Siân Phillips CBE

Siân Phillips is a renowned Welsh actress from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen in South West Wales. She graduated from Cardiff University in 1955, having worked as a BBC newsreader and announcer while studying. She was then awarded a scholarship to RADA where she won the prestigious Bancroft Gold Medal.

After RADA she appeared in countless roles including films, West End theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company productions. Some of her well known roles include Becket (1964) opposite her then husband Peter O’Toole, Murphy's War (1971), Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard in Under Milk Wood (1971), Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst in the BBC Suffragette drama series Shoulder to Shoulder, Mother Mohiam in the film Dune (1984) and ‘Mam’ in House of America (1997).

Siân won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress in 1976 for Livia in I, Claudius (BBC) and became a household name appearing in many episodes of Call My Bluff. Over the years she has been nominated for both Olivier and Tony Awards.

She was awarded the CBE in 2000 and, at the age of 81 continues to work in a variety of roles, including a recent collaboration with the musician Rufus Wainwright. In March 2015 she will be starring in ‘Playing for Time’ at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.