Caroline Goodall (born 13 November 1959) is an English–Australian actress, screenwriter and producer. Awards and nominations include Best Actress nominations AFI Awards for her roles in the 1989 miniseries Cassidy and the 1995 film Hotel Sorrento, a Logie Awards Nomination for the mini series A Difficult Woman, and a Best Actress award (Rome Film Festival). Her film appearances include Hook (1991), Cliffhanger (1993), Schindler's List (1993), Disclosure (1994), White Squall (1996), The Princess Diaries (2001) and The Best of Me (2014).
Early life Goodall was born in London to a publisher father and journalist mother. She attended St Leonards-Mayfield School and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama and English from the University of Bristol. Her sister is producer Victoria Goodall.Victoria Goodall profile, imdb.com. Accessed 10 November 2025.
Career Goodall appeared extensively on stage, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and then the National Theatre. Her roles for the RSC include Lady Anne in Richard III, Australian tour opposite Sir Anthony Sher and Hypatia in Misalliance; while for the National Theatre she played Rebecca in Command or Promise. She played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Shaw Theatre, Viola In Twelfth Night (Plymouth) starred at the Manchester Royal Exchange, Royal Court Theatre as Susan in Jonathan Gem's comedy Susan's Breasts; Alan Ayckbourn's Steven Joseph Theatre in Scarborough and as Isobel in David Hare's US premiere of The Secret Rapture at the SCR. Goodall has starred in over 80 feature films and TV productions. The only actress to have worked twice with Steven Spielberg, Goodall was cast as Moira Banning in Steven Spielberg's film Hook in 1991 and then as Emilie Schindler in Steven Spielberg's multi-Oscar-winning film Schindler's List (1993). She played Kristel in the Stallone film Cliffhanger (1993), and Susan Hendler in Barry Levinson's Disclosure (1994) opposite Michael Douglas. She co-starred with Russell Crowe in The Silver Brumby in 1993, and was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actress for her role as Meg in Richard Franklin's 1995 film Hotel Sorrento. She was also nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actress in a TV film or miniseries for the 1989 miniseries Cassidy. She starred opposite Jeff Bridges in Ridley Scott's White Squall (1996) and in the same year starred in the BAFTA-winning BBC miniseries The Sculptress. In 1998, she was nominated for a Logie Award for Best Actress for A Difficult Woman, which also won best TV mini series at the New York Festival in 1998. She played Helen Thermopolis in Garry Marshall's classic The Princess Diaries (2001), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), and worked again with Mandy Moore as FLOTUS in Chasing Liberty. She starred opposite Bruce Willis and Henry Cavill in the thriller The Cold Light Of Day (2012). In 2012, she played Doris in PJ Hogan's comedy Mental and in 2015, she played Elsbeth Beaumont in Jocelyn Moorhouse's film The Dressmaker, with Kate Winslet and Judy Davis. Other film roles include POTUS in Hunter Killer (2018) The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) and Grace Vessler in Fred and Freddy Macdonald's Sew Torn (2024). European credits include appearances in Urs Egger's Opernball (1998) The Thief Lord (2006), and Denis De La Patelliere's Épées Des Diamants. She appeared in Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac Vol. II (2013) and won a RIFF Best Actress Award for her role in Massimo Cogliatore's two-hander thriller The Elevator (2014). Other credits include Italian thriller Ferine (2026) and The Wrong People.
