by Oscar nominee Dame Joan Plowright has died aged 95, her family said.
The British actress, who was married to Lord Laurence Olivier, was known for her Golden Globe-winning performances in the television biopics “Stalin” and “The Cursed April,” for which she was also nominated for an Oscar.
Dame Joan also starred in Love You To Death with River Phoenix and was a star of the West End and Broadway before her international film success.
The lights in London’s West End will be dimmed on Tuesday in memory of the Olivier Prize-winning actress.
Her family said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that the family of Dame Joan Plowright, Lady Olivier, informs you that she passed away peacefully at Denville Hall on January 16, 2025, aged 95, surrounded by her family.”
“She had a long and illustrious career in theater, film and television for seven decades until her blindness forced her into retirement.
“She has enjoyed her last 10 years in Sussex with constant visits from friends and family, full of laughter and fond memories.”
“The family is deeply grateful to Jean Wilson and everyone who cared for them over many years.
“Joan is survived by her loving family: Tamsin and Wilf, Julie-Kate and Dan, Richard, Shelley, Troy, Ali, Jeremy, step-granddaughter and great-granddaughter Kaya and Sophia and soon-to-come great-granddaughter.”
“The family asks that you respect their request for privacy at this time.
“We are so proud of everything Joan did and who she was as a loving and deeply inclusive human being.
“She overcame her many challenges with Plowright courage and a bold determination to make the best of them, and she certainly did.”
“Rest in peace, Joan…”.
Dame Joan’s wedding to Lord Olivier in 1961 was the sensation of the year, and their marriage lasted until the theater great’s death in 1989 at the age of 82.
She became his carer until his death, even though he suffered from a number of chronic illnesses, including cancer.
Her role in the 1991 British comedy “Enchanted April” earned her a Golden Globe for her role as the Wasp Widow, and she was also known for “101 Dalmatians” in 1996 and “Tea With Mussolini” in 1999.
In 1993, she won a second Golden Globe for the television biopic “Stalin.”
In 1961, she won a Tony Award for the role of Jo in Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey on Broadway, where she played her mother opposite the late Dame Angela Lansbury.
Dame Joan was born in Scunthorpe and attended the local grammar school before winning a scholarship to the Old Vic Theater School at the age of 17.
The town’s Scunthorpe Civic Center was renamed the Plowright Theater in the 1990s in honor of the actress’ achievements.
Paying tribute to Dame Joan, Plowright Theater operators Scunthorpe Theaters said in a statement: “We are saddened to hear that Dame Joan Plowright, the esteemed British actress whose career spanned six decades, has passed away at the age of 95 is. Born in Brigg.” She became one of the most important actresses of her generation.
“Our Plowright Theatre, once known as the Scunthorpe Civic Theater, was renamed in the 1990s in recognition of Joan’s achievements and it was her father, Bill Plowright, who founded the Scunthorpe Little Theater Club, which still performs there today.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.”
Her first stage appearance was in If Four Walls Told at the Croydon Repertory Theater in 1948, and she later joined the English Theater Company at the Royal Court.
She met Lord Olivier in 1957 when he was still married to Gone With the Wind star Vivien Leigh, and they fell in love while starring in the stage version of John Osborne’s The Entertainer.
She received the “Dame” award at the 2004 New Year’s Honors.
A year earlier, she appeared in “Freaks And Geeks” creator Paul Feig’s directorial debut “I Am David,” set after World War II.
Feig wrote down
“I marveled at every shot she took and learned so much from her,” said the director of 2016’s “Ghostbusters” and 2011’s “Bridesmaids Alert.”
Dame Joan announced in 2014 that she was retiring from acting after losing her sight due to macular degeneration and being registered as blind.
In 2021, her friend and contemporary Dame Judi Dench spoke of suffering from the same illness.
In 2014, Dame Joan took part in the documentary Nothing Like A Dame with Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi and Dame Maggie Smith, where they discussed their careers and lives.
Hannah Essex, co-chief executive of the UK Theater and the Society of London Theatre, said Dame Joan, who won the Olivier Award for best actress in 1978 for the drama Filumena, was “an iconic and deeply respected figure in the world of theater and has left an indelible impression.” “She is shaping the industry that she has shaped with her talent and commitment.”
She added: “We are honored to help celebrate her extraordinary career (by dimming the lights of the London theater for two minutes) and extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.”
