British actress Dame Diana Rigg was born on July 20, 1938, in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England. She has had an extensive career in film and theatre, marked by numerous accolades and prestigious roles.
Rigg made her professional stage debut in 1957 in the Caucasian Chalk Circle, and subsequently joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959. Her Broadway debut came in 1971 with the production of "Abelard & Heloise". In film, she has appeared in notable roles such as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1968),Lady Holiday in The Great Muppet Caper (1981),and Arlene Marshall in Evil Under the Sun (1982).
Rigg's television work has been equally impressive, earning her the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for the BBC miniseries Mother Love (1989),as well as an Emmy Award for her role as Mrs. Danvers in the adaptation of Rebecca (1997). In 2013, she appeared alongside her daughter Rachael Stirling on the BBC series Doctor Who (2005) in an episode titled "The Crimson Horror", and played the iconic role of Olenna Tyrell on the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011).
Notably, Rigg played the secret agent Mrs. Emma Peel on the British television series The Avengers (1961) from 1965 to 1968. She also became a Bond girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969),playing Tracy Bond, James Bond's only wife, opposite George Lazenby.
Rigg's contributions to the world of drama have been recognized with several honors, including being appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) at the 1988 Queen's New Years Honours and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) at the 1994 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Tragically, Dame Diana Rigg passed away on September 10, 2020, at the age of 82, due to lung cancer.
