, Medicine and Me: 70 Years of the NHS 	Herself 	TV Documentary Series
2016–2017	Bottersnikes and Gumbles 	Weathersnike 	3 episodes
2017 	Bucket 	Mim 	4 episodes
2017 	The Man Who Invented Christmas 	Mrs Fisk 	
2017 	Family Guy 	Maggie Smith's Right Eyeball 	Episode: "Emmy-Winning Episode"
2017 	The Little Vampire 3D 	Wulftrud (voice) 	
2018 	Miriam's Big American Adventure 	Herself 	BBC TV documentary series
2018 	Early Man 	Queen Oofeefa (voice) 	
2018 	Call the Midwife 	Sister Mildred 	Christmas Special
2018 	Postcards from the 48% 	Herself 	Documentary
2018 	Armchair Britain 	Herself 	Travel TV series
== Awards and nominations ==
* Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for Services to Drama, 2002 New Year Honours[38]
* Winner: Theatregoer's Choice Awards 2010 Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Nell in Endgame
* Winner: Theatregoer's Choice Awards 2007 Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Madame Morrible in Wicked
* Winner: Audiofile's Earphones Award 2001 for A Christmas Carol
* Winner: Prix Jeunesse Best Children's Programme (0–6 fiction) 2000 for The First Snow of Winter
* Winner: The Talkies Performer Of The Year 1997 for Oliver Twist
* Winner: Sony Radio Awards Best Actress On Radio 1993 for The Queen and I
* Winner: BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1993 for The Age of Innocence
* Nominated: Olivier Award for Best Entertainment 1991 for Dickens' Women
* Winner: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle 1989 Best Supporting Actress for Little Dorrit (shared with Geneviève Bujold)
Category:Mulan
Category:Disney's Mulan
Category:1941 births
Category:Chris and Dhris Rescue Rangers
Category:James and the Giant Peach
Category:Peter Pan films
Category:Peter Pan
Category:Disney's Peter Pan
Category:Silly the Rat
Category:Hamster Trek
Category:The BFG (1989 film)Category:Living people
Category:Actresses
Category:Voice actresses
Category:1940s births