Polly Walker

Polly Alexandra Walker (born 19 May 1966) is an English actress.[1] She has starred in the films Enchanted April (1991), 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 (2005–2007). She is also known for her roles in BBC One dramas Prisoners’ Wives (2012–2013), Line of Duty (2016, 2019) and Netflix Original period drama Bridgerton (2020).

Polly Walker
Born
Polly Alexandra Walker

(1966-05-19) 19 May 1966
Warrington, Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse
Laurence Penry-Jones
​
​
(m. 2008)​
Children2

Early life

Walker was born in Warrington, Lancashire. She attended Padgate Church of England Primary School in Warrington and Bush Davies School of Ballet and Performing Arts in East Grinstead until joining Ballet Rambert School at 16. She had to abandon dancing after a leg injury at the age of 18. She then decided to become an actress. She attended Drama Centre London before working at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she played small roles for six months before getting cast in small roles on television.

Career

Film and television

Walker landed the title role in the television series Lorna Doone before making her feature debut in Shogun Mayeda (aka Journey of Honor) (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 gained 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.[2][3] 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, she 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.

In 2018, she starred as Bel, the leading character in Age Before Beauty.

In 2020, she appeared as Lady Lunete, the Queen Regent and mother to Uther Pendragon, a recurring character for 5 episodes in the Netflix series, Cursed. Since December 2020, Walker has starred in the Netflix series Bridgerton as Lady Featherington.

Personal life

On 23 October 2008, Walker married the former actor Laurence Penry-Jones (brother of Rupert Penry-Jones) with whom she lived in the United States for several years. In 2015, they returned to London.[4]

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 The Secret World of Spying Annette Television film
1992 Walking a Tightrope Hélène Lagache
1992 Enchanted April Caroline Dester
1992 Patriot Games Annette
1993 The 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 The Gambler Polina
1997 The Woodlanders Mrs. Charmond Television film
1997 Bastard Mara
1998 Curtain Call Julia
1998 Talk of Angels Mary Lavelle
1998 Dark Harbor Alexis Chandler Weinberg
1999 8½ 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 mini-series, 2 (of 6) episodes
1990 Agatha Christie's Poirot Nick Buckley Episode: "Peril at End House"
1990 Screen Two Nadja Episode: "The Kremlin, Farewell"
2003 The 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: "Deus Ex Machina"
2007 Agatha Christie's Marple Bess Sedgwick Episode: "At Bertram's Hotel"
2007 Cane Ellis Samuels 13 episodes
2009 Numbers Dr. Lorna Ludlow Episode: "Animal Rites"
2009–2010 Caprica Clarice Willow 17 episodes
2010 Sanctuary Ranna Seneschal 2 episodes
2011 Psych Randa Tabet Episode: "Shawn Rescues Darth Vader"
2012–2013 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 9 episodes
2015 The Syndicate DI Lynn Baker 6 episodes
2016; 2019 Line of Duty Gill Biggeloe Series 3 and 5
2016 Paranoid Monica Wayfield 5 episodes
2018 Age Before Beauty Bel Finch 6 episodes
2019-2022 Pennyworth Peggy Sykes 15 episodes
2020-present Bridgerton Portia, Baroness Featherington Series regular
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2020 Cursed Lady Lunete

Video games
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Dark Void Ava, Survivors (voices)

References
  1. "BBC – Drama – People Index: Polly Walker". bbc.co.uk. 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  2. "Rome News: Rome receives Golden Globe Nominations". HBO.com. 13 December 2005. Archived from the original on 17 December 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  3. "Brokeback Mountain leads Golden Globe nominations". CNN.com. 15 December 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  4. Katherine Hassell: Paranoid's Polly Walker: I like playing a troublemaker. Express, 25 September 2016
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