Eileen Atkins

Dame Eileen June Atkins, DBE, born on 15 June 1934, is an esteemed English actress renowned for her work in theatre, film, and television since 1953. In 2008, she was honored with the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress and the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role in Cranford. Atkins is a triple-win Olivier Award winner for Best Supporting Performance in 1988, Best Actress for The Unexpected Man in 1999, and for Honour in 2004. She was designated Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1990 and later advanced to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2001. Atkins made her Broadway debut in the 1966 production of The Killing of Sister George, which brought her a Tony Award nomination. She has also co-created popular television dramas such as Upstairs, Downstairs (1971–1975) and The House of Elliot (1991–1994). She wrote the screenplay for the 1997 film Mrs Dalloway and appeared in renowned films like Gosford Park (2001), Cold Mountain (2003), and Robin Hood (2010). Her personal life has seen ups and downs, from a nearly bankrupting investment in Mrs Dalloway to a successful battle against breast cancer.