As a producer and screenwriter, in addition to writing and producing the independent thriller feature, The Bay of Silence, for Silent Bay Productions/TBOS Film Ltd, starring Claes Bang, Olga Kurylenko and Brian Cox (2020) which sold worldwide, Goodall co-produced Caserta Palace Dream for Gemma Productions/Blue Door SRL; Associate Producer credits: Sew Torn (2024) Casualties (1997) Goodall's writing credits include screen adaptations of Rupert Thomson's Dreams of Leaving for HKM Films and upcoming "Maytime" for Gemma Productions Inc/Silent Bay Productions Ltd
She has appeared in many TV series including as Igraine in The Mists of Avalon, The White Queen (2013) and its sequel The White Princess (2017), portraying Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. In 2016, she portrayed Kelly Frost in the CIA spy-thriller TV series Berlin Station. Other TV credits include Poirot, Midsomer Murders. Alias, CIS, Lady Doris in The Crown (2017), Mayor Charlotte Carmel in Bulletproof (2018); Maggie in Cold Courage (2020);
Personal life Goodall was first married to American actor-turned-therapist Scott Hoxby, also known as Derek Scott Hoxby. They were married from 1990–1993 before divorcing. She married Nicola Pecorini on 17 September 1994; the couple have two children.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1986Every Time We Say GoodbyeNurse Sally1991HookMoira Banning1993CliffhangerKristel1993Elyne Mitchell1993Schindler's ListEmilie Schindler1994DisclosureSusan Sanders1995Hotel SorrentoMeg Moynihan1996White SquallDr. Alice Sheldon1997CasualtiesAnnie Summers1999Jenny Field2000Harrison's FlowersJohanna Pollack2001Helen Thermopolis2003Shattered GlassMrs. Duke2003EasySandy Clarke2004Chasing LibertyMichelle Foster2004Helen Thermopolis2004HavenMs. Claire2005Mrs. Parker2005River's EndSarah Watkins2006Ida Spavento 2006 We Fight to Be Free Martha Dandridge Custis2008Lisa Westwood2009My Life in RuinsDr. Elizabeth Tullen2009Dorian GrayLady Radley2012Laurie Shaw2012MentalDoris2013Third PersonDr. Gertner2013NymphomaniacPsychologist2014Evelyn Collier2015Veronica Ashler2015Elsbeth Beaumont2016Mary2018Hunter KillerPresident Ilene Dover2019MuseThe Nurse2020The Bay of SilenceMarciaAlso writer and producer 2021Hitman's Wife's BodyguardCrowley2021Birds of ParadiseCeline2024Sew TornGraceTBAThe BaronessPost-production
Television Year Title Role Notes1978Estelle MortenhurzeMain role1982Charles & Diana: A Royal Love StoryAnn BoltonTV film1985GemsAnne-Marie ColmanRegular role (series 1)1985Remington SteeleJenny Buchanan"Steele Searching: Part 1"1988Tales of the UnexpectedHolly Peverill"Wink Three Times"1988Rumpole of the BaileyHelen Derwent"Rumpole and the Quality of Life"1989After the WarSally RaglanTV miniseries1989CassidyCharlie CassidyTV film19904 PlayMarsha"Madly in Love"1990Agatha Christie's PoirotLady Yardly"The Adventure of the Western Star"1990Half a World AwayAmy JohnsonTV miniseries1991Ring of ScorpioHelen SimmonsTV film1991Quantum LeapDr. Leslie Ashton"The Wrong Stuff"1993At Home with the WebbersKaren JamesTV film1993Maddie Hodges"Eastbridge Boulevard"1993Screen OneMandy"Royal Celebration"1993Diamond SwordsLiv GustavsonTV film1995Spider-ManVanessa Fisk (voice)"Neogenic Nightmare: Chapters 11 & 12"1996Rosalind LeighTV miniseries1998Rhapsody in BloomDebra LoomisTV film1998Opera BallHeather FrazerTV film1998Rebecca"Promised Land"1998Dr. Anne HarrimanTV miniseries1999Sex 'n' DeathBellaTV film2000Love and MurderSally LoveTV film2000TrustAnne TraversTV film2001Murder in MindJoanna Liddy"Neighbours"2001IgraineTV miniseries2002Me & Mrs JonesLaura BowdenTV film2005CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDr. Emily Ryan"Secrets & Flies"2005AliasElizabeth Powell"Bob"2006Midsomer MurdersGrace Starkey"Dead Letters"2010PulseJuliette RandallTV film2011Kim Palmieri"Wrongful Termination"2012Mrs BiggsMuriel PowellTV miniseries2013Cecily Neville, Duchess of YorkTV miniseries2014Midsomer MurdersPenelope Calder"The Killings of Copenhagen"2016Lady Doris"Pride & Joy"2016Berlin StationKelly FrostRecurring role (series 1)2017Cecily Neville, Duchess of YorkTV miniseries2018EndeavourLady Bayswater"Colours"2018BulletproofDeputy Mayor Charlotte CarmelMain role 2020 The Trader Alex Patterson Main cast 2020 Cold Courage Maggie Main cast
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