Josette Simon

Josette Simon
Born Josette Patricia Simon
Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Occupation Actor
Spouse(s) Mark Padmore 1996–2004

Josette Patricia Simon OBE (born 1958) is a British actor from Leicester of Antiguan descent. She trained for the stage at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.[1]

Career

After leaving Central School of Speech and Drama she was chosen to play the part of Dayna Mellanby in the third and fourth seasons of the television sci-fi series Blake's 7.[2] Her recent television work includes roles in Lewis, Casualty, Skins, Midsomer Murders, The Last Detective, Death in Paradise and the Poirot episode "The Mystery of the Blue Train".

Simon's film appearances include Cry Freedom[2] and Milk and Honey, for which she was nominated for a Best Actress award. In 1992 she starred alongside Brenda Fricker in the TV film Seekers, produced by Sarah Lawson.

Simon is also a notable stage actress who has performed frequently with the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company,[2] being cast as one of the three 'weird sisters' in Macbeth alongside Kathy Behean, Lesley Sharp and Bob Peck who played the lead.

As a black actress, she has been at the forefront of 'colour-blind casting', frequently taking roles traditionally considered white.[3][4]

One example is Maggie in Arthur Miller's After the Fall, which has been said to have been based on Marilyn Monroe, former wife of Miller, a performance which won Simon the Evening Standard's Best Actress award in 1990,[5] as well as several Best Actress nominations.

She was also nominated for a Best Actress award for her performance in Golden Girls at the RSC.

In 2009 she appeared in the inaugural episode of the resurrected TV series Minder.

Awards and honours

Simon was awarded the OBE for services to drama in 2000,[6] and also received an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Leicester in 1995.[2]

Personal life

Josette married Mark Padmore in 1996, but the couple divorced in 2004. They have one child.

Filmography (Incomplete)

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Cry Freedom Dr. Ramphele
1988 Milk and Honey Joanna Bell
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Blake's 7 Dayna Mellanby 13 Episodes
1981 Blake's 7 Dayna Mellanby 13 Episodes
1984 Play for Today Linda King "King"
1988 Thompson Various Roles 2 Episodes
1989 Capital City Beatrice "Take Over"
1992 Nice Town Frankie Thompson 3 Episodes
1997 Kavanagh QC Dr. Hilary Jameson "Blood Money"
1998 Dalziel and Pascoe Eileen Anstiss "Bones and Silence"
2003 The Last Detective Jemma Duvall "Lofty"
2005 Hercule Poirot Mirelle Miles "The Mystery of the Blue Train"
2006 Casualty Sarah Keith "The Sunny Side of the Street, Part 1 & 2"
2007 Lewis Stephanie Fielding "Expiation"
2009 Casualty Frances Liveley 6 Episodes
2010 Casualty Frances Liveley "Loves Me, Loves Me Not"
2011 Silent Witness Mrs Ferris 2 Episodes – "First Casualty: Part 1 & 2"
2012 New Tricks Vera 1 Episode – "Queen and Country"
2012 Merlin The Euchdag 2 Episodes – "Arthur's Bane: Parts One & Two"
2014 Death in Paradise Judge Anne Stone 1 Episode - "An Artistic Murder"
2014 Suspects Dr. Melanie Standish 1 Episode

References

  1. ↑ CSSD Alumni Archived 16 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The Royal Shakespeare Company actress and star of TV's Blake's 7 looks back on her career and her childhood in Leicester". Leicester Mercury. 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  3. ↑ "'Colour-blind casting finds new stars for Billy Elliott', Louise Jury". London: Arts.independent.co.uk. 24 February 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  4. ↑ Hugh Quarshie (25 February 2002). "'Black kings are old hat'". London, UK: Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  5. ↑ "Theatre Awards, 1990". Albemarle-london.com. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "Birthday Honours 2000". BBC News. 16 June 2000. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
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