Miriam Margolyes

Miriam Margolyes OBE (born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress, recognized internationally for her broad range in both film and stage. She is acclaimed for playing compelling characters across various mediums. Margolyes received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993), and rose to global fame with her portrayal of Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series (2001–2011). Simultaneously making her mark in theatre, she toured her one-woman show, Dickens' Women, between 1989 and 2012 and shone as Sue Mengers in the Australian premiere of I'll Eat You Last (2014). Beyond acting, she has led various travelogue series and penned two memoirs: This Much is True (2021) and Oh Miriam! (2023).

Margolyes started her career in theatre before transitioning to film with a small part in the British comedy A Nice Girl Like Me (1969). Her other works include voicing roles in popular films like Babe (1995), James and the Giant Peach (1996), and Mulan (1998). Accomplishing her television debut in Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story (1987), she later played prominent recurring roles in Australian drama series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012–2015) and the BBC1 drama series Call the Midwife (2018–2021). Born in Oxford into a Jewish family, Margolyes attended Oxford High School and Cambridge University where she began her acting career in her 20s.