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
2026
- The State of Us as Joan
- A Hand to Hold as Moira
- MUSIK
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
- Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel as Self
- A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint as Mrs Ambrigail
2020
- Semi-Detached as Patricia
2019
- Queens of Mystery as Viv Collins
- Let's Talk About Sex as Narrator
- Trick or Treat as Miss Ferguson
2018
- Blue Iguana as Princess
- The Escape as Alison
- The Queen and I as Princess Margaret
- McKellen: Playing the Part
- 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 Rebel as Angela
- The Chosen as Natalia Sedova
2015
- Mr. Holmes as Matinee "Madame Schirmer"
- Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow as Narrator
2014
- Inside No. 9 as Lesley
- Mapp and Lucia as Amelia, Contessa di Faraglione
- The IT Crowd Manual as Self
- Bucky as Miss Eversham
2013
- Father Brown as Davina Malmort
- The Spa as Ginny
- Psychobitches as Bette Davis
- Muse of Fire as Self
- Bad Education: Christmas Special as Alfie's Mum
- May I Kill U? as Bernice
2012
- Playhouse Presents as Bette Davis
- We'll Take Manhattan as Diana Vreeland
2011
- Death in Paradise as Diana Watson
- Silk as Caroline Warwick QC
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- Friday Night Dinner as Sheila Bloom
- Great Expectations as Mrs. Brandley
2010
- Vexed as Pat Poynter
- Pete versus Life
- The Nativity as Elizabeth
2009
- Law & Order: UK
- The Fattest Man in Britain as Janice
2008
- Beautiful People as Miss Prentice
- King Lear as Goneril
- Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money as Dinner Guest
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
- Funland as Connie Woolf
- Dead Fish as S & M Prostitute
- His Passionate Bride as Narrator (voice)
2004
- Agatha Christie's Marple as Lizzie Hinchcliffe
- Hustle as Clarissa
- New Tricks
- Evilenko as Fenja Evilenka
- The Legend of the Tamworth Two as Miss Piggy (voice)
2003
- Monkey Dust as (voice)
- Boudica as Agrippina
- Listening as Woman
- Flyfishing as Frances
2002
- The Red Siren as Eva
- Celeb
- Having It Off
2001
- Love in a Cold Climate as The Bolter
- Superstition as Isabella Flores
- The Gentleman Thief as Julia Sinclair
- The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream ... (Thanks)
2000
- Shiner as Georgie
- Esther Kahn as Rivka Kahn
1999
- Bremner, Bird and Fortune
- Gimme Gimme Gimme as Janine
- The Escort as Jessica
- Plastic Man as Louise Ferman
- Toy Boys as Mrs. Chambers
- Plastic Man as Louise Ferman
1998
- Still Crazy as Lady in Black
- Real Women as Anna Nicholls
- Tea as Woman
- Just in Time
1997
- Midsomer Murders as Ingrid Lockston
- Ruby as Self
- The Ice House as Diana Goode
- Photographing Fairies as Beatrice Templeton
- A Royal Scandal as Lady Jersey
1996
- Dalziel and Pascoe as Amanda 'Cap' Marvell
- Rhodes as Princess Catherine Radziwill
- Circles of Deceit: Sleeping Dogs as Annie Shepherd
1995
- Rik Mayall Presents: Dirty Old Town as Sally Denton
- Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing as Adonia
- It Might Be You as Wendy
- 3 Steps to Heaven as Andrea Wallis
1994
- Space Precinct as Erika Brandt
- Giorgino as Marie
- Scarborough Ahoy! as Maria
- Deep in My Heart - Germaine and Benjamin as Anna Lindsay
- In The Cold Light Of Day as Mother
- Return to Blood River as Karen
- Fish Tale as Helen Wormsley
1993
- Chef as Anita Lawrence
- Rik Mayall Presents as Sally Denton
- Soft Top Hard Shoulder as Miss Trumble
- Thatcherworld as Penny Jenkins
- A Statement of Affairs as Pip
1992
- The Leaving of Liverpool
- The Leaving of Liverpool as Ellen, Lil's Mother
1991
- Murder Most Horrid as Gloria Twigge
- The Storyteller: Greek Myths as Medusa
- Young Soul Rebels as Ann
- The Orchid House as Joan
- Do Not Disturb as Jenny
- Secret Friends as Angela
- Hancock as Freddie Hancock
1990
- The Grasscutter as Claire Deeds
1989
- Agatha Christie's Poirot as Lady Millicent
- Screen One as Freddie Hancock
- 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
- Screen Two as Jenny Coldfield
- A Zed & Two Noughts as Venus de Milo
- White City as Alice
1984
- Hard Feelings as Viv
1983
- Reilly: Ace of Spies as Dagmara
- Acceptable Levels as Jill
- A Flame to the Phoenix as Wanda Grabinska
- 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