JULIE WALTERS

'Julia Mary Walters', OBE (born February 22, 1950) is an award-winning English actress and a novelist.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Career

Personal life

Filmography

Awards

References

External links

Biography

Early life

Walters was born in Smethwick, West Midlands, England to Thomas Walters, a builder and decorator, and Mary Bridget O'Brien, an Irish Catholic^[1][2] postal clerk.^[3] Walters originally trained as a nurse at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, before studying English and Drama at Manchester Metropolitan University and pursuing a performance career.

Career

Walters first became known as the occasional partner of comedienne Victoria Wood, whom she had met in Manchester. First working together in the 1978 theatre revue ''In At The Death'' and then the TV version of Wood's play ''Talent''. They went on to appear in their own Granada Television series ''Wood and Walters'' in 1982. They have continued to perform together frequently over the years. The Bafta winning BBC follow up Victoria Wood As Seen On TV featured one of Walters' best-known roles, Mrs Overall in Wood's spoof soap opera, ''Acorn Antiques''. She also appeared as Petula Gordino in Wood's sitcom ''dinnerladies''.
Before making her London stage debut in ''Educating Rita'', Walters had worked in regional theatre (including the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool), stand-up comedy and cabaret. Her first serious acting role on TV was in the classic ''Boys from the Blackstuff'' in 1982, and she broke into films with her Academy Award nominated and BAFTA Best Actress award-winning performance opposite Michael Caine in ''Educating Rita'' (1983), a role she had created on the West End stage. In 1991 she starred opposite Liza Minnelli in "Stepping Out" and had a one off television special "Julie Walters and Friends" which featured writing contributions from Victoria Wood and Alan Bennett.
Walters has won numerous other acting awards, and was made an OBE in 1999 for her services to drama. In 2001, she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in Arthur Miller's ''All My Sons''. She received her second Oscar nomination and won a BAFTA for her supporting role as the ballet teacher in ''Billy Elliot'' (2000). She often plays older women, and, in 2002, she won the BAFTA Television Best Actress award for her performance as Paul Reiser's mother in ''My Beautiful Son''.
Walters also played Molly Weasley in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (2001), ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' (2002), ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' (2004) and ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' (2007).
In 2004 Walters starred as a widow determined to make some good come out of her husband's death from cancer in ''Calendar Girls'', which also starred Helen Mirren and Ciarán Hinds; in 2005, Walters again starred as inspirational real-life figure, Marie Stubbs in ''Ahead of the Class''.
In 2006, she came 4th in ITV's poll of the public's 50 Greatest Stars, coming four placed above frequent co-star Victoria Wood. Also in 2006, she played the main role in an ITV drama ''Driving Lessons'' alongside Rupert Grint and later a leading role in the BBC's adaptation of Phillip Pullman's novel ''The Ruby in the Smoke''. In the summer of 2006, she published her first novel, ''Maggie's Tree''.^[4]

Personal life

Walters met her husband Grant Roffey, an AA patrol man, in a whirlwind romance. The couple have a daughter Masie (born 1991), but did not marry until 1997, 11 years into their relationship, when they went to New York. The couple live on an organic farm run by Roffey in Sussex.^[5]

Filmography

★ ''Boys from the Blackstuff'' (1982) (miniseries)

★ ''Wood and Walters''

★ ''Educating Rita'' (1983)

★ ''She'll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas'' (1984)

★ ''Victoria Wood As Seen On TV'' (1985) (TV series)

★ ''Talking Heads'' (1987) (miniseries)

★ ''Personal Services'' (1987)

★ ''Prick Up Your Ears'' (1987)

★ ''Buster'' (1988)

★ ''Killing Dad'' (1989)

★ ''G.B.H.'' (1991) (TV series)

★ ''Sister My Sister'' (1994)

★ ''Pat and Margaret'' (1994)

★ ''Intimate Relations'' (1996)

★ ''dinnerladies'' (1998) (TV series)

★ ''Titanic Town (film)'' (1998)

★ ''Oliver Twist'' (1999) (miniseries)

★ ''Billy Elliot'' (2000)

★ ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (2001)

★ ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' (2002)

★ ''Calendar Girls'' (2003)

★ ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' (2004)

★ ''Wah-Wah'' (2005)

★ ''Driving Lessons'' (2006)

★ ''Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy Three part factual TV series (2006)

★ ''The Ruby in the Smoke'' (2006)

★ ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' (2007)

★ ''Becoming Jane'' (2007)

★ ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' (in production for 2008)

★ ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' (slated for 2010)

Awards

★ 1983: Academy Award (nominated)

★ 1983: Golden Globes (Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy)

★ 1983: BAFTA (Best Actress)

★ 1999: Order of the British Empire

★ 2001: Laurence Olivier Award

★ 2001: Academy Awards(nominated)

★ 2001: Golden Globes (nominated)

★ 2001: BAFTA (Best Actress)

★ 2001: SAG Awards (nominated)

References

1. http://women.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,27870-2328343,00.html
2. http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,490748,00.html
3. http://www.filmreference.com/film/67/Julie-Walters.html
4. http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1921878,00.html
5. http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article1524185.ece

External links

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