Joanna Lumley
Acting • Born 1946-05-01
Biography
Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley DBE FRGS (born 1 May 1946) is a British actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), and was nominated for the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the Broadway revival of La Bête. In 2013, she received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards, and in 2017 she was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship award. Lumley's other television credits include The New Avengers (1976–1977), Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982), Sensitive Skin (2005–2007), Jam & Jerusalem (2006–2008) and Finding Alice (2021–present) as well as playing Elaine Perkins in Coronation Street in 1973. Her film appearances include On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), Shirley Valentine (1989), James and the Giant Peach (1996), Ella Enchanted (2004), Corpse Bride (2005), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016). She had roles in two episodes of Are You Being Served? (1973–1975) written by Jeremy Lloyd, whom she had married and divorced three years prior to her first appearance on the show. Lumley is an advocate and human rights activist for Survival International and the Gurkha Justice Campaign. She supports charities and animal welfare groups, such as Compassion in World Farming and Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals. Lumley was made a Dame (DBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to drama, entertainment and charity.
Filmography
182 credits
James and the Giant Peach
Movie • 1996
Aunt Spiker
Corpse Bride
Movie • 2005
Maudeline Everglot (voice)
The House That Dripped Blood
Movie • 1971
Prince Valiant
Movie • 1997
Morgan Le Fey
Cold Comfort Farm
Movie • 1995
Mary Smiling
The Cat's Meow
Movie • 2001
Elinor Glyn
The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Movie • 1973
Jessica Van Helsing
Maybe Baby
Movie • 2000
Shiela
Ella Enchanted
Movie • 2004
Dame Olga
Curse of the Pink Panther
Movie • 1983
Countess Chandra
Attenborough at 90
Movie • 2016
Self
Joanna Lumley and the Human Swan
Movie • 2021
Presenter
The Magic Roundabout
Movie • 2005
Ermintrude (voice)
Mad Cows
Movie • 1999
Gillian
Joanna Lumley: My Best Bits - In My Own Words
Movie • 2023
Self
Quentin Blake – The Drawing of My Life
Movie • 2021
Self
A Rather English Marriage
Movie • 1998
Liz Franks
Shirley Valentine
Movie • 1989
Marjorie Majors
Whispers: An Elephant's Tale
Movie • 2000
Half Tusk (voice)
Innocent Lies
Movie • 1995
Lady Helena Graves
A Ghost in Monte Carlo
Movie • 1990
Lady Drayton
Late Bloomers
Movie • 2011
Charlotte
The Wolf of Wall Street
Movie • 2013
Aunt Emma
The Ballad of Tam Lin
Movie • 1970
Georgia
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
Movie • 2014
Narrator (voice)
Counting Tigers
Movie • 2019
Narrator (voice)
Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights
Movie • 2008
Herself
The Tale of Sweeney Todd
Movie • 1998
Mrs. Lovett
Nancherrow
Movie • 1999
Diana Carey-Lewis
Coming Home
Movie • 1998
Diana Carey-Lewis
The Making of a Lady
Movie • 2012
Lady Maria Byrne
The Breaking of Bumbo
Movie • 1970
Susie
Gangsta Granny
Movie • 2013
The Queen
She's Funny That Way
Movie • 2015
Vivian Claremont
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
Movie • 1996
Patsy Stone
Absolutely Fabulous: A Life
