Joanne Whalley is an English actress who I will forever hold dear due to her role as the badass Sorsha in the fantasy film Willow — which, if I could find a way to review for a historical angle, I would. She did a few historical films when she was young, then took on the “no one can succeed at this” project of playing Scarlett in the sequel to Gone With the Wind. These days, she’s frequently cast as the still-hot older female character in historical TV series. So, let’s take a look at her filmography! Unfortunately there’s a few roles I can’t find photos of: Marjorie Dawson/Sarah Hughes in How We Used to Live (1976-79), and Ulla in Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983).
A Christmas Carol (1984)
As Fan, Scrooge’s sister, in this TV movie adaptation of the Dickens novel starring George C. Scott.
So many historically inaccurate bangs, so little time!
Scandal (1989)
As Christine Keeler, aspiring model who had an affair with British Secretary of State for War John Profumo, leading to a massive scandal in 1963.
Are the other ladies supposed to be Native American?
Scarlett (1994)
Nobody can match Vivien Leigh, but I thought Whalley did an admirable job with the role in this terrible, yet entertaining, sequel to Gone With the Wind.
Mourning…
Her wardrobe is great!
Even if the acting is melodramatic.
Timothy Dalton isn’t bad either!
Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (2000)
As the former first lady in this TV movie.
She looks decent, he’s no JFK.
Run the Wild Fields (2000)
“A North Carolina woman and her daughter take in a mysterious drifter to work their farm while the woman’s husband is missing in action during World War II,” per IMDB.
Nice hat, nice print!
The Virgin Queen (2006)
As Queen Mary Tudor, older sister to the future Queen Elizabeth I, in this Bess-focused bio-series.
During Mary’s paranoid years.
The Borgias (2011-13)
As Vanozza Cattaneo, longtime mistress to pope Pope Alexander VI, and mother to his children.
She’s gorgeous!
She’s sophisticated!
She has kids!
Jamaica Inn (2014)
As Patience Merlyn in this adaptation of a Regency-set Daphne du Maurier novel. Which I will never see, because it looks like poor, dirty people being miserable.
There is literally nothing appealing about this.
A.D. The Bible Continues (2015)
As Claudia, wife of Pontius Pilate, in one of those interminable Bible fictionalizations.
Take away the earrings and she looks like she’s headed to a vineyard wedding.
The Ark (2015)
Sticking with the biblical, as “Emmie,” wife of Noah — ya know, Noah’s ark.
I am not the target demographic here.
Wolf Hall (2015)
As Catherine of Aragon, first wife and queen of Henry VIII, in this adaptation of the Hilary Mantel novel about Henry’s divorce and Thomas Cromwell.
99.9% spot on — just needs red/auburn hair.
Sewing Henry’s shirts.
Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands (2016)
As Rheda, queen regent in this fantasy/historical series based on the Beowulf poem.
“Velvets are wrong historically but felt right in terms of her character”
This reads almost Asian to me?
The White Princess (2017)
As Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy, in this adaptation of a Philippa Fucking Gregory novel about Elizabeth of York.
Sarah wrote a whole post about how much she hates this outfit.
There was a sale on doilies at Joann’s?
I like the color scheme?
Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018)
Back to the biblical, playing Priscilla, companion of Paul.
zzzz wha’?
What’s your favorite Joanne Whalley historical costume movie or TV role?
Wow, didn’t know there were so many pale Anglo women inhabiting the Biblical middle east! Didn’t know that!
Does that mean you didn’t know that a certain person had light-brown hair and blue eyes, just like an ideal mid-century American? (Or at least he does in Hollywood epics.)
Joanne whalley is so pretty!Her mouth is the only part of her age to suggest ageing,otherwise her eyes are so pretty and,ahem,seductive.I actually thought she was too pretty to play CoA in Wolf Hall because I feel she would have been a bit too plump at that point in her life.Whalley has a figure that women of her age would die for.
I agree. A very lovely woman who aged beautifully.
And you’re right about CoA too, she became very fat in later life, after all those failed pregnancies. Francis I described her, with typically ungallantry, as old and deformed, an obvious exaggeration.
I, too, am a fan of her Sorcha in Willow. Have you thought about a comparison of Willow and Midsummer Night’s Dream? Fairies etc.
But my favourite historical role she did was Vanozza in The Borgias. Gorgeous costumes and hair.
Too bad Reilly, Ace of Spies is MIA. I loved that series.
I noticed that she is holding her utensils the British way in the Gone with the Wind sequel. Not done here in the U.S. but who knows what they were doing in the 1860’s South.
Interesting! Can you expand?
Being English I have no idea what ‘Joann’s’ is….some kind of haberdashery ?
Joann’s is a fabric store chain in the US that has managed to be almost the only fabric store in a lot of areas. The supplies are usually focused on quilting and home decor, with some fashion fabric stuffs, but not a lot that’s useful for any historic type clothing. I’m going to stop there; Joann’s makes me grumpy :)
Thank you for using the word “haberdashery”–almost extinct in the US!
Tim Matheson may or may not have been JFK, but he was outstanding in a very complicated role in “The West Wing”.
He will always be Otter to me.
“Cucumbers can be very sensuous, dontcha think?”
when they took Hoynes from “oh, I guess maybe he’s a decent guy and we may have been unfair to him” and recovering alcoholic to “btw yeah he was sleeping with everyone on the campaign trail” I was so frustrated. Part of the last gasps I had for that show after Sorkin and Lowe departures.
Jamaica Inn is a fabulous read, though! I love her. She’s done some amazing work. Willow is one of my top ten. Filmed here in New Zealand of course!
P.S. Noah’s wife was called Naamah apparently. But hey, Emmy sounds kinda, Hebrew.. too?
I’ve always thought that Whalley’s portrayal of Scarlett was underrated. I think people tend to dismiss it because “Scarlett” was a sequel to “Gone With the Wind”. The 1994 miniseries wasn’t perfect. Then again, neither was the 1939 movie.
I love me some Timothy Dalton. That chin dimple! He looks good there.
As Queen Mary I, is the character wearing an armored breastplate?