--- name: "Siân Phillips" canonical: "https://film.one/person/sian-phillips" roles: [] born: "14 May 1933" reviewed_on_fi1m: 4 average_fi1m_score: 86 average_over: 4 updated: "2026-09-20T04:26:34.128491+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." --- # Siân Phillips Actor. Born 14 May 1933 in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Glamorgan, Wales. ## Details - **Born:** 14 May 1933, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Glamorgan, Wales - **Active:** 1964–1993 - **Also known as:** Sian Phillips, Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 79 (1), 1970s 89 (2), 1990s 86 (1) - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 4, War & Politics 2, History 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1 - **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $41m across 2 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%A2n_Phillips, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q237778, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0680795/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12522 ## Coming up - *Frank and Percy* (2026-10-13) ## Streaming the US now - **Pluto TV:** [*Becket*](https://film.one/film/becket.md) (79) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Biography Siân Phillips is a Welsh actress. Born Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips on 14 May 1933 in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Glamorgan, she is a Welsh-speaker who learned English by listening to the radio. She studied English at University College Cardiff and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art on a scholarship, winning the Bancroft Gold Medal for her performance as Hedda Gabler. Her film debut was as Gwendolen in *Becket* (1964). She is known for roles including Livia in the BBC series *I, Claudius* (1976), for which she received a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress, the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam in *Dune* (1984), and Mrs Archer in *The Age of Innocence* (1993). She has also appeared in *Clash of the Titans* (1981), *Valmont* (1989) and the series *Good Omens* (2019). Phillips was appointed DBE for services to drama. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, screenonline.org.uk, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (4) - *The Age of Innocence* (1993), Fi1m 86, as Mrs. Archer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md) - *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), Fi1m 88, as Ann Smiley — [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md) - *I, Claudius* (1976), Fi1m 90, as Livia — [page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md) - *Becket* (1964), Fi1m 79, as Gwendolen — [page](https://film.one/film/becket.md) ## Complete filmography (108) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Frank and Percy* (2026), Actor - *Emperor: Rise & Fall of a Dynasty* (2024), series, as Narrator - *Apple Cider Vinegar* (2024), as Voice - *Doctor Who* (2024), series, as Enid Meadows - *The Chelsea Detective* (2022), series, as Grandma Dix - *A Year in the Beacons* (2021), series, as Narrator - *National Theatre Live: Under Milk Wood* (2021), as Mrs Utah Watkins / Polly Garter / Mrs Beyon - *Dream Horse* (2021), as Maureen - *A Christmas Carol* (2020), as Grandmother / narrator (voice) - *Summerland* (2020), as Margaret Corey - *McDonald & Dodds* (2020), series, as Agnes Gillian - *National Theatre Live: Les Blancs* (2019), as Madame Neilsen - *Time & Again* (2019), as Eleanor - *Be Happy!* (2019), as Maria - *Good Omens* (2019), series, as Mr. Henderson - *Nureyev* (2018), as Narrator - *To Provide All People* (2018), as Patient - *Miss Dalí* (2018), as Anna Maria Dalí - *Voyageuse* (2018), as Erica - *Hochelaga, Land of Souls* (2017), as Sarah Walker - *Aberfan: The Green Hollow* (2016), Actor - *Under Milk Wood* (2014), as Mrs. Pugh - *A Picture of London* (2012), as Narrator - *Playhouse Presents* (2012), series, as May - *Lovesong* (2012), as Maggie - *The Mountain That Had To Be Painted* (2011), as Narrator - *Lewis* (2007), series, as Adele Goffe - *The Murder Room* (2004), as Marie Strickland - *The Last Detective* (2003), series, as Vera Dulciman - *Stalin: Inside the Terror* (2003), as Narrator - *Attila* (2001), series, as Grandmother - *Cinderella: The ITV Pantomime* (2000), as Evil Baroness - *Come and Go* (2000), as Ru - *The Magician's House* (1999), series, as Meg Lewis - *Aristocrats* (1999), as Narrator/Older Lady Emily Lennox - *Alice Through the Looking Glass* (1998), as Red Queen - *The Scold's Bridle* (1998), as Mathilda Gillespie - *The Scold's Bridle* (1998), series, as