“I went to a terrifying boarding school and everyone was a brilliant singer or musician or artist, and I wasn't good at any of those things, so I became the school clown. Someone spotted me, cast me as the Artful Dodger in a play and that was it.”

English actress

Geraldine James is an English actress known for work across television, stage and film. Her career spans several decades, and she is known for roles in British drama and period stories. She played Sarah Layton in The Jewel in the Crown, Marilla Cuthbert in the Netflix series Anne with an E, and Queen Mary in the film Downton Abbey. She also won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance in the television film She's Been Away.