Imelda Staunton
Highest Rated: 100% Paddington 2 (2018)
Lowest Rated: 17% Three and Out (2008)
Birthday: Jan 9, 1956
Birthplace: London, England, UK
With an expansive range that stretches from Shakespeare to Chicken Run and just about everything in between, actress Imelda Staunton has, not surprisingly, become one of the most highly respected actresses working in the U.K. If her penchant for playing what many would consider to be mundane, everyday characters found Staunton criminally overlooked in the early years of her career, it was her keen ability to inject those characters with a remarkable complexity that eventually made the stage mainstay-turned-small-screen powerhouse one of Britain's most sought-after talents.A London native and graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Staunton wasted no time launching her career following graduation, becoming associated with such prestigious venues as The Old Vic and the National Theatre. A trio of productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company gained her numerous critical accolades, and in 1986 Staunton made an impressive television debut in the legendary BBC production of Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective. Increasingly busy throughout the 1990s, Staunton continued to gain momentum on-stage while earning three Oliviers for her performances in the The Corn Is Green, A Chorus of Disapproval, and Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. As Staunton's numerous stage roles continued to earn her critical success, frequent television and film roles made her a familiar and endearing face to the general public. Though many of her U.K. television roles went unseen by stateside audiences, supporting roles in such features as Much Ado About Nothing, Sense and Sensibility, and Shakespeare in Love found Staunton slowly working her way into the conscience of U.S. film buffs as well. Moving into the new millennium, Staunton's roles in such films as Chicken Run (for which she provided the voice of Bunty), Crush, Bright Young Things, and I'll Be There found the established television actress actively distancing herself from the small screen in favor of feature films. Of course, every actor dreams of the breakthrough role that will make him or her an international star, and for Imelda Staunton that role was of a 1950s era abortionist caught in a downward spiral in director Mike Leigh's 2004 drama Vera Drake. Her undeniably affecting portrayal of the title role -- a selfless housewife and cleaning woman who makes a name for herself performing illegal abortions -- earned her near-universal praise. After earning accolades from both The Venice Film Festival and The New York Film Festival as well as the Los Angeles and Chicago film critic associations, Staunton had undeniably arrived when the role earned her a Best Actress nomination for the 77th Annual Academy Awards.Subsequent roles in the U.K. television comedy Little Britain as well as the features Nanny McPhee and Freedom Writers served well to introduce her to entirely new, often American, audiences. In 2007, just one year after appearing in a colorful Masterpiece Theatre production of the children's classic The Wind and the Willows, she remained in the world of fantasy for her role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Staunton played Dolores Umbridge -- the latest in a long line of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors -- whose severe disposition drew the ire of Harry Potter himself. She was part of the cast of the well-respected television production Cranford, and appeared in the inspirational drama Freedom Writers. She teamed with Mike Leigh again for 2010's Another Year, and that same year she appeared in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. She continued to work in animated family films such as Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! Band of Misfits.
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
| Credit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77% | Amulet | Actor | — | 2020 |
| 40% | Maleficent: Mistress of Evil | Knotgrass | — | 2019 |
| No Score Yet | Malévola - Dona do Mal | Knotgrass | — | 2019 |
| 84% | Downton Abbey | Actor | — | 2019 |
| 68% | Finding Your Feet | Sandra | — | 2018 |
| 100% | Paddington 2 | Aunt Lucy | — | 2018 |
| No Score Yet | Harry Potter: Journey Through a History of Magic | Narrator | — | 2017 |
| 97% | Paddington | Aunt Lucy | $85.9M | 2015 |
| 91% | Pride | Hefina | — | 2014 |
| 54% | Maleficent | Knotgrass | $190.9M | 2014 |
| No Score Yet | That Day We Sang | Actor | — | 2014 |
| 89% | London: The Modern Babylon | Actor | — | 2013 |
| No Score Yet | The Girl | Alma Hitchcock | — | 2012 |
| 62% | The Awakening | Maud Hill | $0.2M | 2012 |
| 86% | The Pirates! Band of Misfits | Queen Victoria | $31.1M | 2012 |
| No Score Yet | The Pirates! An Adventure With Scientists | Queen Victoria | — | 2012 |
| 92% | Arthur Christmas | Mrs. Santa | $46.5M | 2011 |
| 96% | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 | Dolores Umbridge | $381.1M | 2011 |
| No Score Yet | Guilty Hearts | Actor | — | 2011 |
| 92% | Another Year | Janet | $3.3M | 2010 |
| 77% | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 | Dolores Umbridge | $295M | 2010 |
| 51% | Alice in Wonderland | Tall Flower Faces | $319.4M | 2010 |
| No Score Yet | A Bunch of Amateurs | Actor | — | 2009 |
| 48% | Taking Woodstock | Sonia Teichberg | $7.4M | 2009 |
| No Score Yet | Return to Cranford | Actor | — | 2009 |
| 64% | How About You | Hazel | — | 2008 |