Movie • 1998
Patsy Stone (archive footage)
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
Movie • 1995
Patsy Stone (archive footage)
Boogie Woogie
Movie • 2010
Mrs. Alfreda Rhinegold
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage
Movie • 1980
My Week with Maisy
Movie • 2024
Mrs. Foster
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Movie • 1969
The English Girl
Absolutely Anything
Movie • 2015
Fenella
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
Movie • 2023
Self
Games That Lovers Play
Movie • 1971
Fanny Hill
Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death
Movie • 1999
The Female Doctor
Trail of the Pink Panther
Movie • 1982
Marie Jouvet
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Movie • 2016
Patsy Stone
Joanna Lumley: Elvis and Me
Movie • 2015
Self
Bette Midler: One Night Only
Movie • 2014
Self - Host
Girl Friday
Movie • 1994
Presenter
Joanna Lumley: The Search for Noah's Ark
Movie • 2012
Herself - Presenter
Joanna Lumley Meets Will.I.Am
Movie • 2014
Presenter
Alice in Wonderland
Movie • 1999
Tiger Lily (voice)
Me Before You
Movie • 2016
Mary Rawlinson
Finding Your Feet
Movie • 2017
Jackie
The Snowman Live Stage Show
Movie • 2010
Narrator
Stories of Lost Souls
Movie • 2004
Last in Line
Standing Room Only
Movie • 2004
Last in line
Parting Shots
Movie • 1999
Freda
Carnage: Swallowing the Past
Movie • 2017
Herself (voice)
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
Movie • 2016
Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
Some Girls Do
Movie • 1969
Robot Saboteur (uncredited)
Paddington 2
Movie • 2017
Felicity Fanshaw
And the Winner Isn't
Movie • 2017
Self
Wogan on Wodehouse
Movie • 2011
Self
EuroTrip
Movie • 2004
Hostel Clerk
The Forgotten Toys
Movie • 1995
Annie (voice)
The Weather in the Streets
Movie • 1983
Kate
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
Movie • 2017
Self - Presenter
Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!
Movie • 1973
Miss Parkyn
Ian Fleming: Where Bond Began
Movie • 2008
Herself
7 Up & Me
Movie • 2019
Narrator (voice)
Electric Blue - The Movie
Movie • 1982
(archive footage)
Electric Blue 002
Movie • 1980
(archive footage)
The Genius of Roald Dahl
Movie • 2012
Herself
In Search of Dracula
Movie • 2020
Herself
20 Years of the Black Eyed Peas
Movie • 2018
Herself - Host
Falling for Figaro
Movie • 2021
Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop
The Plank
Movie • 1979
Hitcher
Coronation Street: 60 Unforgettable Years
Movie • 2020
Narrator
The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out
Movie • 2021
Self
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Movie • 2021
Lady Narborough
Mirrorball
Movie • 2000
Jackie Riviera
Twiggy
Movie • 2025
Self
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
Movie • 2024
Self / Patricia "Patsy" Stone
In the Best Possible Taste: A Tribute to Kenny Everett
Movie • 1995
Sketch Performer (Archive Footage)
The Man You're Not
Movie • 2017
Joanna Lumley
Netflix Tudum 2025
Movie • 2025
Self
A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower
Movie • 2025
Mrs Stone
My Favourite Attenborough Moment
Movie • 2006
Self
Frank and Percy
Movie
The Brave Little Squire
Movie • 2020
Narrator (voice)
The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Movie • 2005
Miss French (archive footage) (uncredited)
Top Gear
TV • 2002
Self
Are You Being Served?
