---
name: "Olivia Williams"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/olivia-williams"
fi1m_id: "olivia-williams"
imdb_id: "nm0931404"
tmdb_id: 11616
wikidata_id: "Q231163"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 July 1968"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-19T04:26:19.520263+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."
---

# Olivia Williams

## Identity

Olivia Williams

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/olivia-williams
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** olivia-williams
- **IMDb ID:** nm0931404
- **TMDB ID:** 11616
- **Wikidata ID:** Q231163
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Williams, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q231163, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931404/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11616

Actor. Born 26 July 1968 in Camden Town, London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 July 1968, Camden Town, London, England, UK
- **Active:** 1998–present
- **Also known as:** Olivia Haigh Williams
- **Frequently works with:** [Andy Serkis](https://film.one/person/andy-serkis.md), [Barry Mendel](https://film.one/person/barry-mendel.md), [Tim Bevan](https://film.one/person/tim-bevan.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 11 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 84 (3), 2000s 74 (2), 2010s 64 (5), 2020s 89 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 71 to 66 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 10 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 9, Comedy 3, Romance 2, Action & Adventure 1, Adventure 1, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 14 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $920m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Williams, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q231163, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931404/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11616

## Coming up

- *The Good Daughter* (2026-11-12), as Harriet 'Gamma' Quinn — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-daughter.md)

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Father*](https://film.one/film/the-father.md) (89), [*An Education*](https://film.one/film/an-education.md) (82), [*Wild Bill*](https://film.one/film/wild-bill.md) (74)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Spaced*](https://film.one/tv/spaced.md) (86), [*Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll*](https://film.one/film/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll.md) (65)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Sixth Sense*](https://film.one/film/the-sixth-sense.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Olivia Williams

> Olivia Williams is particularly good at suggesting what a reserved woman chooses not to say. We value her assurance and dry wit, and wish the writing always gave her as much attention as the men around her.

In *Rushmore* (1998), Olivia Williams’s Rosemary Cross does not let the men’s fascination with her determine how interesting she is. Williams gives the schoolteacher an assurance that checks their demands on our attention, without making her merely the sensible person in the scene. It is the kind of acting we value her for: reserved, attentive and able to suggest more feeling than the dialogue supplies. Wes Anderson’s careful comedy benefits from having someone who does not seem to be asking us to notice how unusual she is.

That performance also exposes a limit in the writing. Anderson and Wilson give us far more to understand about the men, leaving Williams to make Rosemary matter within a romance largely shaped around Fischer’s desires. We were frustrated by that imbalance, because Williams made us want to know Rosemary beyond the men’s interest in her. Williams holds our attention, but she cannot supply scenes that have not been written. Our reservation is about the part, not about an actor failing to fill it.

*Rushmore* was an American breakthrough, followed by Anna Crowe in *The Sixth Sense* (1999). The career that followed has been steady rather than built around leading stardom, moving between British independent films, American productions and television. Madeleine in *The Heart of Me* (2002) offered a lead, while Ruth Lang in Roman Polanski’s *The Ghost Writer* (2010) drew on her ability to give a potentially thankless wife’s part wit and complexity. Those roles make a useful guide to her strengths without suggesting that every film has used them equally well.

Her later roles include The Woman in Florian Zeller’s *The Father* (2020) and, from 2022, Camilla Parker Bowles in *The Crown*. It is worth resisting the habit of calling such acting dependable and leaving it there. The glances and restraint do something specific: they suggest a person thinking without waiting for a speech to explain her. Start with *Rushmore*; she gives us good reason to wish it spent longer with the schoolteacher.

## Biography

Olivia Williams is a British actress. She was born in Camden Town, London, and studied English literature at Newnham College, Cambridge, before training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and spending three years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She toured the United States in a production of Richard III with Ian McKellen in 1995.

Her first significant screen role was as Jane Fairfax in the 1996 television film *Emma*. She made her feature debut in *The Postman* (1997) and appeared as Rosemary Cross in *Rushmore* (1998) and Anna Crowe in *The Sixth Sense* (1999). She played the Irate Cyclist in the Channel 4 series *Spaced* (1999). Later film roles include *The Heart of Me* (2002), for which she won the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress, *The Ghost Writer* (2010), *Hanna* (2011), *The Father* (2020) and *Victoria & Abdul* (2017). On television she has played Emily Silk in *Counterpart* (2017–2019) and Camilla Parker Bowles in the final two seasons of *The Crown* (2022–2023).

