Frances Barber
Biography
Frances Barber is an English actress born on May 13, 1958, in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom. She has received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays Camille in 1985 and Uncle Vanya in 1997. Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears in 1987, We Think the World of You in 1988, and Dead Fish in 2005. Additional film credits include Sammy and Rosie Get Laid in 1987, Soft Top Hard Shoulder in 1992, and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool in 2017. Her numerous television credits include appearances in The Street in 2009, Doctor Who in 2011, Silk from 2012 to 2014, and Whitstable Pearl from 2021 to 2022.
Career overview
Frances Barber is an English actress born Frances Brookes on May 13, 1958, in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom. She has built an extensive career across film, television, and theatre, accumulating numerous credits. In her stage career, she earned Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays Camille in 1985 and Uncle Vanya in 1997.
Her film work features three collaborations with Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears in 1987, We Think the World of You in 1988, and Dead Fish in 2005. Additional film appearances include Sammy and Rosie Get Laid in 1987, Soft Top Hard Shoulder in 1992, and more recently, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool in 2017.
Barber is also well known for her extensive television credits. Some of her notable television appearances include roles in The Street in 2009, Doctor Who in 2011, Silk from 2012 to 2014, and Whitstable Pearl from 2021 to 2022.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
170 titles- A Hand to Hold (2026) as Moira
- MUSIK (2026)
- The Secret Santa Project (2025) as Carol
- The People Before (2025)
- Hamlet (2024) as First Player / Player Queen / Second Clown
- Dreamland (2023) as Cheryl
- The Chelsea Detective (2022) as Olivia Arnold
- A Bird Flew In (2022) as Marie
- Whitstable Pearl (2021) as Dolly Nolan
- Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel (2021) as Self
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint (2021) as Mrs Ambrigail
- Semi-Detached (2020) as Patricia
- Queens of Mystery (2019) as Viv Collins
- Trick or Treat (2019) as Miss Ferguson
- Let's Talk About Sex (2019) as Narrator
- Blue Iguana (2018) as Princess
- The Queen and I (2018) as Princess Margaret
- The Escape (2018) as Alison
- An Ideal Husband (2018) as Mrs. Cheveley
- McKellen: Playing the Part (2018)
- The Bookshop (2017) as Jessie Welford
- Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017) as Joy
- Summer Comedy Shorts (2017) as Mum
- The Chosen (2016) as Natalia Sedova
- The Rebel (2016) as Angela
- Mr. Holmes (2015) as Matinee "Madame Schirmer"
- Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow (2015) as Narrator
- Inside No. 9 (2014) as Lesley
- Mapp and Lucia (2014) as Amelia, Contessa di Faraglione
- The IT Crowd Manual (2014) as Self
- Bucky (2014) as Miss Eversham
- Father Brown (2013) as Davina Malmort
- Psychobitches (2013) as Bette Davis
- Psychobitches (2013) as Doris Stokes
- Psychobitches (2013) as Catherine the Great
- Psychobitches (2013) as Elizabeth I
- Psychobitches (2013) as St Catherine
- Psychobitches (2013) as Whistler's Mother
- Psychobitches (2013) as Thora Hind
- Psychobitches (2013) as Josephine-Joseph
- Psychobitches (2013) as Barbara Cartland
- The Spa (2013) as Ginny
- Muse of Fire (2013) as Self
- Bad Education: Christmas Special (2013) as Alfie's Mum
- May I Kill U? (2013) as Bernice
- Playhouse Presents (2012) as Bette Davis
- Playhouse Presents (2012) as Doris Stokes
- Playhouse Presents (2012) as Catherine the Great
- We'll Take Manhattan (2012) as Diana Vreeland
- Death in Paradise (2011) as Diana Watson
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (2011) as Self - Participant
- Silk (2011) as Caroline Warwick QC
- Friday Night Dinner (2011) as Sheila Bloom
- Great Expectations (2011) as Mrs. Brandley
- Vexed (2010) as Pat Poynter
- Pete versus Life (2010)
- The Nativity (2010) as Elizabeth
- Law & Order: UK (2009)
- The Fattest Man in Britain (2009) as Janice
- Beautiful People (2008) as Miss Prentice
- King Lear (2008) as Goneril
- Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money (2008) as Dinner Guest
- Benidorm (2007) as Daisy
- Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) as Carol Harmison
- The IT Crowd (2006) as Doctor Mendall
- Hotel Babylon (2006)
- The Street (2006)
- Doctor Who (2005) as Madame Kovarian
- Doctor Who (2005) as Eye Patch Lady
- Goal! (2005) as Carol Harmison
- Funland (2005) as Connie Woolf
- His Passionate Bride (2005) as Narrator (voice)
- Dead Fish (2005) as S & M Prostitute