TV • 1972
Miss French
Jam and Jerusalem
TV • 2006
Delilah Stagg
The One Show
TV • 2006
Self
Lewis
TV • 2007
Esme Ford
Finding Alice
TV • 2021
Sarah
Sapphire & Steel
TV • 1979
Sapphire
Roseanne
TV • 1988
Patsy Stone
Joanna Lumley’s Home Sweet Home – Travels in My Own Land
TV • 2021
Absolutely Fabulous
TV • 1992
Patsy Stone
Lovejoy
TV • 1986
Victoria Cavero
The BAFTA Awards
TV • 1949
Host
Up in Town
TV • 2002
Madison Blakelock
The Cuckoo Waltz
TV • 1975
Harriet Paulden
The New Avengers
TV • 1976
Purdey
Plunder
TV • 1990
Dr Willoughby
TV • 1999
Donna Sinclair
Sensitive Skin
TV • 2005
Davina Jackson
Philip and Elizabeth
TV • 2006
Comic Relief
TV • 1988
Live from Studio Five
TV • 2009
Self
Betjeman and Me
TV • 2006
Justin Lee Collins: Good Times
TV • 2010
Self
Mistral's Daughter
TV • 1984
Lally Longbridge
The National Television Awards Backstage Live
TV • 2010
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse
TV • 2020
Narrator (voice)
Joanna Lumley's Britain
TV • 2021
Self - Host
The Kenny Everett Television Show
TV • 1982
Various
Mistresses
TV • 2008
Vivienne Roden
Oxbridge Blues
TV • 1984
Gigi
Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure
TV • 2015
Self - Presenter
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
TV • 2007
My Dad's the Prime Minister
TV • 2003
Joanna Lumley's Spice Trail Adventure
TV • 2023
Self - Presenter
Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow
TV • 2015
Narrator (voice)
Joanna Lumley's Japan
TV • 2016
Herself
The Graham Norton Show
TV • 2007
Self
Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunderdragon
TV • 1997
Herself
An Audience with...
TV • 1978
Self
The Mrs Merton Show
TV • 1995
Self
Joanna Lumley's India
TV • 2017
Herself
Agatha Christie's Marple
TV • 2004
Dolly Bantry
Summer Camp Island
TV • 2018
Adult Susie (voice)
The Foxbusters
TV • 1999
Sims / Evita / Voracity (voice)
The Forgotten Toys
TV • 1997
Annie (voice)
Joanna Lumley's Great Cities of the World
TV • 2022
Self - Presenter
The Avengers
TV • 1961
Purdey
Wogan
TV • 1982
Self
Coming Home
TV • 1998
Diana Carey-Lewis
Nancherrow
TV • 1999
The Last Leg
TV • 2013
Self
Wogan
TV • 1982
Self - Presenter
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self
Celebrity Gogglebox
TV • 2019
Self
Joanna Lumley's Silk Road Adventure
TV • 2018
Self - Presenter
Late Night Lycett
TV • 2023
Self - Guest
Going Live!
TV • 1987
Self
Rosie Jones' Trip Hazard
TV • 2021
Narrator
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off
TV • 2013
Self - Contestant
The Michael McIntyre Chat Show
TV • 2014
Self - Guest
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
TV • 2019
Self - Guest Judge
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV • 2009
Self - Guest
Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey
TV • 2011
Herself
Posh Nosh
TV • 2003
Narrator (voice)
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime
TV • 2020
Self
Steptoe and Son
TV • 1962
Bunty
Blankety Blank
TV • 2021
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
TV • 2022
Self
Final Chance to Save
TV • 2005
Herself
Eurovision Song Contest
TV • 1956
Self - UK’s Spokesperson
Amandaland
TV • 2025
Felicity
Cluedo
TV • 1990
Mrs. Peacock
Joanna Lumley's Postcards
TV • 2017
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
TV • 2002
Self - Guest Announcer
Fool Me Once
TV • 2024
Judith Burkett
Joanna Lumley's Hidden Caribbean: Havana to Haiti
TV • 2020
Herself - Presenter
Joanna Lumley's Unseen Adventures
TV • 2020
Cast
Parkinson
TV • 1998
Self
Jewels of the Med
TV • 2025
Self - Narrator (voice)
Jewel of the Med: Majorca and Menorca
TV • 2025
Self - Narrator (voice)
The Friday Night Project
TV • 2005
Self - Host
Joanna Lumley's Danube
TV • 2025
Self - Host
Class Act
TV • 1994
Kate Swift
Wednesday
TV • 2022
Grandmama Hester Frump
Children In Need
TV • 1980
Self
A Ghost Story for Christmas
TV • 1971
The Glory Boys
TV • 1984
Helen
Car S.O.S.
TV • 2013
Herself