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Gemma Jones

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Gemma Jones
Born
Jennifer Jones

(1942-12-04) 4 December 1942 (age 81)
Marylebone, London, England
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active1962–present[1]
ParentGriffith Jones
RelativesNicholas Jones (brother)

Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include Sense and Sensibility (1995), the Bridget Jones series (2001–2016), the Harry Potter series (2002–2011), You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010), and Ammonite (2020).

For her role in the BBC television film Marvellous (2014), she won the 2015 BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other roles on television include Rainbow City (1967), The Duchess of Duke Street (1976–1977), Trial & Retribution (2003–2008), Spooks (2007–2008), Teacup Travels (2015–2017), Diana and I (2017), and Gentleman Jack (2019).

Early life

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Jones was born in Marylebone, the daughter of Irene (née Isaac; 1911–1985) and Harold "Griffith" Jones, an actor (1909–2007).[2] Her brother Nicholas Jones is also an actor. She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art,[3] where she won the gold medal.[4]

Career

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During the 1960s, Gemma Jones performed with companies at regional theatres including the Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Little Theatre, Bristol. In 1962 she appeared at the Mermaid Theatre as Gilda in the original stage production of Alfie. In the 1970s, Jones performed in productions with the National Theatre at the Old Vic and with the Royal Shakespeare Company as Hippolyta/Titania. Jones made many further performances in classical and contemporary plays with the RSC in the 1980s and 1990s, including appearances in separate productions of The Winters Tale as both Hermione (1981) and a decade later as Paulina (1993). In 1986, she played the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi in After Aida at the Old Vic Theatre.

On television Jones became known to viewers after starring in the BBC serial Kenilworth (1967) as Queen Elizabeth I, and in BBC 2's 1970 dramatisation of The Spoils of Poynton.

She was first recognised outside the UK in the mid-1970s, after playing the Empress Frederick in the BBC television drama series Fall of Eagles and Louisa Trotter in another BBC drama, The Duchess of Duke Street. In 1980, she played the role of Portia in the BBC Television Shakespeare production of The Merchant of Venice, opposite Warren Mitchell's Shylock.

Jones played Madeleine de Brou in the 1971 Ken Russell film The Devils. She played Mrs. Dashwood alongside Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson in the Academy Award-winning period drama Sense and Sensibility (1995). Her other notable roles include Mrs. Fairfax in Jane Eyre (1997), Lady Queensbury in Wilde (1997), Grace Winslow in The Winslow Boy (1999), Bridget's mother Pam Jones in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) and Poppy Pomfrey in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), reprising her role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011).

From 2007 to 2008, she played Connie James in the BBC1 drama Spooks. She appeared in the Woody Allen film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger in 2010. In 2011, she appeared in the BBC1 series Merlin, as the Cailleach, the gatekeeper to the spirit world. Also in 2011 she appeared in the Bridge Project's version of Richard III as Queen Margaret, alongside Kevin Spacey as Richard III and directed by Sam Mendes, at the Old Vic and subsequently on an international tour.

She received the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Neil Baldwin's mother, Mary, in the 2014 television film Marvellous.[5]

In 2015, Jones played the part of Petunia Howe in the three-part BBC series Capital, based on John Lanchester's novel of the same name.[6] In the 2018 BBC Radio 4 production of The Importance of Being Earnest Jones played the part of Lady Augusta Bracknell.

