Maureen Jane Beattie (born 14 August 1953) is an Irish-born Scottish actress known for her work on stage and screen.

Early life Beattie was born in Bundoran, County Donegal, on 14 August 1953, as the daughter of Scottish actor and comedian Johnny Beattie, and his wife Kitty Lamont. Her father was appearing at the town's St Patrick's Hall in a theatre production at the time of her birth. The family returned to Glasgow when she was two weeks old.

After attending High School in Glasgow, she went on to do a three-year course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dramatic Art ; she graduated in 1974 with a Diploma in Dramatic Arts, and having won the James Bridie Gold Medal for Acting during her final year.

Career After graduating, Beattie went on to play many roles in the theatre with companies across the UK including the National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre in London, the Globe, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the Royal Exchange in Manchester as well as touring internationally. Previous theatre credits include: The List, The Carousel, The Deliverance (Stellar Quines); John Gabriel Barclay (Óran Mór); Yer Granny, 27 and The Enquirer (National Theatre of Scotland); Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre Kingston); Dark Road, The Cherry Orchard (Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh); Noises Off (The Old Vic); No Quarter (Royal Court Theatre); Ghosts (Citizens Theatre); The Master Builder, Othello, The Merry Wives of Windsor (National Theatre); The History Plays, Richard III, Titus Andronicus, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe RSC.

She has also worked extensively in television where her roles include Casualty, Bramwell, The Bill, Ruffian Hearts, The Long Roads, Wing and a Prayer and All Night Long. Her most notable television role is that of Sandra Nicholl in medical drama Casualty from 1991 until 1993.

In 2005, she played Mrs Danvers in a national tour of Rebecca, with Nigel Havers. in 2006 she was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "Histories Ensemble", where her roles included Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester in Henry VI, Part II, and the Duchess of York in Richard III. In September 2006 she was interviewed by Sally Magnusson about life with her father for the Radio Scotland series Dad Made Me Laugh, later networked throughout the UK on BBC Radio 4 Extra. In 2007, Beattie appeared in the feature film Finding Bob McArthur as Russian actress, Svetlana. The film, also starring John Stahl, Bob Edwards and Alan Bell, was directed by Jim Hickey and produced by Robin Mitchell.

In 2008, she read part of the book Corvus: A Life with Birds for BBC Radio 4. In 2011, she played Iseabail Nic Aodh, the mother of the main character Katie Nic Aodh, in The Decoy Bride.

In 2013, she played the lead role of Isobel McArthur in Ian Rankin's debut play Dark Road.

In 2014, she played Professor Fiona Bellows in the Doctor Who, Christmas Special "Last Christmas". In 2017, Beattie joined the Young Vic cast of Federico García Lorca's Yerma.

In 2020, Beattie played Carol Kendrick in Deadwater Fell, a four-episode British television drama miniseries. In February 2022, it was confirmed that she would play Mrs Pearce in My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane from May to August 2022. In 2022, Beattie played Tina Lawson in Our House, a four-episode British television drama miniseries.

Beattie was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to the entertainment industry.

Personal life Beattie is active in the actors' trade union Equity, leading their investigations into sexual harassment in the industry. In 2018, she was elected President of Equity, as only the second female president in the organisation's history.

