Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include Sense and Sensibility (1995), the Bridget Jones series (2001–2025), the Harry Potter series (2002–2011), You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2010), and Ammonite (2020).
For her role in the BBC television film Marvellous (2014), she won the 2015 BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress. She had received three previous nominations in the Best Actress category in 1971, 1972, and 1977 for her television roles. Her other roles on television include Rainbow City (1967), The Duchess of Duke Street (1976–1977), Trial & Retribution (2003–2008), Spooks (2007–2008), Teacup Travels (2015–2017), Diana and I (2017), and Gentleman Jack (2019).
On the stage, Jones was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play for And a Nightingale Sang in 1979.
Early life and education Jennifer Jones was born on 4 December 1942 in London, the daughter of Irene ( Isaac) and Harold "Griffith" Jones, an actor. Her brother Nicholas Jones is also an actor.
She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she won the gold medal.Radio Times, p.6, 10–16 July 1971.
Career
During the 1960s, Gemma Jones performed with companies at regional theatres including the Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Little Theatre, Bristol. In 1962 she appeared at the Mermaid Theatre as Gilda in the original stage production of Alfie. In the 1970s, Jones performed in productions with the National Theatre at the Old Vic and with the Royal Shakespeare Company as Hippolyta/Titania. Jones made many further performances in classical and contemporary plays with the RSC in the 1980s and 1990s, including appearances in separate productions of The Winters Tale as both Hermione (1981) and a decade later as Paulina (1993). In 1986, she played the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi in After Aida at the Old Vic Theatre.
On television Jones became known to viewers after starring in the BBC serial Kenilworth (1967) as Queen Elizabeth I, and in BBC 2's 1970 dramatisation of The Spoils of Poynton.
She was first recognised outside the UK in the mid-1970s, after playing the Empress Frederick in the BBC television drama series Fall of Eagles and Louisa Trotter in another BBC drama, The Duchess of Duke Street. In 1980, she played the role of Portia in the BBC Television Shakespeare production of The Merchant of Venice, opposite Warren Mitchell's Shylock.
Jones was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play for And a Nightingale Sang in 1979.
Jones played Madeleine de Brou in the 1971 Ken Russell film The Devils. She played Mrs. Dashwood alongside Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson in the Academy Award-winning period drama Sense and Sensibility (1995). Her other notable roles include Mrs. Fairfax in Jane Eyre (1997), Lady Queensbury in Wilde (1997), Grace Winslow in The Winslow Boy (1999), Bridget's mother Pamela Jones in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) and Poppy Pomfrey in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), reprising her role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011).
From 2007 to 2008, she played Connie James in the BBC1 drama Spooks. She appeared in the Woody Allen film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger in 2010. In 2011, she appeared in the BBC1 series Merlin, as the Cailleach, the gatekeeper to the spirit world. Also in 2011 she appeared in the Bridge Project's version of Richard III as Queen Margaret, alongside Kevin Spacey as Richard III and directed by Sam Mendes, at the Old Vic and subsequently on an international tour.
She received the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Neil Baldwin's mother, Mary, in the 2014 television film Marvellous.
In 2015, Jones played the part of Petunia Howe in the three-part BBC series Capital, based on John Lanchester's novel of the same name. In the 2018 BBC Radio 4 production of The Importance of Being Earnest Jones played the part of Lady Augusta Bracknell.
