Joan Plowright

October 28, 1929 - January 16, 2025 Brigg, Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Joan Ann Plowright, Lady Olivier, DBE (28 October 1929 - 16 January 2025), better known as Dame Joan Plowright, was an English actress, whose career has spanned over sixty years. Throughout her career she has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award and has been nominated for an Academy Award, an Emmy, and two BAFTA Awards. Joan Plowright is also one of only four actresses to have won two Golden Globes in the same year.

Her titles like 101 Dalmatians, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and Dennis the Menace - her biggest roles first.
Last updated: August 18, 2026

Watched: 0/53

Weighted avg: 5.87 /10

1

1

101 Dalmatians

1996November 1996 by Stephen Herek

Supporting as Nanny

Supporting as Nanny

5.45 Okay
2

2

The Spiderwick Chronicles

2008February 2008 by Mark Waters

Supporting as Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick

Supporting as Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick

6.26 Good--
3

3

Dennis the Menace

1993June 1993 by Nick Castle

Starring as Martha Wilson

Starring as Martha Wilson

5.39 Okay-
4

4

Dinosaur

2000May 2000 by Ralph Zondag

Minor role as Baylene (voice)

Minor role as Baylene (voice)

6.13 Good--
5

5

Last Action Hero

1993June 1993 by John McTiernan

Minor role as Teacher

Minor role as Teacher

6.02 Okay++
6

6

Bringing Down the House

2003March 2003 by Adam Shankman

Supporting as Mrs. Virginia Arness

Supporting as Mrs. Virginia Arness

5.49 Okay
7

7

Curious George

2006February 2006 by Matthew O'Callaghan

Supporting as Ms. Plushbottom (voice)

Supporting as Ms. Plushbottom (voice)

