Lia Williams (born 26 November 1964) is an English actress and director, on stage, in film, and on television. She has had television roles in The Crown (playing Wallis Simpson), in May 33rd (2004) for which she was nominated for a BAFTA, and in The Missing (2016), Kiri (2016), His Dark Materials (2019–2022) and The Capture (2019–2026).
Williams is a three-time Laurence Olivier Award nominee, for her work in The Revengers' Comedies (1992), Skylight (1997), and Oresteia (2015).
Early life Williams was born in Birkenhead. She graduated from the London Studio Centre. Her first job in 1984 was understudying in the play Daisy Pulls It Off in the West End. She then took over a main role, and was talent-spotted by Alan Ayckbourn.
Career Theatre Williams's breakthrough performance came in 1991 when she appeared in The Revengers' Comedies, for which she won the Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer, and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1992.
In 1992, she played the role of Carol in the original production of David Mamet's Oleanna, at the Theatre Royal, Bath, transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in 1993.
In 1995, Williams appeared opposite Michael Gambon in David Hare's Skylight at the National Theatre. She received a nomination for the 1996 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. Williams reprised her role in the 1997 Broadway production, and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress.
In 2001, Williams appeared again in the West End and on Broadway, playing Ruth in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming. Her long-standing collaboration with Harold Pinter included roles in The Collection, Celebration, The Room, The Lover, The Hothouse and Old Times.
Other leading theatre performances include Rosalind in As You Like It for the RSC, Alan Ayckbourn's Absurd Person Singular, Henryk Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea, and Pinter's Old Times, in which she alternated the roles of Anna and Kate with Kristin Scott Thomas.
As Clytemnestra in Robert Icke's Oresteia Williams was nominated for both Olivier and Evening Standard Awards. Also for Robert Icke, she alternated the roles of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots with Juliet Stevenson in Mary Stuart.
In Dublin, Williams appeared at the Gate Theatre as Alma in The Eccentricities of a Nightingale (2003) and Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire (2013). Both roles earned her the Irish Theatre Award for Best Actress.
In 2018, Williams was nominated for the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance as Jean Brodie in David Harrower’s adaptation of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at the Donmar Warehouse.
In 2019, she played the role of Hannah Jelkes in the West End theatre production of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana at the Noël Coward Theatre opposite Clive Owen.
Film and television In 1993, Williams made her film debut in Michael Winner's Dirty Weekend. Winner chose her after seeing her in an Alan Ayckbourn play. Subsequent film appearances have included supporting roles in Firelight (1997), Shot Through the Heart (1998), The King Is Alive (2000), Girl from Rio (2001), and The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (2007).
Williams played the title role in the miniseries The Russian Bride (2001), for ITV, opposite Sheila Hancock and Douglas Hodge. Her performance earned her the 2002 Golden FIPA Award for Best Actress at the Biarritz International Festival of Audiovisual Programming.
Williams played the lead role in May 33rd (2004) for the BBC, and was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actress.
In 2009, Williams had a main role in the fourth series of the ITV comedy drama series Doc Martin with Martin Clunes.
She played Wallis, Duchess of Windsor in the Netflix series The Crown, Nadia Herz in the second series of The Missing (2016), and starred in Kiri, a Channel 4 series, alongside Sarah Lancashire and Steven Mackintosh.
Williams appears as a series regular in the BBC mystery thriller The Capture (2019-2026) and the Sky Atlantic spy thriller The Day of the Jackal (2024–present).
Director Williams has been directing short films since 2002, her debut being Feathers (2002), which was based on a short story by Raymond Carver. In 2008, her short film The Stronger (2007), which won Best Short Film at Raindance, and was nominated for the Best Short Film at the BAFTA Film Awards.
In 2009, Williams directed Dog Alone, a dialogue-free short film which was broadcast as part of British Sky Broadcasting's series 10 Minute Tales. In 2016 she directed Nanabozhung, a feature-length documentary about the Batchewana First Nations, Canada.
On stage, she has also directed The Matchbox, by Frank McGuinness for Liverpool Playhouse and the Tricycle Theatre and Ashes to Ashes as part of the Harold Pinter Season in the West End (2019). In 2021, Williams directed an acclaimed production of Doubt by John Patrick Shanley at Chichester Festival Theatre, West Sussex.
