Frances Barber
Born: 1958-05-13 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, UK
Known For: Acting
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).
Filmography
2025
2024
- Hamlet as First Player / Player Queen / Second Clown
2023
- Dreamland as Cheryl
2022
- The Chelsea Detective as Olivia Arnold
- A Bird Flew In as Marie
2021
- Whitstable Pearl as Dolly Nolan
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint as Mrs Ambrigail
- Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel as Herself
2019
- Queens of Mystery as Viv Collins
- Trick or Treat as Miss Ferguson
- Let's Talk About Sex as Narrator
2018
- The Escape as Alison
- Blue Iguana as Princess
- McKellen: Playing the Part
- The Queen and I as Princess Margaret
- An Ideal Husband as Mrs. Cheveley
2017
- The Bookshop as Jessie Welford
- Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool as Joy
- Summer Comedy Shorts as Mum
2016
- The Chosen as Natalia Sedova
- The Rebel as Angela
2015
- Mr. Holmes as Matinee "Madame Schirmer"
2014
- Inside No. 9 as Lesley
- Bucky as Miss Eversham
- The IT Crowd Manual as Self
- Mapp and Lucia as Amelia, Contessa di Faraglione
2013
- Father Brown as Davina Malmort
- Muse of Fire as Self
- The Spa as Virginia (Ginny) Trench
- Psychobitches as Various Roles
- May I Kill U? as Bernice
2012
- We'll Take Manhattan as Diana Vreeland
2011
- Death in Paradise as Diana Watson
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- Silk as Caroline Warwick
- Friday Night Dinner as Sheila Bloom
- Great Expectations as Mrs. Brandley
2010
- Vexed as Pat Poynter
- The Nativity as Elizabeth
- Pete versus Life
2009
- Law & Order: UK
- The Fattest Man in Britain as Janice
2008
- King Lear as Goneril
- Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money as Dinner Guest
- Beautiful People as Miss Prentice
2007
- Benidorm as Daisy
- Goal II: Living the Dream as Carol Harmison
2006
- The IT Crowd as Doctor Mendall
- Hotel Babylon
- The Street
2005
- Doctor Who as Madame Kovarian
- Goal! as Carol Harmison
- Dead Fish as S & M Prostitute
- Funland
- His Passionate Bride as Narrator (voice)
2004
- Agatha Christie's Marple as Lizzie Hinchcliffe
- New Tricks
- Hustle as Clarissa
- Evilenko as Fenja Evilenka
- The Legend of the Tamworth Two as Miss Piggy (voice)
2003
- Flyfishing as Frances
- Listening as Woman
- Monkey Dust as (voice)
- Boudica as Agrippina
2002
- The Red Siren as Eva
- Having It Off
- Celeb
2001
- Superstition as Isabella Flores
- The Gentleman Thief as Julia Sinclair
- Love in a Cold Climate as The Bolter
2000
- Esther Kahn as Rivka Kahn
- Shiner as Georgie
1999
- Plastic Man as Louise Ferman
- Toy Boys as Mrs. Chambers
- Bremner, Bird and Fortune
- Gimme Gimme Gimme as Janine
- The Escort as Jessica
- Plastic Man as Louise Ferman
1998
- Still Crazy as Lady in Black
- Tea as Woman
- Just in Time
1997
- Midsomer Murders as Ingrid Lockston
- Trial & Retribution
- Ruby as Self
- Photographing Fairies as Beatrice Templeton
- A Royal Scandal as Lady Jersey
- The Ice House as Diana Goode
1996
- Dalziel & Pascoe
- Rhodes as Princess Catherine Radziwill
1995
- 3 Steps to Heaven as Andrea Wallis
- Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing as Adonia
- Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town as Sally Denton
1994
- Return to Blood River as Karen
- Space Precinct as Erika Brandt
- Scarborough Ahoy! as Maria
- Giorgino as Marie
- In The Cold Light Of Day as Mother
- Deep in My Heart - Germaine and Benjamin as Anna Lindsay
- Fish Tale as Helen Wormsley
1993
- Chef as Anita Lawrence
- Soft Top Hard Shoulder as Miss Trumble
- Rik Mayall Presents as Sally Denton
- A Statement of Affairs as Pip
1992
- The Leaving of Liverpool as Ellen, Lil's Mother
- The Leaving of Liverpool
1991
- Secret Friends as Angela
- Murder Most Horrid as Gloria Twigge
- Hancock as Freddie Hancock
- The Storyteller: Greek Myths as Medusa
- Young Soul Rebels as Ann
- Do Not Disturb
- The Orchid House as Joan
1990
- The Grasscutter as Claire Deeds
1989
- Agatha Christie's Poirot as Lady Millicent
- Behaving Badly
- The Nightmare Years as Helga Bauer
- Separate Bedrooms as Gert
1988
- Red Dwarf as Genny
- The Modern World: Ten Great Writers as Winnie Verloc
- We Think the World of You as Megan
- Twelfth Night, or What You Will as Viola / Cesario
- Duck
1987
- Inspector Morse as Nicole Burgess
- Prick Up Your Ears as Leonie Orton
- Sammy and Rosie Get Laid as Rosie
1985
- White City as Alice
- A Zed & Two Noughts as Venus de Milo
1984
- Hard Feelings as Viv
1983
- A Flame to the Phoenix as Wanda Grabinska
- Reilly: Ace of Spies as Dagmara
- Acceptable Levels as Jill
- Those Glory Glory Days as Woman
1982
- Timewatch as Annie Besant
- The Missionary as Mission Girl
- Home Sweet Home as Melody
1978
- An Audience with... as Self
1971
- A Ghost Story for Christmas as Mrs Ambrigail
1970
- Play for Today as Melody