Penny Downie


Penny Downie is an Australian actress, noted for her appearances on British television.

Professional career

She began her career in Australia, initially in Brisbane at Twelfth Night Theatre and Brisbane Arts Theatre. Downie was a student of noted theatre director, Joan Whalley. She trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney. After graduation she appeared in TV series such as The Box, Bellbird, The Sullivans, Prisoner and Learned Friends.
She moved to the United Kingdom during the early 1980s. In 1984 when she appeared as Dee Rogers in the Minder episode "If Money Be the Food of Love, Play On". Other UK TV credits include: Inspector Morse, Kavanagh QC, The Cazalets, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Spooks, Trial & Retribution, New Street Law, Poirot, The Ice House,  Lost for Words and  New Tricks.
She also appeared in The Girl in the Cafe, alongside Bill Nighy, Kelly Macdonald and Anton Lesser.
She is also an accomplished stage actress. She is an associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company where she has played roles such as Lady Anne in Richard III alongside Antony Sher, and Hermione and Perdita in The Winter's Tale. She appeared in the premiere of Nick Dear's play The Art of Success in Stratford in 1986 and later at the Barbican Theatre, London, alongside Michael Kitchen and Simon Russell Beale.
In 2008 she played opposite David Tennant and Patrick Stewart as Gertrude, in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet which was subsequently adapted for BBC television and aired in late 2009. Downie played the title character in Euripides' Helen at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2009.
In 2009 she played Mrs. Pienaar in the Clint Eastwood film Invictus.
In 2013 she appeared as Rev Mother Augustine in the Father Brown episode "The Bride of Christ". Downie also played the title role in A Storm in a Flower Vase, a play based on the life of Constance Spry, which held its West End debut at the Arts Theatre.
In 2014, Downie starred in an episode of Suspects as Fiona Sullivan, and appeared as Lady Sinderby, mother of Atticus Aldridge, in series five of Downton Abbey.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1976BellbirdKelly JamisonTV series
1976'Patty Spencer SullivanTV series
1977'Ronnie HeathertonTV series
1979SkywaysMirandaTV series
1980PrisonerKerry VincentTV series
1982CrosstalkCindy
1983Learned FriendsTV series
1984MinderDee RogersTV series
1985WetherbyChrissie
1986C.A.T.S EyesBarbara DashleyTV series
1987LionheartMadelaine
1988CampaignSarah CopelandTV mini-series
1988'Inspector Kate MiskinTV mini-series
1991Screen OneSheilaTV series
1991Stanley and the WomenSusan DukeTV mini-series
1992UnderbellyBarbara ManningTV series
1993Inspector MorseNurse Wendy HazlittTV series
1994ParadiseLindaTV movie
1995'Christina KnatchbullTV series
1996MadsonAndertonTV series
1997'Phoebe MayburyTV movie
1997Food of LoveMary
1998'Venetia AldridgeTV series
1998Crime and PunishmentKaterinaTV movie
1999Lost for WordsAileen LongdenTV movie
1999Kavanagh QCMrs. Rosalind McEneryTV series
2000'Judy Trenor
2001'Margot "Sid" SidneyTV series
2003TrustAnita MatteoTV series
2003ByronLady Judith MilbankeTV movie
2004'Dr. Tessa JellicoeTV series
2004SpooksProsecution QCTV series
2004Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk StockingJudith MassinghamTV movie
2005TimewatchCaeciliaTV series documentary
2005FallingHazelTV movie
2005'RuthTV movie
2005Murder in SuburbiaZenithTV series
2005All About GeorgeEvelynTV series
2005Trial & RetributionMrs ThorpeTV series
2005Murder in RomeCaeciliaTV movie
2006Judge John DeedMoira BlackthornTV series
2006Agatha Christie's PoirotFrances CloadeTV series
2006New Street LawHonor ScammellTV series
2007'Jane GriffithTV movie
2008New TricksDiane KingTV series
2009InvictusMrs Pienaar
2009HamletGertrudeTV movie
2010DoctorsJessica Boyd/Maisie PadkinTV series
2011Waking the DeadBonnie YorkeTV series
2011SilkHelen GuthrieTV series
2011'Caroline MonroeTV mini-series
2011W.E.Dr. Vargas
2011'Rachel MathessonTV series
2012VeraVeronicaTV series
2012ThreesomeJudgeTV series
2013Ripper StreetFlora GableTV series
2013Father BrownRev Mother AugustineTV series
2013Silent WitnessAnne PercivalTV series
2013Girl on a BicycleMargaret
2013BreathlessPennyTV series
2014SuspectsFiona SullivanTV series
2014SiblingsDr. BarkerTV series
2014Downton AbbeyLady SinderbyTV series
2016London Has FallenHome Secretary Rose Kenter
2016'Lady BlackwoodTV series
2016JackieJanet Lee
2017BackEllenTV series
2019AbsentiaValerie ChandrisTV series
2019'Alice, Duchess of GloucesterTV series
2020'Mrs. Penningtonpost-production