Polly Walker

Last updated

Polly Walker
Born
Polly Alexandra Walker

(1966-05-19) 19 May 1966 (age 57)
Warrington, Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
Laurence Penry-Jones
​
​
(m. 2008)​
Children2
Relatives Rupert Penry-Jones (brother-in-law)

Polly Alexandra Walker (born 19 May 1966) is an English actress. [1] She has starred in the films Enchanted April (1991), Patriot Games (1992), Sliver (1993), Restoration (1995), The Gambler (1997), and Savage Messiah (2002). In 2006, she received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her role in the drama series Rome (2005–2007). She is also known for her roles in BBC One dramas Prisoners’ Wives (2012–2013), Line of Duty (2016, 2019) and Netflix Original period drama Bridgerton (2020).

Contents

Early life

Walker was born in Warrington, Lancashire. She attended Padgate Church of England Primary School in Warrington and Bush Davies School of Ballet and Performing Arts in East Grinstead until joining Twickenham's Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance at 16 [2] She had to abandon dancing after a leg injury at the age of 18. She then decided to become an actress. [3]

She attended Drama Centre London before working at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she played small roles for six months before getting cast in small roles on television.

Career

Film and television

Walker landed the title role in the television series Lorna Doone before making her feature debut in Journey of Honor (1991). In that same year she appeared in Les Equilibristes and in Mike Newell's Enchanted April , in which she played an aristocrat eager to escape the attentions of her persistent male admirers. [4] Walker first gained international attention in 1992 as a single-minded English member of an Irish terrorist group in Phillip Noyce's Patriot Games .

She appeared in Douglas McGrath's 1996 adaption of Jane Austen's Emma as Jane Fairfax, the titular character's rival. [5]

In 2003 she had a starring role in the BBC drama series State of Play . [6]

Between 2005 and 2007, Walker played Atia of the Julii in both seasons of the HBO–BBC2 television series Rome . Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination in 2006 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama. [7] [8]

She next played the sinister Catherine Braithwaite in "Deus Ex Machina", a two-episode story of the BBC television "cold case" crime series Waking the Dead , which also aired in January 2007. In May 2007, she appeared as Lady Bess Sedgwick in ITV's Marple : At Bertram's Hotel , [9] and then played sugar heiress Ellis Samuels in the CBS television drama Cane , which premiered 25 September 2007. [10]

In May 2008, Walker was cast as Sister Clarice Willow, headmistress of a private religious school, in Syfy's Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica. [11] She appeared in Louis Leterrier's 2010 action fantasy remake, Clash of the Titans as Cassiopeia. [12]

In 2011 she guest starred as Ranna Seneschal, leader of the underground city of Praxis, on the Candian sci-fy fantasy show Sanctuary .

Walker starred in BBC's crime drama Prisoners' Wives as crime wife Francesca Miller from 2012 to 2013. [13] She went on to appear in Andrew Staunton's 2012 science fiction action-adventure film John Carter as Sarkoja, a merciless Thark. [14]

In 2014, she had a recurring role as the character Delphine Day in the ITV series Mr Selfridge . [15]

In 2018, Walker starred as Bel, the leading character in Age Before Beauty . [3] From 2019 to 2022, she portrayed dominatrix Margaret "Peggy" Skyes the action crime drama show Pennyworth . [16]

In 2020, she appeared as Lady Lunete, the Queen Regent and mother to Uther Pendragon, a recurring character for 5 episodes in the Netflix series, Cursed . [2] Since December 2020, Walker has starred in the Netflix series Bridgerton as Lady Portia Featherington. She earned a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination in 2021 with the series cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. [17] [18]

Personal life

On 23 October 2008, Walker married the former actor Laurence Penry-Jones (brother of Rupert Penry-Jones) with whom she lived in the United States for several years. In 2015, they returned to London. [19]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991Journey of HonourCeciliaOriginal title: "Kabuto", also known as "Shogun Mayeda"
Ao Fim da Noite
Walking a Tightrope Hélène Lagache
1992 Enchanted April Caroline Dester
Patriot Games Annette
1993 The Trial Leni
Sliver Vida Warren
1995 Restoration Celia Clemence
1996 Emma Jane Fairfax
1997 Roseanna's Grave Cecilia
Robinson Crusoe Mary McGregor
The Gambler Polina
Bastard Mara
1998 Curtain Call Julia
Talk of Angels Mary Lavelle
Dark Harbor Alexis Chandler Weinberg
1999 8½ Women Palmira
2000 After Alice Dr. Vera Swann
2002 D-Tox Jenny Munroe
Savage Messiah Paula Jackson
2004 Control Barbara Copeland
2006 Scenes of a Sexual Nature Esther
2010 Clash of the Titans Cassiopeia
2012 John Carter Sarkoja