- Agatha Christie's Marple (2004) as Lizzie Hinchcliffe
- New Tricks (2004)
- Hustle (2004) as Clarissa
- Evilenko (2004) as Fenja Evilenka
- The Legend of the Tamworth Two (2004) as Miss Piggy (voice)
- Monkey Dust (2003) as (voice)
- Boudica (2003) as Agrippina
- Listening (2003) as Woman
- Flyfishing (2003) as Frances
- The Red Siren (2002) as Eva
- Celeb (2002)
- Having It Off (2002)
- Superstition (2001) as Isabella Flores
- The Gentleman Thief (2001) as Julia Sinclair
- Love in a Cold Climate (2001) as The Bolter
- The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream (2001) Thanks
- Esther Kahn (2000) as Rivka Kahn
- Shiner (2000) as Georgie
- Bremner, Bird and Fortune (1999)
- Gimme Gimme Gimme (1999) as Janine
- The Escort (1999) as Jessica
- Plastic Man (1999) as Louise Ferman
- Plastic Man (1999) as Louise Ferman
- Toy Boys (1999) as Mrs. Chambers
- Still Crazy (1998) as Lady in Black
- Tea (1998) as Woman
- Just in Time (1998)
- Midsomer Murders (1997) as Ingrid Lockston
- Midsomer Murders (1997) as Constance Fielding
- Ruby (1997) as Self
- Photographing Fairies (1997) as Beatrice Templeton
- The Ice House (1997) as Diana Goode
- A Royal Scandal (1997) as Lady Jersey
- Dalziel and Pascoe (1996) as Amanda 'Cap' Marvell
- Circles of Deceit: Sleeping Dogs (1996) as Annie Shepherd
- Rhodes (1996) as Princess Catherine Radziwill
- It Might Be You (1995) as Wendy
- 3 Steps to Heaven (1995) as Andrea Wallis
- Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town (1995) as Sally Denton
- Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing (1995) as Adonia
- Space Precinct (1994) as Erika Brandt
- Giorgino (1994) as Marie
- Scarborough Ahoy! (1994) as Maria
- Return to Blood River (1994) as Karen
- In The Cold Light Of Day (1994) as Mother
- Deep in My Heart - Germaine and Benjamin (1994) as Anna Lindsay
- Fish Tale (1994) as Helen Wormsley
- Thatcherworld (1993) as Penny Jenkins
- Rik Mayall Presents (1993) as Sally Denton
- Chef (1993) as Anita Lawrence
- Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1993) as Miss Trumble
- A Statement of Affairs (1993) as Pip
- The Leaving of Liverpool (1992)
- The Leaving of Liverpool (1992) as Ellen, Lil's Mother
- Murder Most Horrid (1991) as Gloria Twigge
- The Storyteller: Greek Myths (1991) as Medusa
- Secret Friends (1991) as Angela
- Do Not Disturb (1991) as Jenny
- Young Soul Rebels (1991) as Ann
- The Orchid House (1991) as Joan
- Hancock (1991) as Freddie Hancock
- The Grasscutter (1990) as Claire Deeds
- Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989) as Lady Millicent
- Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989) as Merlina Rival
- Screen One (1989) as Freddie Hancock
- Behaving Badly (1989)
- The Nightmare Years (1989) as Helga Bauer
- Separate Bedrooms (1989) as Gert
- Red Dwarf (1988) as Genny
- The Modern World: Ten Great Writers (1988) as Winnie Verloc
- Twelfth Night, or What You Will (1988) as Viola / Cesario
- We Think the World of You (1988) as Megan
- Duck (1988)
- Inspector Morse (1987) as Nicole Burgess
- Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987) as Rosie
- Prick Up Your Ears (1987) as Leonie Orton
- Casualty (1986) as Nancy
- Castaway (1986) as Sister Saint Winifred
- Screen Two (1985) as Jenny Coldfield
- Screen Two (1985) as Karen
- Screen Two (1985) as Mother
- A Zed & Two Noughts (1985) as Venus de Milo
- White City (1985) as Alice
- Hard Feelings (1984) as Viv
- Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983) as Dagmara
- Those Glory Glory Days (1983) as Woman
- Acceptable Levels (1983) as Jill
- A Flame to the Phoenix (1983) as Wanda Grabinska
- Timewatch (1982) as Annie Besant
- The Missionary (1982) as Mission Girl
- Home Sweet Home (1982) as Melody
- An Audience with... (1978) as Self
- A Ghost Story for Christmas (1971) as Mrs Ambrigail
- Play for Today (1970) as Melody
- Omnibus (1967)
- From London with Love
- The State of Us as Joan
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Frances Barber best known for?
Frances Barber is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Chelsea Detective (2022), The Bookshop (2017), Mr. Holmes (2015), Act of Aggression (1975).
When and where was Frances Barber born?
Frances Barber was born on May 13, 1958 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, UK.
How many credits does Frances Barber have?
Frances Barber has accumulated over 170 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1967 to 2026.
What is Frances Barber's background in cinema and television?
Frances Barber is an English actress born on May 13, 1958, in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom. She has received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays Camille in 1985 and Uncle Vanya in 1997. Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears in 1...