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Penny Downie

Penny Downie

Actor · Born January 1, 1954 (72) · Queensland, Australia

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee

Penny Downie is an Australian actress known for her stage and television appearances in the United Kingdom. From 2017 until 2021 she played Ellen in the British TV sitcom Back. She plays the US ambassador’s house manager Frances Munning in the 2023 Netflix political thriller series The Diplomat.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 1, 1954 (72)
From
Queensland, Australia
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 57 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 42% in 30 days

What are Penny Downie's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
29%
Morality
29%
Self
15%
Power
10%
Society
8%
Survival
7%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 2 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Melancholic
4
Hopeful
3
Contemplative
3
Thrilling
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Bittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Penny Downie's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Penny Downie's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

57 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Boss Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Doris

  • The Jester from Transylvania (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Mrs. Pennington

  • The Diplomat(2023)

    Show 13 episodes · as Frances Munning

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Chelsea Detective(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Hilary Carmichael

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Whitstable Pearl(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Izzy

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Breathe(2017)

    as Tid

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Absentia(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Valerie Chandris

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Back(2017)

    Show 12 episodes · as Ellen

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Jackie(2016)

    as Janet Lee

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Crown(2016)

    Show 9 episodes · as Duchess of Gloucester

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Houdini and Doyle(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Sulzbach

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • London Has Fallen(2016)

    as Home Secretary Rose Kenter

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Siblings(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr Barker

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Father Brown(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Rev. Mother Augustine

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Ripper Street(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Flora Gable

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • W.E.(2011)

    as Dr. Vargas

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Vera(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Veronica

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Silk(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Helen Guthrie

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Downton Abbey(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lady Sinderby

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Gertrude

  • Invictus(2009)

    as Mrs. Pienaar

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • New Street Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 14 episodes · as Honor Scammel

  • All About George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 6 episodes · as Evelyn

  • The Girl in the Café(2005)

    as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Falling(2005)

    as Hazel Kent

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Murder in Rome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Caecilia

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking(2004)

    as Judith Massingham

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Murder in Suburbia(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Zenith

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Byron(2003)

    as Lady Judith Milbanke

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Trust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Anita Matteo

  • Byron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lady Judith Milbanke

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Prosecution QC

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Cazalets(2001)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sid

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Waking the Dead(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bonnie Yorke

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • The House of Mirth(2000)

    as Judy Trenor

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Lost for Words (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Aileen Longden

  • Crime and Punishment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Katerina

  • A Certain Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Venetia Aldridge

  • Food of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Mary

  • The Ice House(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Phoebe Maybury

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Madson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Anderton

  • Kavanagh QC(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Rosalind McEnery

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Linda

  • Underbelly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 4 episodes · as Barbara Manning

  • Stanley and the Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 4 episodes · as Susan Duke

  • Ex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Sheila

  • Screen One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheila

  • Poirot(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Frances Cloade

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • A Taste for Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 6 episodes · as Kate Miskin

  • Campaign (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sarah Copeland

  • Lionheart(1987)

    as Madelaine

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Inspector Morse(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Nurse Wendy Hazlitt

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Wetherby(1985)

    as Chrissie

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Dalgliesh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Kate Miskin

  • Crosstalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Cindy

  • Timewatch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Caecilia

  • Minder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Dee Rogers

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 57 titles, 56 of them dated from 1979 to 2024; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

The House of Mirth (2000)

$5.2M worldwide

Highest rated

The Diplomat (2023)

Midcredits 91st

Film career

19792024

Peak 2017 · their film career is on the way up. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting57 of 57: 57 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score80th

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s16 · acting2010s14 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

Awards

2 major nominations and no wins, 2025–2026.

  1. 2026
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 2025
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Penny Downie's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 70th percentile, the median of all 12; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 81st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

W.E. (2011)

60th percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Crown (2016)

Midcredits 98th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Penny Downie work with?

People who share at least 2 of Penny Downie's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Elizabeth Jane Howard shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Producers