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Diana Rigg

Acting Born Jul 20, 1938 Died Sep 10, 2020 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, UK 97 credits

Biography

Diana Rigg was an English actress born on July 20, 1938, in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, UK. She made her professional stage debut in 1957 in The Caucasian Chalk Circle and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959. Rigg's television career included playing Emma Peel in the TV series The Avengers from 1965 to 1968 and Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones from 2013 to 2017. She also had a successful career in theatre, including playing the title role in Medea, and made her Broadway debut in the 1971 production of Abelard & Heloise. Rigg won the 1994 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in Medea.

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Career

Career overview

Diana Rigg began her professional stage career in 1957 with a role in The Caucasian Chalk Circle. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959. Rigg made her Broadway debut in the 1971 production of Abelard & Heloise.

In television, Rigg played Emma Peel in the series The Avengers from 1965 to 1968. She also appeared in Game of Thrones from 2013 to 2017, playing the role of Olenna Tyrell.

Rigg's film career included a role as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She won the 1994 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of the title role in Medea, both in London and New York. Rigg was made a CBE in 1988 and a Dame in 1994 for services to drama.

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Known for

Film

Last Night in Soho

as Ms. Collins

All Creatures Great & Small

as Mrs Pumphrey
Film

Breathe

as Lady Neville

Victoria

as Duchess of Buccleuch

Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero

as Mayor Pink Panda (voice)

Game of Thrones

as Olenna Tyrell

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

as Self - Participant
Film

The Painted Veil

as Mother Superior
Film

The Women on the 6th Floor

as Mrs Gillyflower

Extras

as Diana Rigg
Film

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There

as Self
Film

Bull Durham

as Jill Craig

Frequent co-stars

Ian Hendry 2 shared titles
Peter Bowles 2 shared titles
Vincent Price 2 shared titles
Telly Savalas 2 shared titles
Peter Ustinov 2 shared titles
Robert Morley 2 shared titles
Terry Wogan 1 shared title
Joanna Lumley 1 shared title
Kenneth Williams 1 shared title
Sue Lawley 1 shared title

Career timeline

Last Night in Soho
All Creatures Great & SmallThe Snail and the WhaleBlack Narcissus
BreatheA Christmas Carol Goes Wrong
Victoria
You, Me and the ApocalypseYou, Me and the ApocalypseProfessor Branestawm ReturnsDames of Classic Drama at the BBCThe Honourable Rebel
Penn Zero: Part-Time HeroDetectoristsThe Kumars
The Lark Ascending
Game of ThronesCelebrity Antiques Road Trip
The Painted Veil
Doctor WhoExtrasHeidi
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were ThereCharles II: The Power and The Passion
Murder in MindVictoria & AlbertVictoria & Albert
In the Beginning
Parting Shots
ParkinsonThe Mrs Bradley MysteriesThe American
Danielle Steel's ZoyaRebecca
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll FlandersThe Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll FlandersSamson and Delilah
The Haunting of Helen Walker
The World of Jim HensonA Good Man in AfricaRunning Delilah
Genghis Cohn
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris
Unexplained LaughterBlack Leather JacketMother Love
The Play on One
Snow WhiteA Hazard of Hearts
The Worst Witch
Screen TwoBleak House
King Lear
WoganWoganEvil Under the SunWitness for the ProsecutionLittle Eyolf
The Great Muppet CaperHedda Gabler
Masterpiece MysteryThe Marquise

