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Julia Kathleen Nancy McKenzie (born 17 February 1941) is an English actress, singer, presenter, and theatre director. She has premièred leading roles written by both Alan Ayckbourn and Stephen Sondheim. On television, she is known for her BAFTA Award nominated role as Hester Fields in the sitcom Fresh Fields (1984–1986) and its sequel French Fields (1989–1991), as Miss Marple in Agatha Christie's Marple (2009–2013) and for her appearance in the BBC One costume drama series Cranford.
McKenzie has also starred in numerous musicals, receiving a 1977 Tony Award nomination for her work in the Broadway revue, Side by Side by Sondheim. A six-time Olivier Award nominee, she has twice won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical; for the 1982 revival of Guys and Dolls and the 1993 revival of Stephen Sondheim's . She also starred in the original London productions of the Sondheim musicals Follies (1987) and Into the Woods (1990). Her film appearances include Bright Young Things (2003) and Notes on a Scandal (2006).
For her role in the 1986 West End production of the Alan Ayckbourn play Woman in Mind, McKenzie won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress. She went on to appear in the original West End productions of two Stephen Sondheim musicals, playing Sally in Follies at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1987,Hutchins, Michael H. (compiler). "'Follies', 1987 London Production" Sondheimguide.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011 and the Witch in Into the Woods at the Phoenix Theatre in 1990.Hutchins, Michael H. (compiler). "'Into the Woods', 1990 London production" Sondheimguide.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011 She continued her association with Sondheim when she starred as Mrs Lovett in the 1993 London revival of . The role won her a second Olivier Award in 1994.
McKenzie appeared in a National Theatre 80th birthday tribute to Lord Olivier, Happy Birthday, Sir Larry, on 31 May 1987 in the presence of Olivier himself.Cast list from Happy Birthday, Sir Larry theatre programme, 31 May 1987
She was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1981 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside the Royalty Theatre in London.
In 2007, she was reunited with Anton Rodgers (again as a husband and wife team) in the ITV Network comedy You Can Choose Your Friends. Also in 2007, she co-starred with Michael Gambon and Judi Dench in the BBC One costume drama series Cranford, playing Mrs Forrester, a military widow of slender means, very attached to her cow Bessie. "'Cranford' Characters, Mrs. Forrester" PBS.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011
In 2008, she was announced as the replacement for Geraldine McEwan as ITV's Miss Marple.Hemley, Matthew. "McKenzie to take on Miss Marple role for ITV" The Stage, 11 February 2008 She noted: "It's difficult because Agatha Christie wrote her in two ways ... First, very much what Geraldine McEwan played: a slight, rather Victorian creature. Then, a little sturdier and tweedier. I chose the latter. A lot of people say they don't like the tweedier version. But they're both genuine." Also, she said: "Just about everybody in the world knows about Miss Marple and has an opinion of what she should be like, so I’m under no illusions about the size of the task ahead." McKenzie's first series of Marple comprised A Pocket Full of Rye, Murder Is Easy, They Do It with Mirrors and Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. The second series of the show, which aired in 2010, included The Pale Horse, The Secret of Chimneys, The Blue Geranium, and The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side. A sixth series, including adaptations of A Caribbean Mystery, Greenshaw's Folly and Endless Night, began filming in September 2012 and was broadcast in 2013.
During 2012, she also played the role of Betty Nicholas in the ITV television series The Town.Wilson, Frances The Town, ITV1, review at The Daily Telegraph, 5 December 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2013
On 26 December 2013, McKenzie appeared as the title character in the TV film adaptation of David Walliams's book Gangsta Granny. In February 2015, McKenzie appeared as Shirley Mollison in the BBC mini series The Casual Vacancy. She played the mother of one of the main protagonists in the 2019 TV series, Gold Digger. She joined an ensemble cast in the film Allelujah, released in March 2023.
She also recorded an audio book of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass. SilkSoundBooks "About Julia McKenzie" silksoundbooks.com. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
McKenzie also lent her voice to several animated works for Martin Gates Productions including three films The Snow Queen, Jack and the Beanstalk and The Snow Queen's Revenge and the TV series Bimble's Buckett. In 2018, Julia McKenzie was cast as The Twelve in a Big Finish production The Eighth Doctor – Time War 2 And 4.
In 2012 she appeared in the short film Happy and Glorious, produced by Lisa Osborne for the BBC and directed by Danny Boyle as part of the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, doubling for Queen Elizabeth II in the scene where Her Majesty boards a helicopter alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond as her escort to the Olympic Stadium.
Other work
She is a radio performer with a long list of credits, including Blithe Spirit, The Country Wife and A Room with a View. As a director she has staged Stepping Out, Peter Pan, Hey, Mr. Producer!, Steel Magnolias, Putting It Together and A Little Night Music. Throughout the early mid 2000s she played Ariadne Oliver in radio adaptations of Agatha Christie novels starring John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot; one such novel was Elephants Can Remember.
Personal life
In 1971 McKenzie married American actor-director Jerry Harte. He died in 2018. McKenzie was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to drama. She is a critic of fox hunting and was among more than 20 high-profile people who signed a letter to members of parliament in 2015 to oppose Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to amend the Hunting Act 2004.
Theatre
Acting
Directing
Filmography
1975 Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done Rose Maybud 1980 The Wildcats of St. Trinian's Miss Dolly Dormancott 1986 Hotel du Lac Jennifer Pusey 1989 Shirley Valentine Gillian 1995 The Snow Queen Grandma, The Old Lady, Freda voice 1996 Vol-au-vent Audrey The Snow Queen's Revenge The Snow Queen, Freda and Proprietor voice 2003 Bright Young Things Lottie Crump 2006 These Foolish Things Miss Abernethy Notes on a Scandal Marjorie 2013 Gangsta Granny Granny 2022 Allelujah Mrs Maudsley
Awards and nominations
1977 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical Side by Side by Sondheim Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical 1980 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical On the Twentieth Century 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical Guys and Dolls 1985 BAFTA TV Award for Best Entertainment Performance Fresh Fields 1986 Olivier Award for Best Actress Woman in Mind Evening Standard Award for Best Actress 1987 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical Follies 1991 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical Into the Woods 1993 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
External links
Categories: 1941 Births, Living People, Actresses From London, Alumni Of The Guildhall School Of Music And Drama, English Film Actresses, English Musical Theatre Actresses, English Radio Actresses, English Television Actresses, English Theatre Directors, British Women Theatre Directors, English Theatre Managers And Producers, British Women Theatre Managers And Producers, Laurence Olivier Award Winners, Actors From The London Borough Of Enfield, Singers From The London Borough Of Enfield, Audiobook Narrators, English Stage Actresses, Commanders Of The Order Of The British Empire, 20th-century English Actresses, 20th-century English Women Singers, 20th-century English Singers, 21st-century English Actresses, 21st-century English Women Singers, 21st-century English Singers, People From Enfield, London
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