6.07 Okay++
8

8

Drowning by Numbers

1988September 1988 by Peter Greenaway

Lead role as Cissie Colpitts

Lead role as Cissie Colpitts

6.50 Good-
9

9

The Scarlet Letter

1995October 1995 by Roland Joffé

Supporting as Harriet Hibbons

Supporting as Harriet Hibbons

5.64 Okay
10

10

I Love You to Death

1990April 1990 by Lawrence Kasdan

Starring as Nadja

Starring as Nadja

5.94 Okay++
11

11

Jane Eyre

1996January 1996 by Franco Zeffirelli

Starring as Mrs. Fairfax

Starring as Mrs. Fairfax

6.40 Good-
12

12

Dance with Me

1998August 1998 by Randa Haines

Supporting as Bea Johnson

Supporting as Bea Johnson

6.37 Good-
13

13

Tea with Mussolini

1999March 1999 by Franco Zeffirelli

Starring as Mary Wallace

Starring as Mary Wallace

5.98 Okay++
14

14

Equus

1977October 1977 by Sidney Lumet

Starring as Dora Strang

Starring as Dora Strang

6.43 Good-
15

15

Revolution

1985December 1985 by Hugh Hudson

Supporting as Mrs. McConnahay

Supporting as Mrs. McConnahay

5.18 Okay--
16

16

I Am David

2003December 2003 by Paul Feig

Starring as Sophie

Starring as Sophie

6.29 Good--
17

17

Surviving Picasso

1996September 1996 by James Ivory

Supporting as Françoise's Grandmother

Supporting as Françoise's Grandmother

5.51 Okay
18

18

Avalon

1990October 1990 by Barry Levinson

Supporting as Eva Krichinsky

Supporting as Eva Krichinsky

6.18 Good--
19

19

Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont

2005November 2005 by Dan Ireland

Lead role as Mrs. Palfrey

Lead role as Mrs. Palfrey

6.13 Good--
20

20

Enchanted April

1991November 1991 by Mike Newell

Supporting as Mrs Fisher

Supporting as Mrs Fisher

6.23 Good--
21

21

Britannia Hospital

1982May 1982 by Lindsay Anderson

Supporting as Phyllis Grimshaw

Supporting as Phyllis Grimshaw

5.83 Okay+
22

22

Back to the Secret Garden

2000September 2000 by Michael Tuchner

Lead role as Martha Sowerby

Lead role as Martha Sowerby

5.95 Okay++
23

23

Nothing Like a Dame

2018May 2018 by Roger Michell

Supporting as Self

Supporting as Self

6.21 Good--
24

24

Mr. Wrong

1996February 1996 by Nick Castle

Supporting as Mrs. Crawford

Supporting as Mrs. Crawford

4.57 Mediocre+
25

25

The Entertainer

1960July 1960 by Tony Richardson

Supporting as Jean Rice

Supporting as Jean Rice

5.86 Okay+
26

26

George and the Dragon

2004March 2004 by Tom Reeve

Minor role as Mother Superior

Minor role as Mother Superior

5.30 Okay-
27

27

Callas Forever

2002September 2002 by Franco Zeffirelli

Starring as Sarah Keller

Starring as Sarah Keller

6.02 Okay++
28

28

Brimstone & Treacle

1982October 1982 by Richard Loncraine

Starring as Norma Bates

Starring as Norma Bates

5.77 Okay+
29

29

Stalin

1992November 1992 by Ivan Passer

Supporting as Olga

Supporting as Olga

5.46 Okay
30

30

Knife Edge

2009October 2009 by Anthony Hickox

Supporting as Marjorie Blake

Supporting as Marjorie Blake

5.14 Okay--
31

31

Global Heresy

2002September 2002 by Sidney J. Furie

Starring as Lady Foxley

Starring as Lady Foxley

5.46 Okay
32

32

Time Without Pity

1957March 1957 by Joseph Losey

Minor role as Agnes Cole

Minor role as Agnes Cole

6.05 Okay++
33

33

Widows' Peak

1994April 1994 by John Irvin

Starring as Mrs. Doyle-Counihan

Starring as Mrs. Doyle-Counihan

6.02 Okay++
34

34

A Place for Annie

1994May 1994 by John Gray

Starring as Dorothy

Starring as Dorothy

5.88 Okay+
35

35

The Return of the Native

1994December 1994 by Jack Gold

Supporting as Frau Yeobright

Supporting as Frau Yeobright

5.96 Okay++
36

36

Three Sisters

1970April 1970 by Laurence Olivier

Starring as Masha

Starring as Masha

5.56 Okay
37

37

The Diary of Anne Frank

1980November 1980 by Boris Sagal

Starring as Edith Frank-Holländer

Starring as Edith Frank-Holländer

5.85 Okay+
38

38

The Clothes in the Wardrobe

1993December 1993 by Waris Hussein

Starring as Mrs. Monro

Starring as Mrs. Monro

Needs more reviews
39

39

A Pyromaniac's Love Story

1995April 1995 by Joshua Brand

Supporting as Mrs. Linzer

Supporting as Mrs. Linzer

5.68 Okay+
40

40

Tom's Midnight Garden

1999July 1999 by Willard Carroll

Minor role as Mrs Bartholomew

Minor role as Mrs Bartholomew

5.88 Okay+
41

41

A Pin for the Butterfly

1995February 1995 by Susan Kodicek

Lead role as Grandma

Lead role as Grandma

Needs more reviews
42

42

Frankie & Hazel

2000October 2000 by JoBeth Williams

Lead role as Phoebe Harkness

Lead role as Phoebe Harkness

Needs more reviews
43

43

The Dressmaker

1988December 1988 by Jim O'Brien

Lead role as Nellie

Lead role as Nellie

Needs more reviews
44

44

Goose on the Loose

2006January 2006 by Nicholas Kendall

Supporting as Beatrice Fairfield

Supporting as Beatrice Fairfield

5.81 Okay+
45

45

Hotel Sorrento

1995April 1995 by Richard Franklin

Supporting as Marge Morrisey

Supporting as Marge Morrisey

Needs more reviews
46

46

The Importance of Being Earnest

1988May 1988 by Stuart Burge

Starring as Lady Bracknell

Starring as Lady Bracknell

Needs more reviews
47

47

Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within

1998November 1998 by John Mackenzie

Starring as Jeanne Vertefeuille

Starring as Jeanne Vertefeuille

Needs more reviews
48

48

The Birthday Party

1987June 1987 by Kenneth Ives

Starring as Meg Bowles

Starring as Meg Bowles

Needs more reviews
49

49

And a Nightingale Sang

1989April 1989 by Robert Knights

Starring as Mam

Starring as Mam

Needs more reviews
50

50

Twelfth Night

1970July 1970 by John Sichel

Starring as Viola

Starring as Viola

Needs more reviews
51

51

Scrooge and Marley

2001December 2001 by Fred Holmes

Supporting as Narrator

Supporting as Narrator

Needs more reviews
52

52

Bailey's Mistake

2001March 2001 by Michael M. Robin

Supporting as Aunt Angie

Supporting as Aunt Angie

Needs more reviews
53

53

Encore! Encore!

1998–1999 by Chuck Ranberg

Supporting as Marie Pinoni

Supporting as Marie Pinoni

Needs more reviews