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989StoryboardMargaret NinerEpisode: "Hunted Down"
Rules of EngagementFionamini-series, 2 episodes
1990 Agatha Christie's Poirot Nick BuckleyEpisode: "Peril at End House"
Screen Two NadjaEpisode: "The Kremlin, Farewell"
Lorna Doone Lorna DooneTV film
1992 A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia Mme. Dumont
The Secret World of SpyingAnnette
1997The WoodlandersMrs. Charmond
2002 Jeffrey Archer: The Truth Mrs. Archer
2003 The Mayor of Casterbridge Lucetta Templeman
State of Play Anne Collins6 episodes
2005–2007 Rome Atia of the Julii 22 episodes
2007 Waking the Dead Catherine Braithwaite2 episodes: "Deus Ex Machina"
Agatha Christie's Marple Bess SedgwickEpisode: "At Bertram's Hotel"
Cane Ellis Samuels13 episodes
2009 Numbers Dr. Lorna LudlowEpisode: "Animal Rites"
2009–2010 Caprica Clarice Willow 17 episodes
2010 Sanctuary Ranna Seneschal2 episodes
2011 Psych Randa TabetEpisode: "Shawn Rescues Darth Vader"
2012–2013 Prisoners' Wives Francesca Miller10 episodes
2012 The Mentalist FBI Agent Alexa Shultz2 episodes
2013 Warehouse 13 Charlotte Dupres4 episodes
2014 Mr Selfridge Delphine Day9 episodes
2015 The Syndicate DI Lynn Baker6 episodes
2016 Paranoid Monica Wayfield5 episodes
2016; 2019 Line of Duty Gill BiggeloeSeries 3 and 5
2018 Age Before Beauty Bel Finch6 episodes
2019-2022 Pennyworth Margaret "Peggy" Sykes17 episodes
2020 Cursed Lady Lunete5 episodes
2020-present Bridgerton Lady Portia FeatheringtonSeries regular
2025 Bookish Trottie Book6 episodes

Theatre

YearTitleRoleDirectorVenueNotesRef.
1988-1989 Hamlet Second Grave Digger Ron Daniels — Royal Shakespeare Company Tour [20] [21]
1989 As You Like It Phoebe Tim Albery The Old Vic [22]
Hess is DeadCharity Luber Danny Boyle Almeida Theatre Royal Shakespeare Company [23]
2001 Finding the Sun Cordelia Anthony Page Royal National Theatre [1]
2003 Les Liaisons Dangereuses La Marquise De Merteuil Tim Fywell Playhouse Theatre Ambassador Theatre Group [24]

Audio dramas

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2017 Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Commander NarniaEpisode: "The Movellan Grave" [25] [26]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010 Dark Void Ava, Survivors

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2003 Genie Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Savage Messiah Nominated [27]
2005 Satellite Awards Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture made for Television Rome Nominated [28]
Online Film & Television Association Best Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesWon [29]
2006 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama Nominated [30]
2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Bridgerton Nominated [18]

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References

  1. 1 2 "BBC – Drama – People Index: Polly Walker". bbc.co.uk. 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Polly Walker: 'My greatest achievement? Continuing to work in this business in my fifties'". www.ft.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Who Is Polly Walker? The 'Age Before Beauty' Star Might Look Familiar". Bustle. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  4. ↑ "Enchanted April - Official Site - Miramax". www.miramax.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  5. ↑ "Bridgerton's Polly Walker Talks Season 2 and the Hilarious Behind-the-Scenes 'Disaster' Moment". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  6. ↑ Cremona, Patrick (31 August 2021). "State of Play writer Paul Abbott confirms he's writing a sequel to the acclaimed 2003 drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  7. ↑ "Rome News: Rome receives Golden Globe Nominations". HBO.com. 13 December 2005. Archived from the original on 17 December 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  8. ↑ "Brokeback Mountain leads Golden Globe nominations". CNN.com. 15 December 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  9. ↑ ""AT BERTRAM'S HOTEL" (2007) Review". brtmh.livejournal.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  10. ↑ Wyatt, Edward. "New 'Cane' serves up hot rum, family intrigue". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  11. ↑ "'Caprica' looks for more action; Polly Walker's Sister Clarice codes a 'digital Heaven'". Los Angeles Times. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  12. ↑ "'Clash of the Titans'". TODAY.com. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  13. ↑ Raeside, Julia (16 February 2012). "Have you been watching … Prisoners' Wives?". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  14. ↑ Weintraub, Steve (5 March 2012). "Director Andrew Stanton Talks JOHN CARTER". Collider. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  15. ↑ "Mr Selfridge: Along came Polly". NZ Herald. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  16. ↑ Elvy, Craig (4 December 2018). "Epix's Pennyworth DC Show Casts Polly Walker". ScreenRant. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  17. ↑ Ivie, Devon (9 April 2022). "Polly Walker Won't Let Lady Featherington Become Bridgerton's 'Old Fool'". Vulture. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  18. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (4 February 2021). "'Bridgerton', 'I May Destroy You' & 'Dead To Me' Land SAG Award Nominations After Golden Globes Snub". Deadline. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  19. ↑ Katherine Hassell: Paranoid's Polly Walker: I like playing a troublemaker. Express, 25 September 2016
  20. ↑ Register, Orange County (11 August 1992). "HOLDING HER OWN". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  21. ↑ "RSC Performances | Hamlet | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust". collections.shakespeare.org.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  22. ↑ "As You Like It · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  23. ↑ "RSC Performances | H.I.D. | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust". collections.shakespeare.org.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  24. ↑ Billington, Michael (15 December 2003). "Les Liaisons Dangereuses". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  25. ↑ Briggs, Nicholas (12 July 2017), The Movellan Grave (Sci-Fi), Tom Baker, John Banks, Chris Jarman, retrieved 1 March 2024
  26. ↑ "6.7. Doctor Who: The Movellan Grave - Doctor Who - The Fourth Doctor Adventures - Big Finish". www.bigfinish.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  27. ↑ "FilmAffinity". FilmAffinity. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  28. ↑ "Polly Walker - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  29. ↑ "9th Annual TV Awards (2005) – Online Film & Television Association" . Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  30. ↑ "Polly Walker". Golden Globes. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
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