Jones has twice played the same part of Anne Lister's aunt, first in the 2010 BBC telefilm The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister and again in the 2019-2022 BBC/HBO programme Gentleman Jack.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1971 The Devils Madeleine 1988 Paperhouse Dr. Sarah Nicols On the Black Hill Mary Jones 1995 Feast of July Mrs. Wainwright Sense and Sensibility Mrs. Dashwood 1997 Wilde Lady Queensberry 1998 OK Garage Mrs. Wiggins The Theory of Flight Anne 1999 The Winslow Boy Grace Winslow Captain Jack Eunice Pickles Cotton Mary Mrs Freda Davids 2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Pamela Jones Don't Tempt Me Nancy 2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Madam Poppy Pomfrey 2003 Shanghai Knights Queen Victoria Kiss of Life Sonia 2004 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Pamela Jones 2005 Fragile Mrs. Folder 2007 The Contractor Mrs. Day Short2008 Good Mother 2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Madam Poppy Pomfrey 2010 You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Helena Forget me Not Lizzie Fisher 2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Madam Poppy Pomfrey Hysteria Lady St. John-Smythe 2013 Burn the Clock Becky Short2014 Radiator Maria 2016 Bridget Jones's Baby Pamela Jones 2017 God's Own Country Deirdre Saxby Carnage Davina Gypsy's Kiss Judith ShortYou, Me and Him Sue Miller 2018 The Egg and the Thieving Pie Thelma Patrick Celia 2019 Rocketman Ivy 2020 Ammonite Molly Anning 2021 Benediction Older Hester Gatty 2022 Emily Aunt Branwell 2023 Wicked Little Letters Victoria Swan 2025 Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Pamela Jones
Television Year Title Role Note1962 ITV Play of the Week Postmistress Episode: "The Typewriter"No Hiding Place Brenda 1963 The Human Jungle Pamela Phillips Episode: "The Vacant Chair"ITV Television Playhouse Rachel Episode: "Adam's Apple"1965 Theatre 625 Victoire / Lucille Desmoulins Episode: "Poor Bitos"1966 ITV Play of the Week Vera Fawcett Episode: "Come Laughing Home"Thirteen Against Fate Antoinette Baron Episode: "The Lodger"Theatre 625 Nina Episode: "The Seagull"1967 Rainbow City Mary Steele 4 episodes1968 Sanctuary Sister Stephens Episode: "The Novice"1969 The Wednesday Play Clarice Episode: "Smoke Screen"1970 Crime of Passion Nicole Delcourt Episode: "Nicole"The Spoils of Poynton Fleda Vetch 4 episodes1971 Shadows of Fear Judith Episode: "At Occupier's Risk"1974 Fall of Eagles Princess Vicky 2 episodes1976–1977 The Duchess of Duke Street Louisa Trotter 31 episodes1980 The Merchant of Venice Portia TV movie1986 The Importance of Being Earnest Miss Prism 1987 Inspector Morse Anne Staveley Episode: "The Dead of Jericho"1988 The Storyteller Queen Episode: "The Heartless Giant"1989 Chelworth Virginia Hincham 8 episodes1990 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Mrs Peveril 3 episodes1991 Devices and Desires – Adam Dalgliesh Alice Mair 6 episodes1993 Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death Sara Glynn TV movieScreen One Nicky Dobbs Episode: "Tender Loving Care"The Return of the Borrowers Miss Menzies 3 episodes1994 Faith Jane Moreton 4 episodes1997 Jane Eyre Mrs Fairfax The Phoenix and the Carpet Mrs Bibble 6 episodes1999 An Evil Streak Beatrice Kyle 3 episodes2002 Bootleg Mrs Bubby 3 episodesMidsomer Murders Maisie Gooch Episode: "Ring Out Your Dead"2003 Agatha Christie's Poirot Miss Cecilia Williams Episode: "Five Little Pigs"2003–2008 Trial & Retribution Dr Jean Mullins 10 episodes2005 All About George Kate Kinsey 6 episodes2007 Ballet Shoes Dr Jakes TV movie2007–2008 Spooks Connie James 16 episodes2010 The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister Aunt Lister TV movieWhistle and I'll Come to You Alice Parkin 2011 Merlin The Cailleach 2 episodes2013 The Lady Vanishes Rose Flood-Porter TV movieDeath in Paradise Sister Anne Episode: "An Unholy Death"Last Tango in Halifax Muriel 2 episodes2014 Marvellous Mary TV movie2015 Doc Martin Annie Winton 2 episodesUnforgotten Claire Slater 6 episodesCapital Petunia 3 episodes2015–2017 Teacup Travels Great Aunt Lizzie 45 episodes2017 Diana and I Mrs McDonald TV movie2019–2022 Gentleman Jack Aunt Anne Lister 16 episodes2020 Cold Feet Heather Childs 1 episode 2020 The Crown Penelope Carter Episode: "The Hereditary Principle"2021 Finding Alice Minnie 6 episodes 2023 The Reckoning Agnes Savile 2 episodes2024 Murder, They Hope Brenda 1 episode2025 I, Jack Wright Rose Wright 6 episodes
Video games Year Title Role2018 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Madam Pomfrey (voice)
Other projects, contributions When Love Speaks (2002, EMI Classics) – Shakespeare's "Sonnet 50" ("How heavy do I journey on the way")
References
External links
Gemma Jones at Theatricala