Personal life Williams has been in a relationship with the actor Angus Wright since 2015; they first met after starring together in a production of the Oresteia at the Almeida Theatre. Her son, Joshua James, is also an actor. In 2023, they worked together in The Vortex at Chichester Festival Theatre, in which they played mother and son.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1993Dirty WeekendBella1996Different for GirlsDefence SolicitorThis Is Not AmericaMrs. CallanShort film1997FirelightConstanceThe Fifth ProvinceDiana de Brie2000The King is AliveAmanda2001Girl from RioCathy2007Snow White: The SequelSleeping Beauty (voice)English versionThe Christmas Miracle of Jonathan ToomeyJoan Tyler2016The Truth CommissionerPrime MinisterDistanceJaneShort film2017The ForeignerMinister Katherine Davies2020ArchiveHouse (voice)2021BenedictionEdith Sitwell2022LivingMrs. Smith2024ScoopFran UnsworthDecoyVivianShort film
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1984AnnikaKarenMini-series; episode: "The Beginning"1985Happy FamiliesJosephineEpisode: "Madeleine"1986Girls on TopSecretaryEpisode: "Who's Ya Uncle Shelly?"1987No Place Like HomeCheryl PittsEpisode: "Gone Fishing"1988GemsMirandaSeries 3; 3 episodesThe Comic Strip Presents...LucyEpisode: "The Yob"Les GirlsJennaEpisode: "Meat Market"BreadHotel MaidEpisode: "Christmas with the Boswells"1989CasualtyCarrie LangmanEpisode: "Victim of Circumstances"Red DwarfCarol Brown (voice)Episode: "Bodyswap". Uncredited role1992NightingalesMaryEpisode: "Silent Night"1993Mr. Wroe's VirginsJoannaMini-series; 4 episodes1994SeaforthPaula Wickham / Paula Austen / Paula LongmanMini-series; 9 episodes1996Screen TwoJanet HintonEpisode: "Flowers of the Forest"1997The UninvitedMelissa Gates4 episodes1998Imogen's FaceAmanda3 episodesShot Through the HeartMaidaTelevision film1999Bad BloodNina Harker2001The Russian BrideNatasha Cherniavskaya2002Silent WitnessDCI Carol DeaconEpisodes: "The Fall Out: Parts 1 & 2"HeartbeatLady AshfordlyEpisode: "A Many Splendoured Thing"ArenaMrs. SandsEpisode: "Harold Pinter - Part 1: The Room"2003Sparkling CyanideRuth LessingTelevision film2004May 33rdElla Wilson2005The Last DetectiveDawn LuscombeEpisode: "Three Steps to Hendon"A Touch of FrostSylvia FordEpisode: "Near Death Experience"2006Agatha Christie's MarpleNellie BlighEpisode: "By the Pricking of My Thumbs"2009Doc MartinEdith MontgomerySeries 4; 8 episodes2010ArenaVarious charactersEpisode: "Harold Pinter: A Celebration"2012Secret StateLaura DuchenneMini-series; 4 episodes2013LewisEmma BarnesEpisodes: "The Ramblin' Boy: Parts 1 & 2"2015Midsomer MurdersMaggie MarkhamEpisode: "The Dagger Club"2016–2022The CrownWallis, Duchess of WindsorMain role (Seasons 1–2). Guest role (Season 5)2016The MissingNadia HerzSeries 2; 7 episodes2017StrikeLiz TasselEpisodes: "The Silkworm: Parts 1 & 2"2018KiriAlice WarnerMini-series; 4 episodes2019–2022His Dark MaterialsDr. CooperRecurring role; 5 episodes2019–2026The CaptureDSU Gemma GarlandSeries 1–3; 17 episodes2020RivieraDr. Emilie MathieuEpisodes: "Coup de Grace" & "Two Graves"2021Death in ParadiseGrace VerdinikovEpisodes: "Music to My Ears" & "Fake or Fortune"BritneyJanetShort television film2022The Lazarus ProjectAmbassador Belov2 episodes2024Mr Bates vs The Post OfficePaula VennellsMini-series; 3 episodes2024–presentThe Day of the JackalIsabel Kirby8 episodes2025MobLandEmily GutwellEpisode: "Rat Trap"
Stage YearWorkRoleVenueRef1984Daisy Pulls It OffSybil BurlingtonGielgud Theatre1986–1988When Did You Last See Your Trousers?ToveGarrick Theatre1990Body LanguageAngie DellStephen Joseph Theatre1991–1992The Revengers' ComediesKarenStrand Theatre1992–1993OleannaCarolTheatre Royal, Bath and Royal Court Theatre1993King LearGonerilRoyal Court Theatre1995–1996SkylightKyra HollisNational Theatre and Royale Theatre1999–2001Celebration / The RoomSuki / Mrs. SandsAlmeida Theatre and Lincoln Center2001The HomecomingRuthGate Theatre and Comedy Theatre2002Mappa MundiAnnaNational Theatre2003The Eccentricities of a NightingaleAlma WinemillerGate Theatre2005Eric LarueJanice LarueThe Attic Theatre2005–2006As You Like ItRosalindRoyal Shakespeare Theatre and Novello Theatre2007My ChildWomanRoyal Court TheatreThe HothouseMiss CuttsNational TheatreAbsurd Person SingularEva JacksonGarrick Theatre2008The Lady from the SeaEllida WangelArcola Theatre2009God of CarnageVéronique VallonTheatre Royal, Bath2010Earthquakes in LondonSarahNational Theatre2011ArcadiaHannah JarvisEthel Barrymore Theatre2013Old TimesKate / AnnaHarold Pinter TheatreA Streetcar Named DesireBlanche DuBoisGate Theatre2014The FatherAnneTheatre Royal, Bath2015OresteiaClytemnestraAlmeida Theatre2016Mary StuartQueen Elizabeth I / Mary, Queen of ScotsDuke of York's Theatre2018The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieJean BrodieDonmar Warehouse2019The Night of the IguanaHannah JelkesNoël Coward Theatre2022John Gabriel BorkmanElla RentheimBridge Theatre2023The VortexFlorence LancasterChichester Festival Theatre2025MacbethLady MacbethThe Other Place
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result1991Critics' Circle Theatre AwardMost Promising NewcomerThe Revengers' Comedies1992Laurence Olivier AwardBest Comedy Performance1996Laurence Olivier AwardBest Actress in a PlaySkylight1997Tony AwardBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a PlayDrama Desk AwardOutstanding Actress in a PlayTheatre World AwardBest Ensemble Performance2001Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels AwardBest ActressThe Russian Bride2004Irish Theatre AwardBest ActressThe Eccentricities of a Nightingale2005British Academy Television AwardBest ActressMay 33rdRoyal Television Society AwardBest Actress2007Raindance Film FestivalBest Short FilmThe StrongerBritish Academy Film AwardBest British Short Film2014Irish Theatre AwardBest ActressA Streetcar Named Desire2015Evening Standard Theatre AwardNatasha Richardson Award for Best ActressOresteia2016Laurence Olivier AwardBest Actress in a Play2018Evening Standard Theatre AwardNatasha Richardson Award for Best ActressThe Prime of Miss Jean Brodie2025Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe Day of the Jackal
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