Dame Joan Plowright, the acclaimed British actress and widow of Laurence Olivier, died on January 16, 2025, at Denville Hall in Northwood, England at the age of 95. “She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theatre, film and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire,” her family said in a statement.
Born in 1929, Plowright began her professional stage career in 1948 with “If Four Walls Could Talk.” She became a vital member of the Royal Court Theatre in 1956, where she established herself as a key figure in the “kitchen sink” realism movement of the 1950s. Her performances were praised for their “unrivaled capacity for earthy truthfulness and emotional honesty.”
Throughout the 1950s, Plowright built an impressive stage portfolio with acclaimed performances in Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” and Eugene Ionesco’s “The Chairs.” She further distinguished herself in George Bernard Shaw’s plays “Major Barbara” and “Saint Joan.” Her versatility on stage allowed her to portray characters ranging from teenage girls to upper-class English women.
In 1961, she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in “A Taste of Honey.” Her film career reached its pinnacle with an Academy Award nomination for “Enchanted April” (1991), for which she also won a Golden Globe. She earned a second Golden Globe for her role in the television biopic “Stalin.”
“I’ve been very privileged to have such a life,” Plowright said in a 2010 interview. “I mean it’s magic and I still feel, when a curtain goes up or the lights come on if there’s no curtain, the magic of a beginning of what is going to unfold in front of me.”
Her marriage to legendary actor and director Lord Laurence Olivier from 1961 until his death in 1989 marked a significant chapter in British theatrical history. Together, they were instrumental in establishing and nurturing the National Theatre, where Plowright delivered celebrated performances in productions such as “Uncle Vanya,” “Saint Joan,” and “Three Sisters.”
During the 1980s and 1990s, Plowright experienced a remarkable career resurgence. She appeared in numerous acclaimed films, including “Equus” (1977), “The Dressmaker” (1988), “I Love You to Death,” “Jane Eyre,” “Surviving Picasso,” “101 Dalmatians,” and “Tea With Mussolini,” the latter alongside fellow British acting legends Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.
As a leading member of the National Theatre, Plowright remained a personal friend and champion of the institution throughout its history. Her influence on the National Theatre was described as profound, and she maintained strong connections with the theatrical community throughout her career.
Queen Elizabeth II made Plowright a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2004 in recognition of her contributions to the arts. The Scunthorpe Civic Theatre was renamed the Plowright Theatre in her honor.
In 2014, Plowright retired from acting due to macular degeneration, which left her legally blind. Her final stage performance was in 2013 when she reprised her role in “Saint Joan” at the National Theatre in London for its 50th anniversary. She later appeared in the 2018 documentary “Tea With the Dames” alongside her contemporaries.
“She cherished her last 10 years in Sussex with constant visits from friends and family, filled with much laughter and fond memories,” her family stated. They added, “She survived her many challenges with Plowright grit and courageous determination to make the best of them, and that she certainly did.”
London’s West End theatres will dim their lights for two minutes on January 21, 2025, at 7 PM in tribute to her legacy.
She is survived by her children Tamsin, Julie-Kate, and Richard, her grandchildren Shelley, Troy, Ali, and Jeremy, step-granddaughter and great-granddaughters Kaya and Sophia, and a great-granddaughter soon to arrive. Her first marriage was to actor Roger Gage from 1953 to 1960.