Joan Plowright, award-winning actor and widow of Laurence Olivier, dies at 95

LONDON, Jan. 17 (Reuters) — British actor Joan Plowright, winner of two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award, has died aged 95, her family said on Friday.

Plowright made her on-screen debut in 1956’s “Moby Dick” before gaining wider recognition in the 1960 film adaptation of “The Entertainer” alongside Laurence Olivier, whom she later married.

During her long stage and screen career, Plowright also received nominations for an Academy Award, an Emmy and two BAFTA Awards.

Other films in which she starred include “Enchanted April,” “Tea with Mussolini,” “101 Dalmatians” and “Drowning by Numbers.”

She retired from acting in 2014.

Plowright passed away peacefully on Jan. 16 surrounded by her family, according to a family statement reported by the BBC and other British media outlets.

“She enjoyed a long and illustrious career across theatre, film and TV over seven decades until blindness made her retire,” the statement said.

“We are so proud of all Joan did and who she was as a loving and deeply inclusive human being.”

In a 2018 BBC documentary, Plowright recalled playing the character Beatie Bryant in the 1959 theatre production “Roots” and the rare thrill in that era of being a female lead.

“Beatie is the centre of attention, the centre of the story instead of being on the side, the decoration bit, the support,” Plowright said.

“The female is absolutely at the centre of it and it’s that feeling of elation, exhilaration when you know you’re in charge.”

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James and Gareth Jones)