Acting credits Theatre Year Title Role Venue Notes 1976 Devil's Rock Senga Dundee Repertory Theatre with The Rep for Young People 1984 Othello Emilia Lyric Studio, London 1986 What Every Woman Knows MaggieEden Court Theatre, InvernessScottish Theatre Company production of J. M. Barrie's comedy 1995 The Merry Wives of Windsor Mistress Margaret Page Olivier Theatre, London 1997 Othello Emilia Cottesloe Theatre, London also, world tour 1999 Candida Candida Theatre Royal, Plymouth2000 The Deep Blue Sea Hester Collyer Nottingham Playhouse Medea Medea The Tramway, Glasgow also, world tour 2001 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe White Witch Sadler's Wells Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company 2002 Small Change Mrs. Driscoll Crucible Theatre, Sheffield2003 Titus Andronicus Tamora Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon with Royal Shakespeare Company Richard III Queen Elizabeth Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon with Royal Shakespeare Company 2004 The Skin of Our Teeth Mrs. Antrobus Young Vic, London 2005 Rebecca Mrs. Danvers Theatre Royal, Newcastle also, UK tour 2009 Ghosts Mrs. Helen Alving Citizens Theatre, Glasgow2010 The Master Builder Aline Solness Minerva Theatre, Chichester The Cherry Orchard Mrs. Ramsey Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh2012 Enquirer Ros Wynne-Jones The Hub, Glasgow with National Theatre of Scotland 27 Ursula Citizens Theatre, Glasgow with National Theatre of Scotland A Midsummer Night's Dream Various Usher Hall, Edinburgh with Scottish Chamber Orchestra2013 Noises Off Dotty Otley The Old Vic, London also, UK tour No Quarter Lily Royal Court Theatre, London Dark Road Isobel McArthur Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh 2014 The Carousel Woman Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh also, Scotland tour2015 Yer Granny Marie Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock also, Scotland tour John Gabriel Barclay Ellen Òran Mór, Glasgow 2016 Right Now Juliette Theatre Royal, Bath also, UK tour2017 The Winter's Tale Paulina Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh The Ferryman Aunt Maggie Far Away Gielgud Theatre, London nuclear war Woman Royal Court Theatre, London (stylised as lowercase by author) Yerma Helen Young Vic, London & Park Avenue Armory, New York City 2018 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman Royal Exchange, Manchester 2019 Interference Various CityPark, Glasgow with National Theatre of Scotland 2021 Go On Jane Tron Theatre, Glasgow 2023 Duet for One Dr. Feldman Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond2026 Lear Lear Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1982 People V Scott Ms Veronica Tyler/Mrs Mavis Bush TV film1995 Ruffian Hearts Beattie TV film The Last Post Woman Short film 2000 The Last Musketeer Sallie Latham TV film 2003 Twelfth Night Maria TV film 2011 The Decoy Bride Iseabail 2014 The List The Narrator 2015 Standing Still Janet Arden Short film 2016 Dinner for One a la Netflix Miss Sophie Short film 2017 National Theatre Live: Yerma Helen TV film

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1966This Man Craig First Girl Episode: "Patterson" Susan Episode: "The Romantic"1980 The Lost Tribe Marjory Episode: "Judgement of Solomon" Scotch and Wry Various roles Episode: "31 December 1980" 1981 The Walls of Jericho Mrs. MacGregor Episode: "Physician, Heal Thyself" 1981–1982 Maggie Cathy Bruce Series regular, 7 episodes 1983 Women Jess Episode: "Hard to Get" 1985 Taggart June Balfour Recurring role, 3 episodes 1985–1986 Troubles and Strife Mary Series regular, 13 episodes 1987 Truckers Mary Brough Recurring role, 4 episodes 1988 The Campbells Lady Helen Fraser Dunham Episode: "Lady Helen's Love"1990 City Lights Editor Episode: "Scandal" The Bill Tory Councillor Episode: "Body Language"1991 Boon Stella Booth Episode: "Stamp Duty" The Bill Mrs. Henderson Episode: "Your Shout" 1991–1993 Casualty Sandra Nicholl Series regular, 29 episodes 1992 Taggart Margaret McLean Episode: "Double Exposure" 1993 Screen Two Deirdre Kopanski Episode: "The Long Roads"1994 The Chief Gemma Marshall Recurring role, 3 episodes All Night Long Vanda Series regular, 6 episodes 1995 The Bill Kathleen Leigh Episode: "Powerless" 1997 Bramwell Alice Costigan Series regular, 7 episodes1999 Wing and a Prayer Anna Crozier Series regular, 8 episodes City Central Leslie Troon Episode: "Northern Soul" 2000 Taggart Siobhan MacDonald Episode: "Ghost Rider" 2001 Bad Girls Marion McLoughlin Episode: "Coming Out" 2003 The Bill Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam Recurring role, 9 episodes 2004 Let's Write a Story Elizabeth Dickens Episode: "The Personal History of Charles Dickens" 2005 The Worst Week of My Life Toni Recurring role, 2 episodes2009 Doctors Anne Mulholland Episode: "Code of Silence" Lewis Professor Denise Gregson Episode: "The Quality of Mercy"2010 Midsomer Murders Sonia Woodley Episode: "The Made-to-Measure Murders" Moving On Brenda Episode: "Letting Go" 2011 Doctors Helen Curtis Episodes: "You Gotta Have Faith" & "Daddy's Girl" 2013 Vera Dr. Vivienne Ripman Episode: "Young Gods" 2014 Doctor Who Bellows Episode: "Last Christmas" 2016 Outlander Maisri Episode: "The Fox's Lair" 2019 Doctors Carla Bolton Episode: "Last of the Dinosaurs" 2020 Deadwater Fell Carol Kendrick Mini-series, 4 episodes

Radio

Date Title Role Author Director Station – Self-Control Mary Brunton dramatised by Gerda Stevenson Bruce Young BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Drama Duce's Bonce Robin Brooks Fiona McAlpine BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play The Stanley Baxter Playhouse: Astonishing Archie Rev Margot Turnbull Bill Paterson Marilyn Imrie BBC Radio 4 The Biggest Issues Jill McEwan Annie McCartney Eoin O'Callaghan BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama

References