Geraldine McEwan was born in Old Windsor, England, and began her theatrical journey at the tender age of 14, making her stage debut at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. By the time she reached 18, she was already a rising star in London's West End, starring in several long-running productions.
Throughout the 1950s, McEwan had the privilege of working with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and later joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company in 1961. Her impressive resume includes leading roles in numerous productions, such as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing alongside Christopher Plummer, Ophelia in Hamlet, The Princess of France in Love's Labour's Lost, Marina in Pericles, and opposite Dorothy Tutin in Twelfth Night, which also toured Moscow and Leningrad.
In addition to her work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, McEwan originated the female lead role in Joe Orton's Loot, and captivated Broadway audiences with productions of The School for Scandal, The Private Ear and the Public Eye, and most recently, The Chairs, earning her a Tony nomination for best actress.
As a member of the Royal National Theatre, McEwan had the opportunity to work alongside esteemed actors such as Albert Finney and Laurence Olivier, taking on memorable roles in productions including The Dance of Death, Love for Love, A Flea in Her Ear, Chez Nous, Home and Beauty, The Browning Version, Harlequinade, and The White Devil. Her impressive work earned her an Olivier Award nomination in two separate categories in 1976.
McEwan's numerous accolades include the Evening Standard Best Actress Award for her performance in The Rivals in 1983, and the BAFTA Best Actress Award for her powerful portrayal of the Mother in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1989) in 1991. She also won the Evening Standard Best Actress Award for her performance as Lady Wishfort in The Way of the World in 1995.
In 1998, McEwan was nominated for a Tony Award in the Best Actress category for her performance in The Chairs. Her extensive television credits include the highly acclaimed The Barchester Chronicles (1982) with Alan Rickman, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1978),Mulberry (1992),and the immensely popular Mapp & Lucia (1985). Her film work includes The Dance of Death (1969) with Laurence Olivier, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) with Alan Rickman, Henry V (1989) and Love's Labour's Lost (2000),both with Kenneth Branagh, and most recently The Magdalene Sisters (2002),The Lazarus Child (2004),Vanity Fair (2004),and Carrie's War (2004).
In 2003, McEwan was chosen to play Agatha Christie's iconic character, Jane Marple, and went on to complete 12 two-hour mysteries for ITV/PBS before retiring from the role.