Full filmography

  • Last Night in Soho (2021) as Ms. Collins
  • All Creatures Great & Small (2020) as Mrs Pumphrey
  • The Snail and the Whale (2020) as Narrator (voice)
  • Black Narcissus (2020) as Mother Dorothea
  • Breathe (2017) as Lady Neville
  • A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (2017) as Aunt Diana
  • Victoria (2016) as Duchess of Buccleuch
  • You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015) as Sutton
  • You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015) as Sutton (voice)
  • Professor Branestawm Returns (2015) as Lady Pagwell
  • Dames of Classic Drama at the BBC (2015) as Self (archive material)
  • The Honourable Rebel (2015) as Narrator
  • Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (2014) as Mayor Pink Panda (voice)
  • Detectorists (2014) as Veronica
  • The Kumars (2014) as Self
  • The Lark Ascending (2012) as Self - Presenter (as Dame Diana Rigg)
  • Game of Thrones (2011) as Olenna Tyrell
  • Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (2011) as Self - Participant
  • The Painted Veil (2006) as Mother Superior
  • Doctor Who (2005) as Mrs Gillyflower
  • Extras (2005) as Diana Rigg
  • Heidi (2005) as Grandmamma
  • Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2003) as Self
  • Charles II: The Power and The Passion (2003) as Queen Henrietta Maria
  • Murder in Mind (2001) as Jill Craig
  • Victoria & Albert (2001) as Baroness Lehzen
  • Victoria & Albert (2001) as Baroness Lehzen
  • In the Beginning (2000) as Mature Rebeccah
  • Parting Shots (1999) as Lisa
  • Parkinson (1998) as Self
  • The Mrs Bradley Mysteries (1998) as Adela Bradley
  • The American (1998) as Madame de Bellegarde
  • Danielle Steel's Zoya (1997) as Evgenia
  • Rebecca (1997) as Mrs. Danvers
  • The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996) as Mrs. Golightly
  • The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996) as Mrs Golightly
  • Samson and Delilah (1996) as Mara
  • The Haunting of Helen Walker (1995) as Mrs. Grose
  • The World of Jim Henson (1994) as Lady Holiday (archive footage)
  • A Good Man in Africa (1994) as Chloe Fanshawe
  • Running Delilah (1994) as Judith
  • Genghis Cohn (1993) as Baroness Frieda von Stangel
  • Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris (1992) as Mme. Colbert
  • Unexplained Laughter (1989) as Lydia
  • Black Leather Jacket (1989) as Emma Peel (segment "Death at Bargain Prices") (archive footage)
  • Mother Love (1989) as Helena Vesey
  • The Play on One (1988) as Lydia
  • Snow White (1987) as Evil Queen
  • A Hazard of Hearts (1987) as Lady Harriet Vulcan
  • The Worst Witch (1986) as Constance Hardbroom
  • Screen Two (1985) as Frieda von Stangel
  • Bleak House (1985) as Lady Honoria Dedlock
  • King Lear (1983) as Regan
  • Wogan (1982) as Self - Guest
  • Wogan (1982) as Self
  • Evil Under the Sun (1982) as Arlena Stuart Marshall
  • Witness for the Prosecution (1982) as Christine Vole
  • Little Eyolf (1982) as Rita Allmers
  • The Making of Agatha Christie's 'Evil Under the Sun' (1982) as Self / Arlena Stuart Marshall
  • The Great Muppet Caper (1981) as Lady Holiday
  • Hedda Gabler (1981) as Hedda Gabler
  • Masterpiece Mystery (1980) as Self - Host
  • The Marquise (1980) as The Marquise Eloise
  • The Serpent Son (1979) as Clytemnestra
  • A Little Night Music (1977) as Charlotte Mittelheim
  • Three Piece Suite (1977)
  • Three Piece Suite (1977) as Various Roles
  • Three Piece Suite (1977) as Various Roles
  • In This House of Brede (1975) as Dame Philippa
  • Affairs of the Heart (1974) as Grace Gracedew
  • Diana (1973) as Diana Smythe
  • Theatre of Blood (1973) as Edwina Lionheart
  • V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
  • The Hospital (1971) as Barbara Drummond
  • Julius Caesar (1970) as Portia
  • On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) as Tracy Di Vicenzo
  • Minikillers (1969) as Woman tourist
  • The Assassination Bureau (1969) as Sonya Winter
  • Shot On Ice (1969) as Self
  • The Diadem (1969) as Secret Agent
  • Swiss Movement (1969) as Self
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream (1968) as Helena
  • Omnibus (1967) as Self
  • BBC Play of the Month (1965) as Rita Allmers
  • The Hothouse (1964) as Anita Fender
  • Our Man in the Caribbean (1964) as Francy (archive footage)
  • Festival (1963) as Adriana, Wife to Antipholus of Ephesus
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
  • The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
  • The Avengers (1961) as Emma Peel
  • Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Host
  • Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Nominee
  • Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Co-Host / Presenter
  • Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Winner
  • Armchair Theatre (1956) as Anita Fender
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Christine
  • The BAFTA Awards (1949) as Self