Frances Barber

Frances Barber

Known for
Acting
Born
May 13, 1958 (age 68)
Birthplace
Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, UK

Biography

Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays Camille (1985), and Uncle Vanya (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears (1987), We Think the World of You (1988) and Dead Fish (2005); as well as Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987); Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992); and latterly Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017). Barber's numerous television credits include The Street (2009), Doctor Who (2011), Silk (2012–2014), and Whitstable Pearl (2021–2022).

Known For

Filmography

—
From London with Love

From London with Love

Movie

—
A Mother For An Hour poster

A Mother For An Hour

Movie · as Nestan

2026
MUSIK poster

MUSIK

Movie

2026
A Hand to Hold poster

A Hand to Hold

Movie · as Moira

2026
The State of Us poster

The State of Us

Movie · as Joan

2025
The People Before poster

The People Before

Movie

2025
The Secret Santa Project poster

The Secret Santa Project

Movie · as Carol

2024
Hamlet poster

Hamlet

Movie · as First Player / Player Queen / Second Clown

2023
Dreamland poster

Dreamland

TV · as Cheryl · 6 eps

2022
A Bird Flew In poster

A Bird Flew In

Movie · as Marie

2022
The Chelsea Detective poster

The Chelsea Detective

TV · as Olivia Arnold · 5 eps

2021
A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint poster

A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint

Movie · as Mrs Ambrigail

2021
Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel poster

Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel

Movie · as Self

2021
Whitstable Pearl poster

Whitstable Pearl

TV · as Dolly Nolan · 18 eps

2020
Semi-Detached poster

Semi-Detached

TV · as Patricia · 2 eps

2019
Trick or Treat poster

Trick or Treat

Movie · as Miss Ferguson

2019
Let's Talk About Sex poster

Let's Talk About Sex

TV · as Narrator · 3 eps

2019
Queens of Mystery poster

Queens of Mystery

TV · as Viv Collins · 1 ep

2018
Blue Iguana poster

Blue Iguana

Movie · as Princess

2018
The Escape poster

The Escape

Movie · as Alison

2018
McKellen: Playing the Part poster

McKellen: Playing the Part

Movie

2018
An Ideal Husband poster

An Ideal Husband

Movie · as Mrs. Cheveley

2018
The Queen and I poster

The Queen and I

Movie · as Princess Margaret

2017
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool poster

Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

Movie · as Joy

2017
The Bookshop poster

The Bookshop

Movie · as Jessie Welford

2017
Summer Comedy Shorts

Summer Comedy Shorts

TV · as Mum · 1 ep

2016
The Chosen poster

The Chosen

Movie · as Natalia Sedova

2016
The Rebel poster

The Rebel

TV · as Angela · 2 eps

2015
Mr. Holmes poster

Mr. Holmes

Movie · as Matinee "Madame Schirmer"

2015
Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow poster

Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow

TV · as Narrator · 1 ep

2014
The IT Crowd Manual poster

The IT Crowd Manual

Movie · as Self

2014
Bucky

Bucky

Movie · as Miss Eversham

2014
Inside No. 9 poster

Inside No. 9

TV · as Lesley · 1 ep

2014
Mapp and Lucia poster

Mapp and Lucia

TV · as Amelia, Contessa di Faraglione · 3 eps

2013
May I Kill U? poster

May I Kill U?

Movie · as Bernice

2013
Muse of Fire poster

Muse of Fire

Movie · as Self

2013
Bad Education: Christmas Special poster

Bad Education: Christmas Special

Movie · as Alfie's Mum

2013
Father Brown poster

Father Brown

TV · as Davina Malmort · 1 ep

2013
Psychobitches poster

Psychobitches

TV · as Bette Davis, Doris Stokes, Catherine the Great, Elizabeth I, St Catherine, Whistler's Mother, Thora Hind, Josephine-Joseph, Barbara Cartland · 1 ep

