Josette Simon

Josette Simon
OBE
Born Josette Patricia Simon
Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Occupation Actress
Spouse(s) Mark Padmore (1996–2004)

Josette Patricia Simon, OBE is a British actress from Leicester of Antiguan descent. She trained for the stage at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.[1]

Career

After leaving Central School of Speech and Drama she was chosen to play the part of Dayna Mellanby in the third and fourth seasons of the television sci-fi series Blake's 7.[2] Her recent television work includes roles in Lewis, Casualty, Skins, Midsomer Murders, The Last Detective, Death in Paradise and the Poirot episode "The Mystery of the Blue Train". Simon's film appearances include Cry Freedom[2] and Milk and Honey, for which she was nominated for a Best Actress award. In 1992 she starred alongside Brenda Fricker in the TV film Seekers, produced by Sarah Lawson.

Simon is also a notable stage actress who has performed frequently with the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company,[2] being cast as one of the three "weird sisters" in Macbeth alongside Kathy Behean, Lesley Sharp and Bob Peck who played the lead. Simon was cast as Cleopatra in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2017 production of Antony and Cleopatra, directed by Iqbal Khan.[3][4]

As a black actress, she has been at the forefront of 'colour-blind casting', frequently taking roles traditionally considered white.[5][6] One example is Maggie in Arthur Miller's After the Fall, which has been said to have been based on Marilyn Monroe, former wife of Miller, a performance that won Simon the Evening Standard's Best Actress award in 1990,[7] as well as several Best Actress nominations.

She was also nominated for a Best Actress award for her performance in Golden Girls at the RSC.

In 2009 she appeared in the inaugural episode of the resurrected TV series Minder.

Awards and honours

Simon was awarded the OBE for services to drama in 2000,[8] and also received an honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Leicester in 1995.[2]

Personal life

Simon married Mark Padmore in 1996, but the couple divorced in 2004. They have one child.

Filmography (incomplete)

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1987Cry FreedomDr. Ramphele
1988Milk and HoneyJoanna Bell
2012Red LightsCorinne
2017Wonder WomanMnemosyne
2017RSC Live: Antony and CleopatraCleopatraPlay and cinema broadcast
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1980-1981Blake's 7Dayna Mellanby26 episodes
19811..2..3..Go!Herself (presenter)Various episodes
1984Play for TodayLinda King"King"
1988ThompsonVarious roles2 episodes
1989Capital CityBeatrice"Take Over"
1992Nice TownFrankie Thompson3 episodes
1997Kavanagh QCDr. Hilary Jameson"Blood Money"
1998Dalziel and PascoeEileen Anstiss"Bones and Silence"
1998Silent WitnessDCI Jo Hoskins2 episodes – "Divided Loyalties: Part 1 & 2"
2003The Last DetectiveJemma Duvall"Lofty"
2005Hercule PoirotMirelle Miles"The Mystery of the Blue Train"
2006CasualtySarah Keith"The Sunny Side of the Street, Part 1 & 2"
2007LewisStephanie Fielding"Expiation"
2008 Skins Jal's mother 1 episode - "Jal"
2009CasualtyFrances Liveley6 episodes
2010CasualtyFrances Liveley"Loves Me, Loves Me Not"
2011Silent WitnessMrs Ferris2 episodes – "First Casualty: Part 1 & 2"
2012New TricksVera1 episode – "Queen and Country"
2012MerlinThe Euchdag2 episodes – "Arthur's Bane: Parts One & Two"
2014Death in ParadiseJudge Anne Stone1 episode - "An Artistic Murder"
2014SuspectsDr. Melanie Standish1 episode
2017BroadchurchChief Superintendent Clark3 episodes

References

  1. ↑ CSSD Alumni Archived 16 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The Royal Shakespeare Company actress and star of TV's Blake's 7 looks back on her career and her childhood in Leicester". Leicester Mercury. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Antony and Cleopatra cast and creatives, Royal Shakespeare Company.
  4. ↑ David Jays, "Josette Simon: 'Powerful women are reduced to being dishonourable'", The Guardian, 21 March 2017.
  5. ↑ Louise Jury (24 February 2006). "Colour-blind casting finds new stars for Billy Elliott". The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Hugh Quarshie (25 February 2002). "'Black kings are old hat'". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "Theatre Awards, 1990". Albemarle-london.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  8. ↑ "Birthday Honours 2000". BBC News. 16 June 2000. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
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