Mathilda - *Midsomer Murders* (1997), series, as Lady Annabel Butler - *La Femme Nikita* (1997), series, as Adrian - *Ivanhoe* (1997), series, as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine - *House of America* (1997), as Mam - *Silent Witness* (1996), series, as Beattie Elletson - *The Mousehole Cat* (1995), as Narrator - *The Vacillations of Poppy Carew* (1995), as Calypso - *The Return of the Borrowers* (1993), series, as Mrs. Driver - *The Age of Innocence* (1993), as Mrs. Archer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md) - *Heidi* (1993), series, as Frau Sesemann - *The Borrowers* (1992), series, as Mrs. Driver - *The Chestnut Soldier* (1991), as Nain Griffiths - *Tonight at 8.30* (1991), series, as Clare Wedderburn, Barbara Faber, Olive Lloyd-Ransome - *The Black Candle* (1991), as Daisy Barnett - *Emlyn's Moon* (1990), as Nain Griffiths - *Perfect Scoundrels* (1990), series, as Mother Aloysius - *Red Empire* (1990), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Dark River* (1990), as Mrs. Blessington - *Valmont* (1989), as Madame de Volanges - *Shadow of the Noose* (1989), series, as Lady Scott - *Agatha Christie's Poirot* (1989), series, as Mrs. Laura Upward - *David Macaulay: Pyramid* (1989), as Mersyankh (voice) - *The Snow Spider* (1988), series, as Nain Griffiths - *The Snow Spider* (1988), as Nain Griffiths - *Vanity Fair* (1987), series, as Matilda Crawley - *A Killing on the Exchange* (1987), series, as Isobel Makepeace - *The Two Mrs. Grenvilles* (1987), series, as Duchess of Windsor - *Ewoks: The Battle for Endor* (1985), as Charal - *The Doctor and the Devils* (1985), as Annabella Rock - *Dune* (1984), as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam - *How Many Miles to Babylon?* (1982), as Mrs Alicia Moore - *Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years* (1981), series, as Clementine Churchill - *Clash of the Titans* (1981), as Cassiopeia - *Carpathian Eagle* (1980), as Mrs. Henska - *Hammer House of Horror* (1980), series, as Mrs. Henska - *Nijinsky* (1980), as Lady Ripon - *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), series, as Ann Smiley — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md) - *Crime and Punishment* (1979), series, as Katerina Ivánovna - *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Hermione - *Warrior Queen* (1978), series, as Queen Boudicca - *Heartbreak House* (1977), as Hesione Hushabye - *The Achurch Letters* (1977), as Janet Achurch - *I, Claudius* (1976), series, as Livia — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md) - *How Green Was My Valley* (1975), series, as Beth Morgan - *Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill* (1974), as Mrs. Patrick Campbell - *Shoulder to Shoulder* (1974), series, as Emmeline Pankhurst - *Playhouse* (1974), series, as Janet Achurch, Alicia Moore - *Under Milk Wood* (1972), as Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard - *Platonov* (1971), as Anna - *Murphy's War* (1971), as Hayden - *Goodbye, Mr. Chips* (1969), as Ursula Mossbank - *W. Somerset Maugham* (1969), series, as Martha Jones - *Laughter in the Dark* (1969), as Lady Pamela More - *ITV Saturday Night Theatre* (1969), series, as Sally Stirling - *The Sex Game* (1968), series, as Louisa - *Thief* (1968), as Woman - *It’s Dearer After Midnight* (1968), as Jo - *City '68* (1967), series, as Jo - *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as May Bartram - *Half Hour Story* (1967), series, as A Girl - *Eh, Joe?* (1966), as Voice - *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as Anna Voinitseva, The Duchesse of Berwich, Hesione Hushabye - *Young Cassidy* (1965), as Ella - *Becket* (1964), as Gwendolen — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/becket.md) - *Espionage* (1963), series, as Anna - *Don Juan in Hell* (1962), as Dona Ana - *The Longest Day* (1962), as WRNS Officer (uncredited) — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-longest-day.md) - *Drama 61-67* (1961), series, as Carole Blair - *Armchair Theatre* (1956), series, Actor - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Lady Lavery ## Gallery - ![Siân Phillips](https://film.one/media/person/389068/gallery-84004fe57a12.jpg) Siân Phillips — Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Si%C3%A2n_Phillips_2022.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Siân Phillips](https://film.one/media/person/389068/gallery-3db04916a725.jpg) Siân Phillips — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 1999: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (nominated) *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/sian-phillips