Legendary British actress, Joan Plowright, winner of two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award, has passed away at the age of 95, her family announced on Friday.
Joan Plowright made her on-screen debut in the 1956 film “Moby Dick” and gained wider recognition in the 1960 film adaptation of “The Entertainer”, where she starred alongside, whom she later married.
Throughout her illustrious career, Plowright received nominations for an Academy Award, an Emmy, and two BAFTA Awards. She starred in notable films such as “Enchanted April”, “Tea with Mussolini”, “101 Dalmatians”, and “Drowning by Numbers”.
Plowright retired from acting in 2014. She passed away peacefully on January 16, surrounded by her family, according to a statement reported by the BBC and other British media outlets.
“She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theatre, film, and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire,” the family statement said. “We are so proud of all Joan did and who she was as a loving and deeply inclusive human being.”
In a 2018 BBC documentary, Plowright recalled playing the character Beatie Bryant in the 1959 theatre production “Roots”and the rare thrill of being a female lead in that era.
“Beatie is the centre of attention, the centre of the story instead of being on the side, the decoration bit, the support,” Plowright said, adding, “The female is absolutely at the centre of it and it’s that feeling of elation, exhilaration when you know you’re in charge.”
