Imogen Stubbs (born 20 February 1961) is an English actress and writer.
Her first leading part was in Privileged (1982), followed by A Summer Story (1988).
Her first play, We Happy Few, was produced in 2004. In 2008 she joined Reader's Digest as a contributing editor and writer of fiction.
Early life
Imogen Stubbs was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, lived briefly in Portsmouth, Hampshire, where her father was a naval officer, and then moved with her parents to London, where they lived on a vintage river barge on the Thames. She was educated at Cavendish Primary School, Chiswick, then at two independent schools: St Paul's Girls' School and Westminster School. She took her bachelor's degree at Exeter College, Oxford, gaining a First Class degree.
While at Oxford, she played Irina in a student production of Three Sisters at the Oxford Playhouse. She also appeared in a student review called Dinosaur Can-can at the same theatre. After graduating, she enrolled at RADA, and while there had her first professional work, playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. In 1982 she appeared in her first film, Privileged.
Stubbs graduated from RADA in the same class as Jane Horrocks and Iain Glen, and later became an Associate Member of RADA.
Career In the 1980s Stubbs achieved success on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including playing Desdemona in Othello, directed by Trevor Nunn. Other stage work includes Saint Joan at the Strand Theatre and Heartbreak House at the Haymarket, and in 1997 she played in a London production of A Streetcar Named Desire.
In 1988, Stubbs played Ursula Brangwen in a BBC serialization of The Rainbow, and in 1993 and 1994 had the title role in Anna Lee. She played Lucy Steele in Sense and Sensibility (1995).
In July 2004, Stubbs's play We Happy Few, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Juliet Stevenson and Marcia Warren, opened at the Gielgud Theatre, London, after a try-out in Malvern. In September 2008 Reader's Digest announced that she had joined the magazine as a contributing editor and writer of adventure stories.
Personal life In 1994, Stubbs married Trevor Nunn. The couple have two children: a son and a daughter, Ellie Nunn, who is also an actress. In April 2011, Stubbs announced that she and her husband were separating. Her partner is Jonathan Guy Lewis.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1982PrivilegedImogen1986NanouNanou1988Megan David1989Erik the VikingPrincess Aud1991True ColorsDiana Stiles1991NarratorVoice1994Mother1995Jack and SarahSarah1995Sense & SensibilityLucy Steele1996Twelfth NightViola2003CollusionMary Dolphin2004Dead CoolHenny2011BabysittingMrs. WollenbergShort2014InsomniacsAliceShort2016Stake OutSallyShort2017Kew GardensIsabellaShort, post-production2018London Unplugged Isabella Anthology film
Television Year Title Role Notes1985Mrs. GilbertTV film1988Ursula BrangwenTV miniseries1988DeadlineLady Romy BurtonTV film1990Fellow TravellerSarah AtchisonIn the Screen Two series1990Relatively SpeakingGinny WhittakerTV film1990PasternakLara / Olga (voice)TV film1990Theatre NightDesdemona"Othello"1992Sandra, c'est la vieMarieTV film1992PerformanceHelen Banner"After the Dance"1993Anna Lee: HeadcaseAnna LeeTV film1994Anna LeeAnna LeeMain role19961914–1918(voice)"Total War"1997Screen TwoSuzie"Mothertime"2000Blind AmbitionAnnie ThomasTV film2000Big KidsSarah SpillerMain role2001Lee Evans: So What Now?Chloe"Sofa So Good"2002Township OperaNarratorTV film2005CasualtyChloe Greer"Running out of Kisses"2006Agatha Christie's MarpleMona Symmington"The Moving Finger"2006Brief EncountersSonia"Semi-Detached"2009New TricksLotte Davenport"Shadow Show"2010Mrs. WallaceTV film2011InjusticeGemma Lawrence"1.4", "1.5"2012DoctorsMiranda Payne"High-Flyer"2012ParentsIsabelle Hopkins"1.3"2012SwitchEsme"1.6"2017Holby CityEvelyn Chapman"It Has to be Now"2018Death in ParadiseValerie O'Toole"7.3"2021Midsomer MurdersTamara Deddington"21.3 – The Sting of Death"2023The CrownAnne Tennant, Baroness GlenconnerSeason 6, episode 8: "Ritz"
Theatre Year Title Role Company 1985 Cabaret Sally Bowles Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich 1985 The Boyfriend Polly Browne Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich 1986 The Rover Helena Swan Theatre, Stratford 1986 Two Noble Kinsmen Gaoler's daughter The Other Place, Stratford 1987 Richard II Queen Isabel Swan Theatre, Stratford 1989 Othello Desdemona The Other Place, Stratford 1992 Heartbreak House Ellie Theatre Royal, Haymarket 1994 Saint Joan Joan Strand Theatre 1994 Uncle Vanya Yelena Chichester Festival 1996 A Streetcar Named Desire Stella Theatre Royal, Haymarket 1998 Closer Anna Lyric Theatre, London 1998 Betrayal Emma National Theatre 2001 The Relapse Amanda National Theatre 2002 Three Sisters Masha Theatre Royal, Bath (and tour) 2003 Mum's the Word Linda Albery Theatre 2004 Hamlet Gertrude The Old Vic 2006 Duchess of Malfi Duchess West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds 2008 Scenes from a Marriage Marianne Belgrade Theatre, Coventry 2009 Alphabetical Order Lucy Hampstead Theatre 2010 The Glass Menagerie Amanda Shared Experience 2011 Private Lives Amanda Manchester Royal Exchange 2011 Little Eyolf Rita Jermyn Street Theatre, London 2011 Salt, Root and Roe Menna Trafalgar Studios, London 2012 Orpheus Descending Lady Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester 2013 Third Finger, Left Hand Niamh Trafalgar Studios, London 2013 Strangers on a Train Elsie Gielgud Theatre, London 2014 Little Revolution Sarah / various Almeida Theatre, London 2014 The Hypochondriac Beline Touring, 2015 Communicating Doors Ruella Menier Theatre, London 2016 Things I Know to be True Fran Price Frantic Assembly 2018 The Be All and End All CharlotteYork Theatre Royal 2018 Honour titularPark Theatre 2022 Clybourne Park Bev/Kathy Park Theatre 2023 The Children Rose Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds2023Three Acts of LoveDr Fiona McGillLive Theatre, Newcastle2025HeddaJuliaTheatre Royal Bath's Ustinov Studio2026A thing of beautyLeni RiefenstahlTabard Theatre
Other projects and contributions When Love Speaks (2002, EMI Classics) – Shakespeare's "Sonnet 21" ("So it is not with me as with that Muse")
References
External links