 A former nurse, the Birmingham-born and Manchester Poly-educated Julie Walters came to the screen in 1983 with éclat when she reprised her triumphant stage role as the working-class wife who takes to university study in Educating Rita (d. Lewis Gilbert), receiving a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination. The tough, gutsy humanity she brought to the part, and which she would bring to other roles such as the anguished Kate Keller in the National Theatre's acclaimed revival of All My Sons (2000) and on screen as the chain-smoking ballet teacher who spots the potential of Billy Elliot (d. Stephen Daldry, 2000, another BAFTA and Oscar nomination, this time as supporting actress), established her as a major actress. Fans of the TV comedy series of the '80s in which she partnered Victoria Wood may have wondered if they were watching the same performer. By now, however, it is clear that she will tackle almost anything, from Lady Macbeth to the outrageous old trollop she played in TV's dinnerladies (BBC, 1998), from businesslike 'madam' in Personal Services (d. Terry Jones, 1987), to the train robber's expatriated wife longing for England in Buster (d. David Green, 1988), the domineering Madame Danzard in Sister My Sister (d. Nancy Meckler, 1995) and the fiercely loyal friend in Girls' Night (UK/US, d. Nick Hurran, 1998). She was made an OBE in 2000. Brian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of British Film
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FILM & TV CREDITS
