- In full:
- Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley
- Born:
- May 1, 1946, Srinagar, Kashmir, British India [now in Jammu and Kashmir union territory, India] (age 80)
Joanna Lumley
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Who is Joanna Lumley?
Joanna Lumley, born in British India on May 1, 1946, is a British actress celebrated for her role in the TV sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Lumley's early life involved modeling, but her ambition led her to acting, with initial minor roles, including a part in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, before achieving stardom as Purdey in The New Avengers (1976–77). Her defining role came as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, where she earned BAFTA awards for her performance.
Other notable television credits include Class Act (1994–95) and Sensitive Skin (2005, 2007), as well as roles in films such as James and the Giant Peach (1996), Paddington 2 (2017), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Lumley is also an activist, particularly known for her support of Gurkhas' rights to settle in Britain. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2022.
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What is Joanna Lumley best known for as an actress?
Joanna Lumley, born in British India, is a British actress most famous for her role in the TV sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. In this show, which premiered in 1992, Lumley played Patsy, an outrageous, chain-smoking, drug-taking fashionista, earning her several British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards.
Before Absolutely Fabulous, Lumley achieved stardom as Purdey in the TV show The New Avengers (1976–77). She also played the female lead in the science-fiction series Sapphire and Steel (1979–82).
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What popular television show did Joanna Lumley star in as Patsy Stone?
Joanna Lumley achieved stardom for her role as Patsy Stone in the popular British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab). Created by Jennifer Saunders, the show aired for five seasons and included several specials. Lumley's character, Patsy, is a heavy-drinking, chain-smoking fashionista with a distinctive beehive hairdo. Lumley's performance earned her several British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. Lumley and Saunders revived their roles for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016.
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What other acting roles has Joanna Lumley played in her career?
Joanna Lumley is a British actress celebrated for her role in Absolutely Fabulous. Early in her career, she had small roles, including in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), and a stint on the television drama Coronation Street (1973). Lumley achieved stardom as Purdey in The New Avengers (1976–77). She also played the female lead in the science-fiction series Sapphire and Steel (1979–82).
Other TV credits include the comedy series Class Act (1994–95) and Sensitive Skin (2005, 2007). Lumley has appeared in films such as James and the Giant Peach (1996), Ella Enchanted (2004), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Paddington 2 (2017), Finding Your Feet (2017), and The Picture of Dorian Gray (2021). She has also lent her voice to projects, including Corpse Bride (2005).
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What awards or honors has Joanna Lumley received for her work?
Joanna Lumley is a British actress best known for Absolutely Fabulous, where she played Patsy, earning her several British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards.
Beyond acting, Lumley is a noted activist. She notably led the campaign that successfully granted all Gurkhas who fought for the British army the right to settle in Britain in 2009.
Lumley was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995. In the 2022 New Year Honours List, she was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
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Besides acting, what other causes or activities is Joanna Lumley involved in?
Joanna Lumley, beyond her acting career, is a noted activist who supports a number of causes. She is known for her involvement in the 2009 campaign that successfully persuaded the British government to grant all Gurkhas who had fought for the British army the right to settle in Britain.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Joanna Lumley (born May 1, 1946, Srinagar, Kashmir, British India [now in Jammu and Kashmir union territory, India]) is a British actress who is perhaps best known for her work in the television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.
Lumley was born in India, where her father had fought with the British army’s 6th Gurkha Rifles in World War II. During fierce fighting in Burma (Myanmar) in June 1944, his life was saved by a Gurkha (a solider from Nepal) during a battle. Lumley’s family later returned to Britain, where she was educated at private schools. She took up modeling, but her lifelong ambition was to be an actress. Though she failed an exam at 16 to enter the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she appeared in a series of small roles, including one in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), and she enjoyed a stint (1973) on the television drama Coronation Street.
Lumley achieved stardom when she was cast as Purdey in the popular British TV show The New Avengers (1976–77). Other substantial parts followed, notably the female lead in the science-fiction series Sapphire and Steel (1979–82), but her defining role came in 1992, when she began appearing in the TV situation comedy Absolutely Fabulous, which was created by Jennifer Saunders, who also starred in the show. In Ab Fab, as it came to be known, Lumley played Patsy, an aging, sexually aggressive, chain-smoking, heavy-drinking, drug-taking fashionista with a distinctive beehive hairdo. It was an outrageous and show-stealing performance, and she earned several British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. The show aired for five seasons (1992, 1994, 1995, 2001, and 2003) and had a number of specials. Lumley and Saunders revived their roles for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016.
Lumley’s other notable television credits included the comedy series Class Act (1994–95) and Sensitive Skin (2005, 2007). She also appeared in such films as James and the Giant Peach (1996), Ella Enchanted (2004), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Paddington 2 (2017), Finding Your Feet (2017), and The Picture of Dorian Gray (2021). In addition, she lent her voice to various projects, including Corpse Bride (2005).
Lumley began acting onstage in the early 1970s. Her theatrical credits included West End productions of Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit (1986) and Alan Ayckbourn’s The Revenger’s Comedies (1991) and a 2007 staging of The Cherry Orchard in Sheffield. In 2010–11 Lumley appeared on Broadway in La Bête.
A noted activist, Lumley supported a number of causes. She was especially involved in the campaign that in 2009 persuaded the British government to give all Gurkhas who had fought for the British army the right to settle in Britain. She was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995, and in the 2022 New Year Honours List she was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).