Raised in Ramsgate, England

Worked for ten years as a bank secretary, during which time she married and later divorced

Gained early stage experience with the Bubble Theater and with the Belgrade Theater in Coventry

Joined England's National Theatre Company

Acted in "The Imitation Game" (made for British TV, but shown at film festivals and received limited theatrical exposure)

Initial collaboration with Mike Leigh, the British TV-movie "Grown-Ups"

Had featured role in the British stage play "Steaming"

Starred with Simon Callow in the British comedy series "Chance in a Million" (Channel Four/Thames)

Co-starred in the London staging of "Benefactors" by Michael Frayn

Appeared in a British stage production of "Born Yesterday"

Had lead in the British series "The Labours of Erica," a sitcom written for her by "Chance in a Million" writers Fegen and Norriss

Made full-fledged feature film debut in the US-produced film, "The Witches"

Appeared in the Off-Broadway production of "Absent Friends"

Had small role as the family matriarch in the Robert Redford directed "A River Runs Through It"

Returned to the British stage in "An Ideal Husband" in Manchester

Appeared in "The Buddha of Suburbia"

Co-starred with Timothy Spall in the British comedy series "Outside Edge"

Received first Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of the birth mother of an African American daughter who she gave up for adoption in Mike Leigh's "Secrets & Lies"; Spall played her brother

Last stage appearance (to date), "Habeas Corpus" at the Donmar Theatre Warehouse

Teamed with Julie Walters for "Girls Night"

Won critical praise as the shrill working-class mother of a gifted young woman nicknamed "Little Voice"; received second Academy Award nomination, this time as Best Supporting Actress

Co-starred with John Hurt in the love story "Night Train"

Portrayed Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons in the HBO drama "RKO 281"

Appeared as a widow forced by circumstances into raising marijuana in the comedy "Saving Grace"

Portrayed Auguste Van Pels in the ABC movie "Anne Frank"; received Emmy nomination

Acted in the ensemble of "Daddy and Them" (filmed in 1998); written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton; (released theatrically in 2002)

Played the wife of a military officer stationed in Malayasia in the 1930s in "Sleeping Dictionary"

Played the mother of the title character, a former gigolo, in the film "Sonny," directed by Nicolas Cage

Portrayed Bobby Darin's (Kevin Spacey) mother in "Beyond the Sea" a biopic of the legendary signer Bobby Darin

Cast opposite Donald Sutherland and Keira Knightley in "Pride and Prejudice," an adaptation of the Jane Austen classic

Cast as Peter Mullan's loving wife in "On a Clear Day"

Played a bawdy comedienne with a sinking career in the Australian drama "Introducing the Dwights"

Once again appeared opposite Keira Knightley in the critically-acclaimed "Atonement"

Earned an Emmy nomination for her guest starring role on NBC's "Law and Order SVU"