Polly Walker
| Polly Walker | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Polly Alexandra Walker 19 September 1966 Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse(s) | Laurence Penry-Jones (2008–present) |
| Children | 2 |
Polly Alexandra Walker (born 19 September 1966) is an English actress.[1] She has starred in the films Enchanted April (1992), Patriot Games (1992), Sliver (1993), Restoration (1995), The Gambler (1997) and Savage Messiah (2002). In 2006, she received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her role in the drama series Rome (2005–07).
Early life
Walker was born in Warrington, Lancashire,[2] England. She attended Padgate Church of England Primary School in Warrington and Silverdale Preparatory School, West Acton, London. At 16, Walker graduated from Ballet Rambert School in Twickenham and began her career as a dancer but had to abandon dancing after a leg injury at the age of 18. She then decided to become an actress. She moved from the Drama Centre in London to the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she played bit parts for six months before graduating to small roles on television.
Film and television roles
Walker landed the title role in the television series Lorna Doone before making her feature debut in Shogun Mayeda (1991). In that same year she appeared in Les Equilibristes and in Mike Newell's Enchanted April, in which she played an aristocrat eager to escape the attentions of her persistent male admirers. Walker first garnered international attention in 1992 as a single-minded English member of an Irish terrorist group in Phillip Noyce's Patriot Games. In 2003 she had a starring role in the BBC drama series State of Play.
Between 2005 and 2007, Walker played Atia of the Julii in both seasons of the HBO/BBC2 television series Rome. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination in 2005 for Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama.[3][4] She next played the sinister Catherine Braithwaite in Deus Ex Machina, a two-episode story of the BBC television "cold case" crime series Waking the Dead, which also aired in January 2007. In May 2007, Walker appeared as Lady Bess Sedgwick in ITV's Marple: At Bertram's Hotel, and then played sugar heiress Ellis Samuels in the CBS television drama Cane, which premiered 25 September 2007.
In May 2008, Walker was cast as Sister Clarice Willow, headmistress of a private religious school, in Syfy's Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica. In 2011 she guest starred as Ranna Seneschal, leader of the underground city of Praxis, on Sanctuary.
In 2012, she starred in BBC's crime drama Prisoners Wives as crime wife Francesca Miller. She returned to the role in 2013 for the second series.
In 2014, she had a recurring role as the character Delphine Day in the ITV series Mr Selfridge.
In 2015, she appeared in The Syndicate - as DI Baker.
Personal life
She is one of four siblings. Walker has two children from two previous relationships, Giorgio (b. 1993) and Delilah (b. 2000). She currently lives in the United States. On 23 October 2008, Walker married former actor Laurence Penry-Jones (brother of Rupert Penry-Jones), most famous for his role as Dr. Oliver Berg in the BBC soap Doctors.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Lorna Doone | Lorna Doone | Television film |
| 1991 | Journey of Honour | Cecilia | |
| 1991 | Ao Fim da Noite | ||
| 1992 | A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia | Mme. Dumont | Television film |
| 1992 | Secret World of Spying, TheThe Secret World of Spying | Annette | Television film |
| 1992 | Walking a Tightrope | Hélène Lagache | |
| 1992 | Enchanted April | Caroline Dester | |
| 1992 | Patriot Games | Annette | |
| 1993 | Trial, TheThe Trial | Leni | |
| 1993 | Sliver | Vida Warren | |
| 1995 | Restoration | Celia Clemence | |
| 1996 | Emma | Jane Fairfax | |
| 1997 | Roseanna's Grave | Cecilia | |
| 1997 | Robinson Crusoe | Mary McGregor | |
| 1997 | Gambler, TheThe Gambler | Polina | |
| 1997 | Woodlanders, TheThe Woodlanders | Mrs. Charmond | Television film |
| 1997 | Bandyta | Mara | |
| 1998 | Curtain Call | Julia | |
| 1998 | Talk of Angels | Mary Lavelle | |
| 1998 | Dark Harbor | Alexis Chandler Weinberg | |
| 1999 | ½ Women, 88 ½ Women | Palmira | |
| 2000 | After Alice | Dr. Vera Swann | |
| 2002 | D-Tox | Jenny | |
| 2002 | Savage Messiah | Paula Jackson | Nominated—Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |
| 2002 | Jeffrey Archer: The Truth | Mrs. Archer | Television film |
| 2004 | Control | Barbara Copeland | |
| 2006 | Scenes of a Sexual Nature | Esther | |
| 2010 | Clash of the Titans | Cassiopeia | |
| 2012 | John Carter | Sarkoja | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Storyboard | Margaret Niner | Episode: "Hunted Down" |
| 1989 | Rules of Engagement | Fiona | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Nick Buckley | Episode: "Peril at End House" |
| 1990 | Screen Two | Nadja | Episode: "The Kremlin, Farewell" |
| 2003 | Mayor of Casterbridge, TheThe Mayor of Casterbridge | Lucetta Templeman | Television series |
| 2003 | State of Play | Anne Collins | 6 episodes |
| 2005–2007 | Rome | Atia of the Julii | 22 episodes Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2007 | Waking the Dead | Catherine Braithwaite | 2 episodes |
| 2007 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Bess Sedgwick | |
| 2007 | Cane | Ellis Samuels | 13 episodes |
| 2009 | Numb3rs | Dr. Lorna Ludlow | Episode: "Animal Rites" |
| 2009–10 | Caprica | Clarice Willow | 17 episodes |
| 2010 | Sanctuary | Ranna Seneschal | 2 episodes |
| 2012–13 | Prisoners’ Wives | Francesca | 10 episodes |
| 2012 | The Mentalist | FBI Agent Alexa Shultz | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Warehouse 13 | Charlotte Dupres | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | Mr Selfridge | Delphine Day | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | The Syndicate | DI Baker | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | Line Of Duty | Gill | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | Paranoid | Monica Wayfield |
References
- ↑ "BBC – Drama – People Index: Polly Walker". bbc.co.uk. 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ↑ 'Lancashire' is correct. Warrington did not become part of Cheshire until 1st April 1974
- ↑ "Rome News: Rome receives Golden Globe Nominations". HBO.com. 13 December 2005. Archived from the original on 17 December 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
- ↑ "Brokeback Mountain leads Golden Globe nominations". CNN.com. 15 December 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2014.