Jones has twice played the same part of Anne Lister's aunt, first in the 2010 BBC telefilm The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister and again in the 2019-2022 BBC/HBO programme Gentleman Jack.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1971 The Devils Madeleine
1988 Paperhouse Dr. Sarah Nicols
On the Black Hill Mary Jones
1995 Feast of July Mrs. Wainwright
Sense and Sensibility Mrs. Dashwood
1997 Wilde Lady Queensberry
1998 OK Garage Mrs. Wiggins
The Theory of Flight Anne
1999 The Winslow Boy Grace Winslow
Captain Jack Eunice Pickles
Cotton Mary Mrs Freda Davids
2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Pamela Jones
Don't Tempt Me Nancy
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Madam Poppy Pomfrey
2003 Shanghai Knights Queen Victoria
Kiss of Life Sonia
2004 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Pamela Jones
2005 Fragile Mrs. Folder
2007 The Contractor Mrs. Day Short
2008 Good Mother
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Madam Poppy Pomfrey
2010 You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Helena
Forget me Not Lizzie Fisher
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Madam Poppy Pomfrey
Hysteria Lady St. John-Smythe
2013 Burn the Clock Becky Short
2014 Radiator Maria
2016 Bridget Jones's Baby Pamela Jones
2017 God's Own Country Deirdre Saxby
Carnage Davina
Gypsy's Kiss Judith Short
You, Me and Him Sue Miller
2018 The Egg and the Thieving Pie Thelma
Patrick Celia
2019 Rocketman Ivy
2020 Ammonite Molly Anning
2021 Benediction Older Hester Gatty
2022 Emily Aunt Branwell
2023 Wicked Little Letters Victoria Swan
2025 Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Pamela Jones Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Note
1962 ITV Play of the Week Postmistress Episode: "The Typewriter"
No Hiding Place Brenda
1963 The Human Jungle Pamela Phillips Episode: "The Vacant Chair"
ITV Television Playhouse Rachel Episode: "Adam's Apple"
1965 Theatre 625 Victoire / Lucille Desmoulins Episode: "Poor Bitos"
1966 ITV Play of the Week Vera Fawcett Episode: "Come Laughing Home"
Thirteen Against Fate Antoinette Baron Episode: "The Lodger"
Theatre 625 Nina Episode: "The Seagull"
1967 Rainbow City Mary Steele 4 episodes
1968 Sanctuary Sister Stephens Episode: "The Novice"
1969 The Wednesday Play Clarice Episode: "Smoke Screen"
1970 Crime of Passion Nicole Delcourt Episode: "Nicole"
The Spoils of Poynton Fleda Vetch 4 episodes
1971 Shadows of Fear Judith Episode: "At Occupier's Risk"
1974 Fall of Eagles Princess Vicky 2 episodes
1976–1977 The Duchess of Duke Street Louisa Trotter 31 episodes
1980 The Merchant of Venice Portia TV movie
1986 The Importance of Being Earnest Miss Prism
1987 Inspector Morse Anne Staveley Episode: "The Dead of Jericho"
1988 The Storyteller Queen Episode: "The Heartless Giant"
1989 Chelworth Virginia Hincham 8 episodes
1990 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Mrs Peveril 3 episodes
1991 Devices and Desires – Adam Dalgliesh Alice Mair 6 episodes
1993 Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death Sara Glynn TV movie
Screen One Nicky Dobbs Episode: "Tender Loving Care"
The Return of the Borrowers Miss Menzies 3 episodes
1994 Faith Jane Moreton 4 episodes
1997 Jane Eyre Mrs Fairfax
The Phoenix and the Carpet Mrs Bibble 6 episodes
1999 An Evil Streak Beatrice Kyle 3 episodes
2002 Bootleg Mrs Bubby 3 episodes
Midsomer Murders Maisie Gooch Episode: "Ring Out Your Dead"
2003 Agatha Christie's Poirot Miss Cecilia Williams Episode: "Five Little Pigs"
2003–2008 Trial & Retribution Dr Jean Mullins 10 episodes
2005 All About George Kate Kinsey 6 episodes
2007 Ballet Shoes Dr Jakes TV movie
2007–2008 Spooks Connie James 16 episodes
2010 The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister Aunt Lister TV movie
Whistle and I'll Come to You Alice Parkin
2011 Merlin The Cailleach 2 episodes
2013 The Lady Vanishes Rose Flood-Porter TV movie
Death in Paradise Sister Anne Episode: "An Unholy Death"
Last Tango in Halifax Muriel 2 episodes
2014 Marvellous Mary TV movie
2015 Doc Martin Annie Winton 2 episodes
Unforgotten Claire Slater 6 episodes
Capital Petunia 3 episodes
2015–2017 Teacup Travels Great Aunt Lizzie 45 episodes
2017 Diana and I Mrs McDonald TV movie
2019–2022 Gentleman Jack Aunt Anne Lister 16 episodes
2020 Cold Feet Heather Childs 1 episode
2020 The Crown Penelope Carter Episode: "The Hereditary Principle"
2021 Finding Alice Minnie 6 episodes
2023 The Reckoning Agnes Savile 2 episodes
2024 Murder, They Hope Brenda 1 episode

Video games

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Year Title Role
2018 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Madam Pomfrey (voice)

Other projects, contributions

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References

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  1. ^ Noble, Peter, ed. (1982). 1982–1983 Screen International Film And TV Year Book. King Publications.
  2. ^ "Gemma Jones Biography (1942–)".
  3. ^ Gemma Jones Biography – Yahoo! Movies
  4. ^ Radio Times, p.6, 10–16 July 1971.
  5. ^ "Ant and Dec repeat Bafta success". BBC Online. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  6. ^ "BBC One: Capital". BBC Online. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
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