Announcements from major UK theatres or news outlets

Dame Joan Plowright, Oscar-Nominated and Tony-Winning British Actress, Dies at 95

Jan 17, 2025, 11:05 AM

Dame Joan Plowright, the award-winning British actress and widow of Laurence Olivier, has died at the age of 95, her family has announced. Plowright enjoyed a distinguished career spanning seven decades across theatre, film, and television. She was acclaimed for her performances at the Royal Court, National Theatre, and West End, and was one of the few actresses to win two Golden Globes in the same year. Plowright married Laurence Olivier in 1961, and together they helped revitalize the UK's theatrical scene in the decades after World War II. She won a Tony Award for "A Taste of Honey" and received an Oscar nomination for "Enchanted April." Her notable film roles included "Tea With Mussolini." Plowright retired from acting after losing her sight but remained an influential figure in the arts. Theatres across London's West End will dim their lights for two minutes on January 21 in her memory, according to the Society of London Theatre. Her family said they are "so proud of all Joan did and who she was as a loving and deeply inclusive human being."