Williams is married to actor Rhashan Stone.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, watch.plex.tv.*

## On Fi1m (11)

- *The Father* (2020), Fi1m 89, as The Woman — [page](https://film.one/film/the-father.md)
- *Seventh Son* (2014), Fi1m 35, as Mam Ward — [page](https://film.one/film/seventh-son.md)
- *Anna Karenina* (2012), Fi1m 64, as Countess Vronsky — [page](https://film.one/film/anna-karenina.md)
- *Wild Bill* (2011), Fi1m 74, as Kelly — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-bill.md)
- *Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* (2010), Fi1m 65, as Betty Dury — [page](https://film.one/film/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll.md)
- *Terriers* (2010), Fi1m 82, as Miriam Foster — [page](https://film.one/tv/terriers.md)
- *An Education* (2009), Fi1m 82, as Miss Stubbs — [page](https://film.one/film/an-education.md)
- *Dollhouse* (2009), Fi1m 66, as Adelle DeWitt — [page](https://film.one/tv/dollhouse.md)
- *Spaced* (1999), Fi1m 86, as Irate Cyclist — [page](https://film.one/tv/spaced.md)
- *The Sixth Sense* (1999), Fi1m 84, as Anna Crowe — [page](https://film.one/film/the-sixth-sense.md)
- *Rushmore* (1998), Fi1m 83, as Rosemary Cross — [page](https://film.one/film/rushmore.md)

## Complete filmography (78)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Good Daughter* (2026), series, as Harriet 'Gamma' Quinn — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-daughter.md)
- *Young Sherlock* (2026), series, Actor
- *Monster: The Ed Gein Story* (2025), series, as Alma Reville
- *Dune: Prophecy* (2024), series, as Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen
- *Pigs* (2024), as Mum
- *The Trouble with Jessica* (2024), as Beth
- *Another End* (2024), as Juliette
- *Unknown Belize* (2024), series, as Narrator
- *Funny Woman* (2023), series, as Gloria Balderstone, Barbara's mother
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power* (2022), series, as Winterbloom (voice)
- *My Name Is Leon* (2022), as Sylvia
- *The Impact* (2022), as The President
- *The Wheel of Time* (2021), series, as Queen Morgase Trakand
- *The Nevers* (2021), series, as Lavinia Bidlow
- *The Father* (2020), as The Woman — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/the-father.md)
- *Homemade* (2020), series, as Queen (voice)
- *Nyet!* (2019), as Mrs. Pyke
- *Counterpart* (2017), series, as Emily Burton Silk
- *National Theatre Archive: Mosquitoes* (2017), as Alice
- *Victoria & Abdul* (2017), as Baroness Churchill
- *The Escape* (2017), as Sarah
- *The Halcyon* (2017), series, as Lady Priscilla Hamilton
- *The Crown* (2016), series, as Camilla Parker Bowles — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-crown.md)
- *The White King* (2016), as Sophia (voice)
- *Emma, Change the Locks* (2015), as Emma
- *Man Up* (2015), as Hilary
- *Altar* (2014), as Meg
- *Seventh Son* (2014), as Mam Ward — Fi1m 35, [page](https://film.one/film/seventh-son.md)
- *Manhattan* (2014), series, as Liza Winter
- *Magpie* (2014), as The Woman
- *Maps to the Stars* (2014), as Cristina Weiss
- *Sabotage* (2014), as Caroline
- *Salting the Battlefield* (2014), as Belinda Kay
- *The Last Days on Mars* (2013), as Kim Aldrich
- *Justin and the Knights of Valour* (2013), as Queen (voice)
- *The Guest* (2013), as Marguerite
- *Hyde Park on Hudson* (2012), as Eleanor Roosevelt
- *Now Is Good* (2012), as Mother
- *Anna Karenina* (2012), as Countess Vronsky — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/anna-karenina.md)
- *Playhouse Presents* (2012), series, as Dorothy Green
- *Wild Bill* (2011), as Kelly — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-bill.md)
- *Collaborator* (2011), as Emma Stiles
- *Case Sensitive* (2011), series, as Charlie Zailer
- *Hanna* (2011), as Rachel
- *Terriers* (2010), series, as Miriam Foster — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/terriers.md)
- *The Ghost Writer* (2010), as Ruth Lang
- *Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll* (2010), as Betty Dury — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll.md)
- *An Education* (2009), as Miss Stubbs — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/an-education.md)
- *Dollhouse* (2009), series, as Adelle DeWitt — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/dollhouse.md)
- *Broken Lines* (2008), as Zoe
- *Flashbacks of a Fool* (2008), as Grace Scott
- *Miss Austen Regrets* (2008), as Jane Austen
- *Damage* (2007), as Michelle Cahill
- *Krakatoa: The Last Days* (2006), as Johanna Beijerinck
- *X-Men: The Last Stand* (2006), as Dr. Moira MacTaggert (uncredited) — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/x-men-the-last-stand.md)
- *Tara Road* (2005), as Ria
- *Valiant* (2005), as Victoria (voice)
- *Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures* (2004), as Agatha Christie
- *The Hotel In Amsterdam* (2004), as Annie
- *The Heart of Me* (2004), as Madeleine
- *Peter Pan* (2003), as Mary Darling
- *To Kill a King* (2003), as Lady Anne Fairfax
- *Below* (2002), as Claire
- *The Man from Elysian Fields* (2001), as Andrea
- *Lucky Break* (2001), as Annabel
- *The Body* (2001), as Sharon Golban
- *Born Romantic* (2000), as Eleanor
- *Dead Babies* (2000), as Diana
- *Four Dogs Playing Poker* (2000), as Audrey
- *Jason and the Argonauts* (2000), series, as Hera
- *Spaced* (1999), series, as Irate Cyclist — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/spaced.md)
- *The Sixth Sense* (1999), as Anna Crowe — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-sixth-sense.md)
- *Rushmore* (1998), as Rosemary Cross — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/rushmore.md)
- *The Postman* (1997), as Abby
- *Emma* (1996), as Jane Fairfax
- *Friends* (1994), series, as Felicity — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/friends.md)
- *The Ruth Rendell Mysteries* (1987), series, as Jennifer Norris
- *Van der Valk* (1972), series, as Irene Kortman