2013
The Spa poster

The Spa

TV · as Ginny · 6 eps

2012
We'll Take Manhattan poster

We'll Take Manhattan

Movie · as Diana Vreeland

2012
Playhouse Presents poster

Playhouse Presents

TV · as Bette Davis, Doris Stokes, Catherine the Great · 1 ep

2011
Death in Paradise poster

Death in Paradise

TV · as Diana Watson · 1 ep

2011
Friday Night Dinner poster

Friday Night Dinner

TV · as Sheila Bloom · 1 ep

2011
Great Expectations poster

Great Expectations

TV · as Mrs. Brandley · 2 eps

2011
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip poster

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

TV · as Self - Participant · 1 ep

2011
Silk poster

Silk

TV · as Caroline Warwick QC · 12 eps

2010
Vexed poster

Vexed

TV · as Pat Poynter · 1 ep

2010
Pete versus Life poster

Pete versus Life

TV · 1 ep

2010
The Nativity poster

The Nativity

TV · as Elizabeth · 4 eps

2009
The Fattest Man in Britain poster

The Fattest Man in Britain

Movie · as Janice

2009
Law & Order: UK poster

Law & Order: UK

TV · 1 ep

2008
King Lear poster

King Lear

Movie · as Goneril

2008
Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money

Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money

TV · as Dinner Guest · 1 ep

2008
Beautiful People poster

Beautiful People

TV · as Miss Prentice · 1 ep

2007
Goal II: Living the Dream poster

Goal II: Living the Dream

Movie · as Carol Harmison

2007
Benidorm poster

Benidorm

TV · as Daisy · 1 ep

2006
The Street poster

The Street

TV · 1 ep

2006
Hotel Babylon poster

Hotel Babylon

TV · as Arianna Adams

2006
The IT Crowd poster

The IT Crowd

TV · as Doctor Mendall · 1 ep

2006
Brief Encounters

Brief Encounters

TV · as Jackie Knight · 1 ep

2005
Goal! poster

Goal!

Movie · as Carol Harmison

2005
Dead Fish poster

Dead Fish

Movie · as S & M Prostitute

2005
His Passionate Bride poster

His Passionate Bride

Movie · as Narrator (voice)

2005
Doctor Who poster

Doctor Who

TV · as Madame Kovarian, Eye Patch Lady · 3 eps

2005
Funland poster

Funland

TV · as Connie Woolf · 10 eps

2004
Evilenko poster

Evilenko

Movie · as Fenja Evilenka

2004
The Legend of the Tamworth Two poster

The Legend of the Tamworth Two

Movie · as Miss Piggy (voice)

2004
New Tricks poster

New Tricks

TV · 1 ep

2004
Hustle poster

Hustle

TV · as Clarissa · 1 ep

2004
Agatha Christie's Marple poster

Agatha Christie's Marple

TV · as Lizzie Hinchcliffe · 1 ep

2003
Flyfishing poster

Flyfishing

Movie · as Frances

2003
Listening

Listening

Movie · as Woman

2003
Boudica poster

Boudica

Movie · as Agrippina

2003
Monkey Dust poster

Monkey Dust

TV · as (voice) · 18 eps

2002
The Red Siren poster

The Red Siren

Movie · as Eva

2002
Having It Off

Having It Off

TV · 6 eps

2002
Celeb

Celeb

TV · 6 eps

2001
Superstition poster

Superstition

Movie · as Isabella Flores

2001
The Gentleman Thief poster

The Gentleman Thief

Movie · as Julia Sinclair

2001
Love in a Cold Climate poster

Love in a Cold Climate

TV · as The Bolter · 2 eps

2000
Shiner poster

Shiner

Movie · as Georgie

2000
Esther Kahn poster

Esther Kahn

Movie · as Rivka Kahn

2000
Treasure poster

Treasure

TV · as Mum (voice) · 26 eps

1999
The Escort poster

The Escort

Movie · as Jessica

1999
Plastic Man

Plastic Man

Movie · as Louise Ferman

1999
Toy Boys poster

Toy Boys

Movie · as Mrs. Chambers

1999
Bremner, Bird and Fortune poster

Bremner, Bird and Fortune

TV · 89 eps

1999
Gimme Gimme Gimme poster

Gimme Gimme Gimme

TV · as Janine · 1 ep

1999
Plastic Man poster

Plastic Man

TV · as Louise Ferman · 2 eps

1998
Still Crazy poster

Still Crazy

Movie · as Lady in Black

1998
Just in Time

Just in Time

Movie

1998
Tea poster

Tea

Movie · as Woman

1998
Real Women poster

Real Women

TV · as Anna Nicholls · 7 eps

1997
Photographing Fairies poster

Photographing Fairies

Movie · as Beatrice Templeton

1997
A Royal Scandal poster

A Royal Scandal

Movie · as Lady Jersey

1997
Ruby poster

Ruby

TV · as Self · 2 eps

1997
The Ice House poster

The Ice House

TV · as Diana Goode · 2 eps

1997
Midsomer Murders poster

Midsomer Murders

TV · as Ingrid Lockston, Constance Fielding · 1 ep

1996
Circles of Deceit: Sleeping Dogs

Circles of Deceit: Sleeping Dogs

Movie · as Annie Shepherd

1996
Rhodes poster

Rhodes

TV · as Princess Catherine Radziwill · 8 eps

1996
Dalziel and Pascoe poster

Dalziel and Pascoe

TV · as Amanda 'Cap' Marvell · 1 ep

1995
3 Steps to Heaven poster

3 Steps to Heaven

Movie · as Andrea Wallis

1995
Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing poster

Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing

Movie · as Adonia

1995
Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town poster

Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town

Movie · as Sally Denton

1995
It Might Be You

It Might Be You

Movie · as Wendy

1994
Fish Tale

Fish Tale

Movie · as Helen Wormsley

1994
Giorgino poster

Giorgino

Movie · as Marie

1994
Deep in My Heart - Germaine and Benjamin poster

Deep in My Heart - Germaine and Benjamin

Movie · as Anna Lindsay

1994
In The Cold Light Of Day poster

In The Cold Light Of Day

Movie · as Mother

1994
Scarborough Ahoy! poster

Scarborough Ahoy!

