--- name: "Jennifer Saunders" canonical: "https://film.one/person/jennifer-saunders" fi1m_id: "jennifer-saunders" imdb_id: "nm0766837" tmdb_id: 12094 wikidata_id: "Q235415" roles: ["Actor","Writer"] born: "6 July 1958" reviewed_on_fi1m: 12 average_fi1m_score: 70 average_as: "actor" average_over: 12 updated: "2026-10-12T19:56:36.278578+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jennifer Saunders ## Identity Jennifer Saunders - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jennifer-saunders - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** jennifer-saunders - **IMDb ID:** nm0766837 - **TMDB ID:** 12094 - **Wikidata ID:** Q235415 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Saunders, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235415, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766837/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12094 Actor and writer. Born 6 July 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Actor, Writer - **Born:** 6 July 1958, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, UK - **Active:** 1982–present - **Also known as:** Jennifer Jane Saunders - **Frequently works with:** [Dawn French](https://film.one/person/dawn-french.md), [Bob Spiers](https://film.one/person/bob-spiers.md), [Chris Meledandri](https://film.one/person/chris-meledandri.md), [Janet Healy](https://film.one/person/janet-healy.md) - **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 12 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 82 (1), 1990s 72 (3), 2000s 82 (2), 2010s 66 (3), 2020s 59 (3) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 67 to 62 across 8 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 3 of 9 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 8, Family 8, Animation 5, Adventure 4, Fantasy 4, Drama 3 - **Screen time:** 16 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $3,491m across 8 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Saunders, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235415, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0766837/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12094 ## Streaming the US now - **Disney+:** [*Coraline*](https://film.one/film/coraline.md) (85), [*Muppet Treasure Island*](https://film.one/film/muppet-treasure-island.md) (73) - **BritBox:** [*Absolutely Fabulous*](https://film.one/tv/absolutely-fabulous.md) (81), [*300 Years of French & Saunders*](https://film.one/film/300-years-of-french-and-saunders.md) (68) - **Netflix:** [*Sing*](https://film.one/film/sing.md) (70), [*Minions*](https://film.one/film/minions.md) (61) - **Peacock:** [*Shrek 2*](https://film.one/film/shrek-2.md) (80) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Jennifer Saunders > Jennifer Saunders is funniest when she lets a woman be selfish, exhausting and quite certain she is right. We rate her most highly when the writing gives that behaviour room, as *Absolutely Fabulous* does. In *Absolutely Fabulous* (1992), Edina Monsoon cannot see why anybody should object to her, and Jennifer Saunders lets that conviction make her thoroughly irritating. She writes and plays a woman who needs enough force of her own to stand beside Joanna Lumley's Patsy Stone, rather than wait for the next insult. We laughed at Edina's indignant self-absorption because Saunders makes no attempt to excuse it or ask for our affection. The series remains the strongest reason to seek her out, though its celebrity guests sometimes interrupt the comedy and the writing can mistake an exaggerated reaction for a fresh joke. Before Edina came *French and Saunders* (1987), the sketch series with Dawn French; the character grew out of an earlier sketch. It matters that Saunders is also the writer: the sitcom does not keep interrupting its women's bad behaviour to arrange their improvement. With Lumley, she makes their mutual unpleasantness enjoyable and leaves us to decide how much sympathy either deserves. Later work widened the kinds of parts she took, from the Fairy Godmother's voice in *Shrek 2* (2004) to the dramatic television role of Heidi Doyle in *The Stranger* (2020). *Allelujah* (2023) gives us a smaller, more controlled piece of acting. As Sister Gilpin, who runs the hospital ward in Richard Eyre's film, Saunders holds a tightness around the mouth that is easy to overlook. David Bradley and Bally Gill give the performances we most admired, and the film's mishandled change of direction defeats much of the cast's good work. Saunders nevertheless shows how little movement she needs to make an impression. Her Grandma in *The Magic Faraway Tree* (2026) is a more familiar booking: a supporting appearance in a bright, kind family film that gives adults some comic company. Saunders does the job, but there is little here to rival the difficult, sustained work of making Edina bearable for half an hour. The film's determination to keep everybody comfortable also leaves it short of anything much to worry about. For the fuller measure of Saunders, start with *Absolutely Fabulous* and allow for the celebrity visitors; the regular cast is reason enough to stay. ## Biography Jennifer Saunders is an English actress, comedian and screenwriter. Born in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, she trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and first gained attention in the 1980s as a member of The Comic Strip, later forming a long-running partnership with Dawn French. She is best known for co-writing and starring in the sketch show *French and Saunders* and for creating and playing Edina Monsoon in the BBC sitcom *Absolutely Fabulous*. Her film and television credits include voice roles in *Shrek 2* (2004) and *Minions* (2015), a guest appearance in *Friends* (1994), and live-action parts in *Death on the Nile* (2022) and *Allelujah* (2023) as Sister Gilpin. She is set to appear as Grandma in *The Magic Faraway Tree* (2026). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, radiotimes.com.* ## On Fi1m (12) - *The Magic Faraway Tree* (2026), Fi1m 64, as Grandma — [page](https://film.one/film/the-magic-faraway-tree.md) - *Allelujah* (2023), Fi1m 50, as Sister Gilpin — [page](https://film.one/film/allelujah.md) - *Sing 2* (2021), Fi1m 63, as Nana (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/sing-2.md) - *300 Years of French & Saunders* (2017), Fi1m 68, Actor — [page](https://film.one/film/300-years-of-french-and-saunders.md) - *Sing* (2016), Fi1m 70, as Nana (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/sing.md) - *Minions* (2015), Fi1m 61, as The Queen (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/minions.md) - *Coraline* (2009), Fi1m 85, as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/coraline.md) - *Shrek 2* (2004), Fi1m 80, as Fairy Godmother (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/shrek-2.md) - *Spice World* (1997), Fi1m 62, as Fashionable Woman — [page](https://film.one/film/spice-world.md) - *Muppet Treasure Island* (1996), Fi1m 73, as Mrs. Bluveridge — [page](https://film.one/film/muppet-treasure-island.md) - *Absolutely Fabulous* (1992), Fi1m 81, as Edina Monsoon — [page](https://film.one/tv/absolutely-fabulous.md) - *The Storyteller* (1988), Fi1m 82, as Badsister 1 — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-storyteller.md) ## Complete filmography (123) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Virginia Woolf's Night & Day* (2026), as Bess Hilbery - *The Magic Faraway Tree* (2026), as Grandma — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-magic-faraway-tree.md) - *Too Much* (2025), series, as Fiona - *Only Child* (2024), series, as Sally - *Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out* (2024), Executive Producer - *Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps* (2024), as The Goose (voice) - *200% Wolf* (2024), as Max (voice) - *We Work for the Dead* (2024), as The Mother (voice) - *Sumotherhood* (2023), as DI Brookes - *Allelujah* (2023), as Sister Gilpin — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/allelujah.md) - *The Pentaverate* (2022), series, as Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik - *Death on the Nile* (2022), as Marie Van Schuyler - *The Best Birthday Ever* (2022), as Mother (voice) - *Sing 2* (2021), as Nana (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/sing-2.md) - *The Stranger* (2020), series, as Heidi Doyle - *Completely Bad News* (2019), as Sally - *Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again* (2019), as Meryl Streep / Cher · Writer - *Moominvalley* (2019), series, as Mymble - *Isn't It Romantic* (2019), as Natalie's Mother - *Patrick* (2018), as Maureen - *Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires* (2018), as Dr. Alex Cular - *Lady Windermere's Fan* (2018), as The Duchess of Berwick - *Grandpa's Great Escape* (2018), as Miss Dandy - *300 Years of French & Saunders* (2017), Actor — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/300-years-of-french-and-saunders.md) - *Sing* (2016), as Nana (voice) — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/sing.md) - *British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves* (2016), as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited) - *We Love Sitcom* (2016), Actor - *Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie* (2016), as Edina Monsoon · Screenplay - *Stick Man* (2015), as Narrator (voice) - *Josh* (2015), series, as Judith - *Minions* (2015), as Reine Elizabeth II (voice) — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/minions.md) - *The Boy in the Dress* (2014), as Miss Windsor - *Blandings* (2013), series, as Lady Constance Keeble - *Five Go to Rehab* (2012), as Anne - *30 Years of Comic Strip* (2012), Actor - *Dead Boss* (2012), series, as Governor Margaret - *The Hunt for Tony Blair* (2011), as Lady Thatcher - *French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years* (2011), Actor - *Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders* (2011), Actor - *This Is Jinsy* (2010), series, Actor - *Coraline* (2009), as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice) — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/coraline.md) - *French & Saunders: Still Alive* (2008), Writer - *The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle* (2007), series, as Creator - *A Bucket O' French and Saunders* (2007), series, as Creator - *Jam and Jerusalem* (2006), series, as Caroline Martin · Writer, Creator - *L'Entente cordiale* (2006), as Gwendoline McFarlane - *Bottom Mindless Violence* (2004), as Helen Mucus / Anita Harris (archive footage) (uncredited) - *Shrek 2* (2004), as Fairy Godmother (voice) — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/shrek-2.md) - *The Best of French & Saunders* (2002), as Various · Writer - *Pongwiffy* (2002), series, Actor - *Absolutely Fabulous* (2001), as Une spectatrice du défilé · Writer - *Mirrorball* (2000), as Vivienne Keill · Writer, Creator - *French & Saunders - Live* (2000), as Various roles · Writer - *Fanny & Elvis* (1999), as Roanna - *The Magician's House* (1999), series, as The Rat (voice) - *Let Them Eat Cake* (1999), series, Actor - *Absolutely Fabulous: A Life* (1998), as Edina "Eddy" Monsoon · Writer - *Four Men in a Car* (1998), as Helen - *Spice World* (1997), as Fashionable Woman — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/spice-world.md) - *Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout* (1996), as Edina Monsoon · Writer - *Muppet Treasure Island* (1996), as Mrs. Bluveridge — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/muppet-treasure-island.md) - *TFI Friday* (1996), series, Actor - *In the Bleak Midwinter* (1995), as Nancy - *How to Be Absolutely Fabulous* (1995), Writer - *French and Saunders' Christmas Carol* (1994), as Various Roles · Writer - *Friends* (1994), series, as Andrea Waltham — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/friends.md) - *Prince Cinders* (1993), as Fairy (voice) - *Jealousy* (1993), as Jane/Margory - *Demonella* (1993), as The Devil - *Space Virgins from Planet Sex* (1993), as Needle - *French & Saunders: At the Movies* (1993), Actor - *Wild Turkey* (1992), as Neighbour - *Absolutely Fabulous* (1992), series, as Edina Monsoon · Writer, Creator — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/absolutely-fabulous.md) - *Red Nose of Courage* (1992), as Margaret Thatcher - *The Tale of Little Pig Robinson* (1990), as Dorcas - *Rita Rudner* (1990), series, Actor - *French & Saunders LIVE* (1990), Actor - *Spaghetti Hoops* (1990), as Maria - *Oxford* (1990), as Hannah - *South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!* (1990), as Cathy - *South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1* (1990), as Cathy - *GLC: The Carnage Continues* (1990), as Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden - *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Phoebe Pratt (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md) - *Colleagues From Hell* (1989), Actor - *Customer Service From Hell* (1989), Actor - *Employees From Hell* (1989), Actor - *Communicators From Hell* (1989), Actor - *French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88* (1988), Various Characters, Writer - *Roseanne* (1988), series, as Edina Monsoon — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/roseanne.md) - *The Storyteller: Sapsorrow* (1988), as Badsister 1 - *The Storyteller* (1988), series, as Badsister 1 — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-storyteller.md) - *Mr Jolly Lives Next Door* (1988), as Monica - *More Bad News* (1988), as Sally - *The Strike* (1988), as Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill - *Comic Relief* (1988), series, Actor - *Eat the Rich* (1987), as Lady Caroline - *French & Saunders* (1987), series, Various Characters, Writer, Creator - *The Silurian Disruption* (1987), as Silurian #2 · Writer - *Omnibus Presents Comic Relief* (1986), series, Actor - *Private Enterprise* (1986), as Debbie - *Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger* (1986), Actor - *The Dangerous Brothers* (1986), series, Actor - *Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)* (1986), as Jessica · Writer - *The Supergrass* (1985), as Lesley Reynolds - *Girls On Top* (1985), series, as Jennifer · Writer, Creator - *Happy Families* (1985), series, as Granny Fuddle - *Slags* (1984), as Little Sister · Writer - *Eddie Monsoon - a Life?* (1984), as Doreen - *Gino: Full Story and Pics* (1984), as Angie - *A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques* (1984), as Shona - *Susie* (1984), as Lorna - *Dirty Movie* (1984), as June - *Five Go Mad on Mescalin* (1983), as Anne - *Summer School* (1983), as Liz - *Bad News* (1983), as Sally - *The Beat Generation* (1983), as Anne - *War* (1983), as Various Roles - *The Young Ones* (1982), series, as Sue, Helen Mucus — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-young-ones.md) - *The Comic Strip Presents...* (1982), series, as Anne, June, Angie, Meryl Streep, Sally, Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider, Liz, Lorna, Jessica, Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk, Doreen, Debbie, Little Sister, Monica, Ice Maiden, Cathy, Hannah, Maria · Writer - *Five Go Mad in Dorset* (1982), as Anne - *The Comic Strip* (1981), Writer - *Omnibus* (1967), series, Actor - *AbFab*, series, Executive Producer ## Gallery - ![Jennifer Saunders](https://film.one/media/person/6953/gallery-6e19565b2077.jpg) Jennifer Saunders — Diggies99, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Jennifer_Saunders_2014.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016.](https://film.one/media/person/6953/gallery-ba068442af82.jpg) Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016. — Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders%2C_%2828636603866%29.jpg/1280px-Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders%2C_%2828636603866%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016.](https://film.one/media/person/6953/gallery-8637844d1fce.jpg) Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016. — Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders_%2828051511094%29.jpg/1280px-Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders_%2828051511094%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016.](https://film.one/media/person/6953/gallery-61bbe1332fab.jpg) Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016. — Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders_%2828052589263%29.jpg/1280px-Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders_%2828052589263%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Jennifer Saunders](https://film.one/media/person/6953/gallery-0598b7960ca8.jpg) Jennifer Saunders — Image via TMDB - ![Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016.](https://film.one/media/person/6953/gallery-7a753664baf4.jpg) Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere Absolutely Fabulous Australian Premiere le 31 juillet 2016. — Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders_%2828590442931%29.jpg/1280px-Joanna_Lumley_and_Jennifer_Saunders_%2828590442931%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won - 2009: BAFTA Fellowship (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jennifer-saunders