| 17% | Three and Out | Rosemary Cassidy | — | 2008 |
| 78% | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Dolores Umbridge | $292M | 2007 |
| 70% | Freedom Writers | Margaret Campbell | $36.5M | 2007 |
| No Score Yet | Shakespeare Retold | Actor | — | 2007 |
| No Score Yet | The Wind in the Willows | Actor | — | 2006 |
| 73% | Nanny McPhee | Mrs. Blatherwick | $47.2M | 2006 |
| No Score Yet | Shadow Man | Ambassador Cochran | — | 2006 |
| No Score Yet | My Family and Other Animals | Mother | — | 2005 |
| No Score Yet | Fingersmith | Mrs. Sucksby | — | 2005 |
| 41% | National Lampoon's Blackball | Bridget | — | 2005 |
| 92% | Vera Drake | Vera Drake | $3.7M | 2004 |
| 65% | Bright Young Things | Lady Brown | $0.9M | 2004 |
| 50% | I'll Be There | Dr. Bridget | — | 2003 |
| 36% | Crush | Janine | $1.1M | 2002 |
| No Score Yet | Another Life | Ethel Graydon | — | 2001 |
| No Score Yet | Rat | Conchita | — | 2000 |
| 97% | Chicken Run | Bunty | $106.7M | 2000 |
| No Score Yet | Jack and the Beanstalk | Actor | — | 2000 |
| No Score Yet | David Copperfield | Mrs. Micawber | — | 1999 |
| 92% | Shakespeare in Love | Nurse | — | 1998 |
| 76% | Twelfth Night | Maria | — | 1998 |
| 98% | Sense and Sensibility | Charlotte Palmer | — | 1995 |
| 88% | Citizen X | Mrs. Burakova | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | Deadly Advice | Beth Greenwood | — | 1993 |
| 90% | Much Ado About Nothing | Margaret | — | 1993 |
| 71% | Peter's Friends | Mary | — | 1992 |
| 100% | Antonia & Jane | Jane | — | 1991 |
| No Score Yet | Comrades | Betsy Loveless | — | 1989 |
TV
| Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 90% |
A Confession 2019 |
Karen Edwards |
2019 |
| No Score Yet |
The Graham Norton Show 2007 |
Guest |
2018 |
| No Score Yet |
Cranford 2007-2009 |
Miss Octavia Pole Miss Pole |
2017 2009 2007 |
| No Score Yet |
Masterpiece 1971-2014 |
Miss Octavia Pole Mother Mrs. Micawber Barge Lady Louie Miss Pole |
2010 2008 2007 2006 2000 1990 1980 |
| No Score Yet |
Midsomer Murders |
Christine Cooper Christina Cooper |
1999 |
| 82% |
Tales from the Crypt 1989-1996 |
1996 |
|
| No Score Yet |
Little Britain 2003-2005 |
||
| 100% |
The Singing Detective 1986 |
Nurse White |
QUOTES FROM Imelda Staunton CHARACTERS
Dolores Umbridge says: Professor Snape, you first applied for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts, did you not?
Severus Snape says: Yes.
Dolores Umbridge says: And you were unsuccesful?
Dolores Umbridge says: And you were unsuccessful?
Severus Snape says: Obviously.
Bunty says: The chances of us getting out of here are a million to one.
Ginger says: Then there's still a chance.
Queen Victoria says: What is your name Pirate Captain?
The Pirate Captain says: They call me "The Pirate Captain"!
The Pirate Captain says: They call me 'The Pirate Captain'!
Dolores Umbridge says: I will have order!
Queen Victoria says: I HATE PIRATES!
Bunty says: What brings you to England Mr. Rhodes?
Rocky says: Why.... All the beautiful English chicks of course. (Winks at a fainting chicken)
Rocky says: Why... All the beautiful English chicks of course. [inks at a fainting chicken]
Mrs. Santa says: "Sing 'silent night' backwards."
Mrs. Santa says: Sing 'silent night' backwards.
Santa says: "Who would know that?"
Santa says: Who would know that?
Arthur says: (Sings silent night backwards)
Arthur says: [sings silent night backwards]
Mrs. Santa says: "Malcolm. What's this about Arthur?"
Mrs. Santa says: Malcolm. What's this about Arthur?
Mrs. Santa says: "Arthur and Grandsanta are out there. Probably not wearing nearly enough layers and you two are fighting over a big red toy!"
Mrs. Santa says: Arthur and Grandsanta are out there. Probably not wearing nearly enough layers and you two are fighting over a big red toy!
Mrs. Santa says: "Maybe you should retire."
Mrs. Santa says: Maybe you should retire.
Santa says: "Sitting with Grandsanta all day. Watching Steve on tv. Who would I be?"
Santa says: Sitting with Grandsanta all day. Watching Steve on TV. Who would I be?
Mrs. Santa says: "You'd be my Malcom, dear."
Mrs. Santa says: You'd be my Malcom, dear.
Mrs. Santa says: "Men..."
Mrs. Santa says: Men...
Dolores Umbridge says: Study hard and you will be rewarded, Fail to do so and the consequences maybe severe.
Dolores Umbridge says: Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences maybe severe.
Dolores Umbridge says: ordinary wizarding level also known as owl
Dolores Umbridge says: Ordinary wizarding level, also known as O.W.L.
Dolores Umbridge says: I Will Have Order!
Dolores Umbridge says: [to Harry, Hermione and the Centaurs] I WILL have order!
Dolores Umbridge says: you have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large. this is a lie
Dolores Umbridge says: You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie.
Dolores Umbridge says: Your Lying, wands only choose whitches and you are not a whitch.
Dolores Umbridge says: Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch.
Dolores Umbridge says: Please, tell them I mean no harm.
Harry Potter says: Sorry, Professor, but I must not tell lies.
Dolores Umbridge says: [over P.A] Boys and girls are not to be within eight inches of each other.
Mary says: On a scale of one to ten, how happy would you say you are, Janet?
Gerri says: On a scale of one to ten, how happy would you say you are, Janet?
Janet says: One.
Mary says: One. I think there's room for improvement there, don't you?
Gerri says: One. I think there's room for improvement there, don't you?
Dolores Umbridge says: As I told you, Mr. Potter, naughty children deserve to be punished.