She was married to the late Lord Laurence Olivier.
The actor Joan Plowright, who had a long and distinguished career in theatre and film, has died at the age of 95.
The Lincolnshire native was a key figure during the early years of the English Stage Company at the Royal Court and the National Theatre when it was based at the Old Vic.
She was best known for her Golden Globe award-winning performances in TV biopic Stalin and the 1991 comedy/drama Enchanted April, for which she was also nominated for an Academy Award.
Her family announced her passing this morning in a public statement.
It reads: “It is with great sadness that the family of Dame Joan Plowright, the Lady Olivier, inform you that she passed away peacefully on January 16 2025 surrounded by her family at Denville Hall aged 95.
“She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theatre, film and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire.
“She cherished her last 10 years in Sussex with constant visits from friends and family, filled with much laughter and fond memories,” the statement continued. “The family are deeply grateful to Jean Wilson and all those involved in her personal care over many years.”
Plowright was born on 28 October 1929 in Brigg, Lincolnshire, and attended Scunthorpe grammar school on a scholarship.
Her mother was an amateur actor and opera singer who taught dancing; her father was a journalist with a passion for am-dram.
She always wanted to be an actor and won a drama trophy at a local theatre festival aged 15. After leaving school at 17 she worked briefly as a supply teacher before training at the Old Vic theatre school in London.
In 1957, Plowright took over from Dorothy Tutin in the Royal Court production of John Osborne’s The Entertainer when it transferred to the West End. It introduced her to Laurence Olivier, who was playing the faded music-hall star Archie Rice, the father of her character.
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In 1961, she divorced her first husband, actor Roger Gage, and married Laurence Olivier – shortly after the end of his twenty-year marriage to the actress Vivien Leigh.
Plowright and Olivier had three children together. Two of their daughters became actresses. The couple remained married until Olivier’s death in 1989.
The tributes have been pouring in on social media for the stage and screen star.
Turning into a rubbish week for losing the good ones. Farewell Joan Plowright. Perfect performer really. Absolutely love her in Drowning by Numbers especially but she was in some absolute classics. pic.twitter.com/66oDCsWBq3
— Adam Scovell (@AdamScovell) January 17, 2025
Another great loss. What a talented lady. 2025 is proving to be quite the sad year so far. #RIPDameJoanPlowright pic.twitter.com/R3OiKWDwKP
— Sohail Shah (@KingOfSunshine) January 17, 2025
RIP Joan Plowright another acting legend gone such a brilliant actress. Remember her as nanny in 101 Dalmatians 🥺 pic.twitter.com/2wzDV9Gkvj