## Gallery

- ![Olivia Williams](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-f81cd5c36cda.jpg) Olivia Williams — Mingle Media TV, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Olivia_Williams_July_9%2C_2014_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Olivia_Williams_July_9%2C_2014_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![kristin.eonline.com/ - Fox Fall Eco-Casino Party, London Hotel, West Hollywood, California - Sept. 8, 2008](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-6c06af8b8f39.jpg) kristin.eonline.com/ - Fox Fall Eco-Casino Party, London Hotel, West Hollywood, California - Sept. 8, 2008 — watchwithkristin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Olivia_Williams.jpg/1280px-Olivia_Williams.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![British actress Olivia Williams attending the Berlin Film Festival 2010](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-200616673a7c.jpg) British actress Olivia Williams attending the Berlin Film Festival 2010 — Siebbi, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Olivia_Williams_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2010%29.jpg/1280px-Olivia_Williams_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2010%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![British actress Olivia Williams leaving the press conference for the film "The Ghost Writer" (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-690c67498cdc.jpg) British actress Olivia Williams leaving the press conference for the film "The Ghost Writer" (2010) — Siebbi, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Olivia_Williams_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2010%29_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Olivia Williams](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-83ed4c598cae.jpg) Olivia Williams — Image via TMDB
- ![Olivia Williams](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-ea6a1df8de87.jpg) Olivia Williams — Image via TMDB
- ![Olivia Williams](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-04b9b19a5628.jpg) Olivia Williams — Image via TMDB
- ![British actress Olivia Williams attending the Berlin Film Festival 2010 (2011)](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-5c70599828b5.jpg) British actress Olivia Williams attending the Berlin Film Festival 2010 (2011) — Olivia_Williams_(Berlin_Film_Festival_2010).jpg: Siebbi
derivative work: César (talk), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Olivia_Williams_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2010%29_cropped.jpg/1280px-Olivia_Williams_%28Berlin_Film_Festival_2010%29_cropped.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actress Olivia Williams at the TCA/CTAM press tour event and the special panel event at the Paley Center on July 9, 2014](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-8f77b4585ce6.jpg) Actress Olivia Williams at the TCA/CTAM press tour event and the special panel event at the Paley Center on July 9, 2014 — Mingle Media TV, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Olivia_Williams_July_9%2C_2014.jpg/1280px-Olivia_Williams_July_9%2C_2014.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Olivia Williams](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-938b0cbc6b43.jpg) Olivia Williams — Image via TMDB
- ![Olivia Williams](https://film.one/media/person/60296/gallery-31c488405be2.jpg) Olivia Williams — Image via TMDB

---
© 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/olivia-williams