Marcia Warren (born 26 November 1943) is an English stage, film and television actress. On stage, she appeared in Blithe Spirit as Madame Arcati and The Sea (2008) at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. In 2022 and 2023, she starred as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in seasons 5 and 6 of the Netflix historical drama series The Crown.
She is a two-time Olivier Award winner.
Early life Warren trained as an actress at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 1963. From there on she took the path of many of her performing contemporaries, acting in repertory throughout the country, beginning as an assistant stage manager in David Copperfield in Salisbury.
Career From 1983 to 1986 she played Vera in the BBC sitcom, No Place Like Home. From 2013 to 2016, she played the role of Penelope in the ITV sitcom Vicious and also starred in the 2014 sitcom Edge of Heaven as Nanny Mo. She has also appeared in Keeping Up Appearances, Midsomer Murders and Inside No. 9.
Awards She has won two Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role—one in 1984 for Stepping Out and the other in 2002 for Humble Boy at the Royal National Theatre. She was also nominated for another in 2001 for In Flame at the New Ambassadors Theatre. For her role as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in The Crown, Warren received two nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Year Award Category Nominated work Result 1984Laurence Olivier AwardsBest Supporting Actress Stepping Out 2001 In Flame 2002 Humble Boy 2023Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The Crown 2024
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1986 Mr. Love Doris Lovelace 1994 Don't Get Me Started Pauline Lewis2004GladiatressQueen Tuathfhlaifthfth2005 Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Vera Post The Jealous God Mrs Dungarvan2006 Housewife, 49 Mrs Lord Television film 2011 Hattie Esma Cannon Television film 2012 Run for Your Wife Woman on seat 2016 Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie Lubliana
Television
Year Title Role Notes 1972 Public Eye Waitress "Girl in Blue" 1983–1986 No Place Like Home Vera Botting sitcom 1986 We'll Think of Something Maureen Brooks ITV sitcom 1986I Woke Up One Morning Doris BBC sitcom 1991Miss Pym's Day Out Dora Caldicote 1991The Diamond Brothers: South by South EastMrs JacksonCITV mini-series 1992 Keeping Up Appearances Bunty sitcom 1995 SearchingChancy's Mum sitcom 1996–1998 Dangerfield Angela Wakefield drama 2000 Coronation Street Gladys Braithwaite guest role 2003–2004 My Dad's the Prime Minister Granny Philips sitcom 2006 Housewife, 49 Mrs Lord 2006, 2008 Jam & Jerusalem Lady Anne Crump sitcom 2007 Midsomer Murders Melissa Shrike “Death in a Chocolate Box” (Series 10, Episode 8) 2008 Consuming Passion: 100 Years of Mills & Boon ElsieBBC Four drama 2008 The Long Walk to Finchley Old Dear BBC Four drama 2009 Victoria Wood's Midlife Christmas Arnica 2011 The Café Alice Dobson Sky1 2013–2016 Vicious Penelope ITV sitcom2014 Father Brown Miss Audrey Diggle "The Pride of the Prydes" Episode 2.3 2014 Edge of Heaven Nanny Mo ITV sitcom2014 Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death Mrs Boggle Sky1 2015 Crackanory Dolly Coblington Series 3, Episode 6 2017 Sherlock Vivian Norbury"The Six Thatchers" (Series 4, Episode 1)2017JoshVioletSeries 3, Episode 42018Inside No. 9Alice"Zanzibar" (Series 4, Episode 1) 2019Don’t Forget the DriverJoySeries 12019Not Going Out Mrs HoskinsHalloween Special (Series 10, Episode 8)2019Midsomer MurdersBelinda Braun“The Causton Lions” (Series 20, Episode 4)2022–2023The CrownQueen Elizabeth the Queen MotherMain role (Seasons 5–6)Veteran actress Marcia Warren cast as The Queen Mother in 'The Crown' MediaMole TV News, August 3, 20212023Beyond ParadiseFloellaEpisode 52026Alice and SteveVal
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2003 Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness Margot Carvier (voice only) 2014 Dark Souls II Morrel/Merchant Hag Melentia (voice only)
References
External links
20 Questions ... Marcia Warren. WhatsOnStage, 2003-2-10