Movie · as Maria

1994
Return to Blood River poster

Return to Blood River

Movie · as Karen

1994
Space Precinct poster

Space Precinct

TV · as Erika Brandt · 1 ep

1993
Soft Top Hard Shoulder poster

Soft Top Hard Shoulder

Movie · as Miss Trumble

1993
A Statement of Affairs

A Statement of Affairs

Movie · as Pip

1993
Thatcherworld poster

Thatcherworld

Movie · as Penny Jenkins

1993
Chef poster

Chef

TV · as Anita Lawrence · 1 ep

1993
Rik Mayall Presents poster

Rik Mayall Presents

TV · as Sally Denton · 1 ep

1992
The Leaving of Liverpool poster

The Leaving of Liverpool

Movie · as Ellen, Lil's Mother

1992
The Leaving of Liverpool poster

The Leaving of Liverpool

TV · 2 eps

1991
Young Soul Rebels poster

Young Soul Rebels

Movie · as Ann

1991
Secret Friends poster

Secret Friends

Movie · as Angela

1991
Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb

Movie · as Jenny

1991
Hancock poster

Hancock

Movie · as Freddie Hancock

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Perseus & the Gorgon poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths - Perseus & the Gorgon

Movie · as Medusa

1991
The Orchid House poster

The Orchid House

TV · as Joan · 4 eps

1991
The Storyteller: Greek Myths poster

The Storyteller: Greek Myths

TV · as Medusa · 1 ep

1991
Murder Most Horrid poster

Murder Most Horrid

TV · as Gloria Twigge · 1 ep

1990
The Grasscutter poster

The Grasscutter

Movie · as Claire Deeds

1989
Separate Bedrooms poster

Separate Bedrooms

Movie · as Gert

1989
Behaving Badly poster

Behaving Badly

TV · 4 eps

1989
The Nightmare Years poster

The Nightmare Years

TV · as Helga Bauer · 4 eps

1989
Agatha Christie's Poirot poster

Agatha Christie's Poirot

TV · as Lady Millicent, Merlina Rival · 1 ep

1989
Screen One poster

Screen One

TV · as Freddie Hancock · 1 ep

1988
Twelfth Night, or What You Will poster

Twelfth Night, or What You Will

Movie · as Viola / Cesario

1988
We Think the World of You poster

We Think the World of You

Movie · as Megan

1988
Duck

Duck

Movie

1988
Red Dwarf poster

Red Dwarf

TV · as Genny · 1 ep

1988
The Modern World: Ten Great Writers poster

The Modern World: Ten Great Writers

TV · as Winnie Verloc · 1 ep

1987
Prick Up Your Ears poster

Prick Up Your Ears

Movie · as Leonie Orton

1987
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid poster

Sammy and Rosie Get Laid

Movie · as Rosie

1987
Inspector Morse poster

Inspector Morse

TV · as Nicole Burgess · 1 ep

1986
Castaway poster

Castaway

Movie · as Sister Saint Winifred

1986
Casualty poster

Casualty

TV · as Nancy · 1 ep

1985
A Zed & Two Noughts poster

A Zed & Two Noughts

Movie · as Venus de Milo

1985
White City poster

White City

Movie · as Alice

1985
Screen Two poster

Screen Two

TV · as Jenny Coldfield, Karen, Mother · 1 ep

1984
Hard Feelings poster

Hard Feelings

Movie · as Viv

1983
A Flame to the Phoenix poster

A Flame to the Phoenix

Movie · as Wanda Grabinska

1983
Acceptable Levels poster

Acceptable Levels

Movie · as Jill

1983
Those Glory Glory Days poster

Those Glory Glory Days

Movie · as Woman

1983
Reilly: Ace of Spies poster

Reilly: Ace of Spies

TV · as Dagmara · 3 eps

1982
Home Sweet Home poster

Home Sweet Home

Movie · as Melody

1982
The Missionary poster

The Missionary

Movie · as Mission Girl

1982
Timewatch poster

Timewatch

TV · as Annie Besant · 1 ep

1978
An Audience with... poster

An Audience with...

TV · as Self · 1 ep

1971
A Ghost Story for Christmas poster

A Ghost Story for Christmas

TV · as Mrs Ambrigail · 1 ep

1970
Play for Today poster

Play for Today

TV · as Melody · 1 ep

1967
Omnibus poster

Omnibus

TV · 1 ep