Lesley Nicol (born 7 August 1953) is an English actress and a three-time SAG Award winner in the Best Cast in a Drama Series category for her role as Beryl Patmore in the ITV and PBS drama TV series Downton Abbey. She also starred in the 2019 feature film Downton Abbey.[2][3]
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Lesley Nicol | |
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![]() Nicol in November 2014 | |
Born | (1953-08-07) 7 August 1953 (age 69) Manchester, England[1] |
Other names | Leslie Nicol |
Education | Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1982–present |
Known for | Beryl Patmore in Downton Abbey |
Awards | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, 2012, 2014–2015 |
Nicol's television roles include Mrs. Beaver in the BBC adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Queen Giant in The Silver Chair and as Henrietta Beecham in the 2019 ITV historical drama Beecham House. She made multiple appearances on ABC's The Catch in a recurring role playing the matriarch of a London gangland family and also guest-starred on episodes of Amazon Prime Video's The Boys, The CW's Supernatural (where she played a variation of the witch from Hansel and Gretel), CBS's reboot of The Odd Couple, ABC's Once Upon a Time and TVLand's Hot in Cleveland.[4][5][6]
On stage, Nicol co-starred as "Rosie" in the original West End production of the international hit musical Mamma Mia! and originated the role of Kath in the Madness Musical Our House in the West End.[7] She starred as Auntie Annie in East is East at London's Royal Court Theatre and later reprised her role in the BAFTA Best British Film Award-winning version of the play, also titled East Is East,[8] as well as the film sequel, West is West.[9][10]
Nicol wrote an original musical about her life and career with pop music songwriter Mark Mueller titled How the Hell Did I Get Here? The well-received show opened Off-Broadway in New York City in April 2022 and was nominated for an Off-Broadway Alliance Award after just 10 performances.[11][12] She and Mueller first performed it in 2017 at her alma mater, London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, followed by a show in Hong Kong at that city's historic Fringe Club theater.[13] In March 2022, the musical had its first, fully-staged performance in Chicago.[14] The musical is directed by Luke Kernaghan and produced by Pemberley Productions. The show's North American tour in the summer of 2022 was postponed to a due to a "deep personal bereavement."[15]
Nicol is a graduate of Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.[16][17] Unlike her Downton Abbey character, Mrs. Patmore, Nicol is a vegan and not a good cook.[18][19]
Year | Film/TV | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | The PracticeLesley Nicol | Jan Metcalfe | TV series (13 episodes) |
1986 | Blackadder II | Mrs. Pants | TV series (1 episode: "Money") |
1987 | Comeback | Bossy Boots | TV film |
Brookside | Shelley Rimmer | TV series (1 episode: "Give Us a Clue") | |
1988 | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Mrs. Beaver | TV series (5 episodes) |
1989 | Bradley | Nicole | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 1.3") |
The Nineteenth Hole | Mrs. Anderton | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 1.3") | |
Alexei Sayle's Stuff | TV series (1 episode: "Whistling Calculus for Tax Purposes") | ||
4 Play | Janet Holmes | TV series (1 episode: "Dawn and the Candidate") | |
1990 | The Silver Chair | Giant Queen | TV series (2 episodes) |
1991 | Waterfront Beat | TV series (3 episodes) | |
Paul Merton: The Series | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 1.4") | ||
The Bill | Various | TV series (3 episodes: 1991–2008) | |
1994 | Three Seven Eleven | Mrs. Pudsey | TV series (2 episodes) |
Casualty | Jayne Bowen | TV series (1 episode: "Chasing the Dragon") | |
Heartbeat | Various | TV series (5 episodes: 1994–2008) | |
1995 | Castles | Gilian | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 1.6") |
New Voices | Joan | TV series (1 episode: "Grimm") | |
1996 | Peak Practice | Sally Buxton | TV series (1 episode: "Partners") |
1998 | The Grand | Mrs. Morris | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 2.10") |
Dinnerladies | Woman Worker | TV series (1 episode: "Royals") | |
1999 | East Is East | Auntie Annie | |
Brookside | Sandra | TV Series (1 Episode) | |
Extremely Dangerous | Gwenda Palmer | TV series (2 episodes) | |
A Touch of Frost | Mrs. Cockroft | TV series (2 episodes: 1999–2000) | |
2002 | Holby City | Eileen McMahon | TV series (1 episode: "Taking Cover") |
Doctors | Various | TV series (2 episodes: 2002–2009) | |
2004 | The Last Detective | Stella Beauchamp | TV series (1 episode: "Benefit to Mankind") |
Rose and Maloney | Headteacher | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 1.1") | |
The Courtroom | Brenda Rimmer | TV series (1 episode: "The Postman") | |
2005 | Marple: A Murder Is Announced | Nurse McClelland | TV film |
2006 | Hotel Babylon | Mrs. Cord | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 1.4") |
Vanderpump Rules | Herself | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 5.6") | |
2007 | Dead Clever: The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley | Jean | TV film |
2008 | Hancock and Joan | Nellie | TV film |
Shameless | Belle | TV series (1 episode: "Episode No. 5.14") | |
2010 | West is West | Auntie Annie | |
Downton Abbey | Mrs. Patmore | TV series (52 episodes: 2010–2015) | |
2013 | Once Upon a Time | Johanna | TV series (1 episode: "The Queen Is Dead") |
Free Birds | Pilgrim Woman | Voice only | |
Sarah & Duck | Scarf Lady (voice) | Recurring character | |
2014 | Hot in Cleveland | Margaret | TV series (1 episode: The Christmas Episode. Season 6, episode 7) |
2015 | Supernatural | Katja | TV series (1 episode: "About a Boy". Season 10, episode 12) |
2015 | George Gently | Breath in the Air | |
2016 | Goldie & Bear | Fairy Godmother (voice) | recurring role, credited as "Leslie Nicol" |
The Catch | Sybil Griffiths | TV series (2 episodes) | |
Ghostbusters | Mrs. Potter | Deleted scene, available on the extended cut. | |
2017 | The Tom and Jerry Show | Maid (voice) | TV series (1 episode: "Downton Tabby") credited as "Leslie Nicol" |
2018–present | Summer Camp Island | Ramona (voice) | TV series (10 episodes) |
2019 | Beecham House | Henrietta Beecham | TV series (6 episodes) |
2019 | Downton Abbey | Mrs. Patmore | |
2020 | The Boys | Connie Butcher | Amazon Original Series (1 Episode) |
2021 | Jellystone! | Winsome Witch (voice) | Recurring role |
2022 | Father Brown | Marjorie Chummy | TV series (Series 9 Episode 7) |
Alice's Wonderland Bakery | Iris | ||
Downton Abbey: A New Era | Mrs. Patmore | ||
Doc Martin | Mrs. Irene Moore | TV series (Series 10 Episode 4) |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Downton Abbey Cast | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Won | [20] |
2013 | Downton Abbey Cast | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated | [21] |
2014 | Downton Abbey Cast | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Won | [22] |
2015 | Downton Abbey Cast | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Won | [23] |
2016 | Downton Abbey Cast | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated | [24] |
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