Susan Wooldridge: Movies, Awards & Box Office

Susan Wooldridge, born on 31 July 1950 in Hammersmith, London, is a celebrated British actress and writer whose career has spanned over five decades. The daughter of distinguished actress Margaretta Scott and composer John Wooldridge, she was immersed in the performing arts from an early age. Educated at convent schools before refining her craft at the Central School of Speech and Drama and the renowned L'École Jacques Lecoq in Paris, Wooldridge cultivated a versatile technique that would serve her across stage, screen, and page. Her breakout television role arrived in 1984 with the critically acclaimed series The Jewel in the Crown, where she portrayed the tragic Daphne Manners, a performance that earned her a BAFTA nomination and the ALVA Award for Best Actress. Two years later she captured the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her nuanced turn as Molly in Hope and Glory, cementing her status as a leading character actress. Wooldridge’s filmography includes a rich variety of British and co‑British productions such as The Shout (1978), The Last Place on Earth (1985), How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989), and more recent titles like Tamara Drewe (2010) and The Lady (2011). On television she has appeared in landmark series including All Quiet on the Preston Front, Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky, Poirot, and the American period drama Still Star‑Crossed (2017), showcasing her ability to navigate both comedic and dramatic material with equal skill. In addition to acting, Wooldridge pursued a writing career; her debut novel The Hidden Dance was published in 2009 and won the Best Red Read award for Best Debut Novel in 2010. She continues to be active on the British stage, taking on iconic roles such as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest and championing new playwrights. Residing in London, she shares her life with partner, actor‑writer Andy de la Tour, and remains a respected figure in the UK entertainment community.