Dame Joan Plowright, the Tony- and two-time Golden Globe-winning actress and widow to Laurence Olivier, has died. She was 95.
Her family confirmed her Thursday death in a statement to the BBC on Friday: “It is with great sadness that the family of Dame Joan Plowright, the Lady Olivier, inform you that she passed away peacefully on Jan. 16, 2025, surrounded by her family at Denville Hall aged 95. She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theatre, film and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire.”
“She cherished her last 10 years in Sussex with constant visits from friends and family, filled with much laughter and fond memories,” the statement continued. “She survived her many challenges with Plowright grit and courageous determination to make the best of them, and that she certainly did. Rest in peace, Joan.”
Plowright is one of just four women to have ever won two Golden Globes in the same night — both of 1993’s Best Supporting Actress awards, one for the movie “Enchanted April” and the other for the TV film “Stalin.” Additionally, she received a Tony Award for “A Taste of Honey” in 1961, as well as nominations at the Emmys, BAFTAs (twice) and the Oscars.
Fittingly, she also won a Laurence Olivier Award in 1978 for “Filumena.”
Born on Oct. 28, 1929, Lincolnshire, Plowright went on to study at Bristol’s Old Vic theater. She and fellow actor Olivier wed in 1961 after meeting onstage in “The Entertainer” and were married until his death at age 82 in 1989. They had three children together. Queen Elizabeth then gave her a DBE in 2003.
In addition to her award-winning performances, Plowright was well-known for her work in “Dennis the Menace,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “Equus,” “The Entertainer,” “Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont,” “Encore! Encore!” and “Uncle Vanya,” among many others.
