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Fenella Woolgar

Fenella Woolgar

Actor · Born August 4, 1971 (55) · London, England, UK

Fenella Woolgar – English actress, born 4 August 1969 in Hillingdon, London, England. Trained at RADA, graduating in 1999. Spent her early childhood (ages 3–6) in New Canaan, Connecticut, USA. She is the sister of barrister Dermot Woolgar and artist Claudia Woolgar. Her most notable film roles include Agatha in Bright Young Things (2003, nominated for the BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer), Hester in Vera Drake (2004, Mike Leigh), Jane Cook in Scoop (2006, Woody Allen), Jane in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (2009, Woody Allen), Nancy Dakin in Cheerful Weather for the Wedding (2012), Elizabeth Eastlake in Mr. Turner (2014, Mike Leigh), Miss Crummock in Swallows and Amazons (2016), Miss Phipps in Victoria & Abdul (2017), and Margaret Hamilton in Judy (2019). On television she is best known for Sister Hilda in Call the Midwife (2018–present), Agatha Christie in Doctor Who (2008, "The Unicorn and the Wasp"), Alison Scotlock in Home Fires (2015–2016), Lady Angela Hope in Spies of Warsaw (2013), Lady Brightlingsea in The Buccaneers (2023), and Margaret Thatcher in The Reckoning (2023). She is also active on stage (National Theatre, Old Vic, Royal Court) and on BBC Radio 4, where she voiced Rosemary Kennedy in An American Rose (2013, nominated for Best Actress on Radio).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 4, 1971 (55)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
34 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Up 20% in 30 days

What are Fenella Woolgar's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
26%
Society
26%
Self
14%
Ideas
11%
Power
10%
Survival
9%
Morality
3%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 3 · Intense 1

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

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

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

A split, not a type: Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role
  • Threshold guardianas Preschool gatekeeper in Preschool (2026)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Bittersweet
4
Contemplative
4
Tense
3
Warm
3
Joyful
2
Other
10

How their films linger

Bittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1

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 Fenella Woolgar's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Fenella Woolgar'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

45 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Two Week Wait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as The Doctor

  • Preschool(2026)

    as Mrs. Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The Choral(2025)

    as Lady Horsfall

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Deal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Margaret Davies

  • The Painting & The Statue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Lady of the House/Dancing Woman/Tourguide

  • Secret Level(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Langdon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Buccaneers(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Lady Brightlingsea

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • The Reckoning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Margaret Thatcher

  • Dalgliesh(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sister Gearing

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Dreaming Whilst Black(2023)

    Show 3 episodes · as Carol

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Mr. Jones(2019)

    as Miss Stevenson

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Judy(2019)

    as Margaret Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Victoria & Abdul(2017)

    as Miss Phipps

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Harlots(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lady Repton

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Swallows and Amazons(2016)

    as Miss Crummock

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Whisky Galore(2016)

    as Dolly Waggett

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • War & Peace(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Catiche Kuragina

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • High-Rise(2015)

    as Radio (voice)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Home Fires(2015)

    Show 12 episodes · as Alison Scotlock

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Mr. Turner(2014)

    as Lady Eastlake

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Inside No. 9(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as June

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Plebs(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Jocasta

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Spies of Warsaw (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lady Angela Hope

  • Cheerful Weather for the Wedding(2012)

    as Nancy Dakin

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Call the Midwife(2012)

    Show 31 episodes · as Sister Hilda

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Case Histories(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Amelia Land

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Silk(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Wendy Ford

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger(2010)

    as Jane

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • How to Lose Friends & Alienate People(2008)

    as Post Modern Review Staff

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • St. Trinian's(2007)

    as Miss Cleaver

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Jekyll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 6 episodes · as Min

  • Scoop(2006)

    as Jane Cook

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Loveday's Little Outing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Angela Moping

  • Wah-Wah(2005)

    as June Broughton

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Agatha Christie

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Vera Drake(2004)

    as Susan's Confidante

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Stage Beauty(2004)

    as Lady Meresvale

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • He Knew He Was Right (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 4 episodes · as Arabella French

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

    as Princess Marie Lobkowitz

  • Bright Young Things(2003)

    as Agatha Runcible

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • AKA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Sarah

  • Mr Charity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • People Like Us(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Watson

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Midsomer Murders(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Hazel Webster

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Poirot(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellis · as Miss Whittaker

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 45 titles from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

Victoria & Abdul (2017)

$67M worldwide

Highest rated

Home Fires (2015)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Preschool (2026)

Film career

19892026

Peak 2007 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. 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
Acting45 of 45: 45 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score74th

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s14 · acting2010s18 · acting2020s10 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
0308

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Fenella Woolgar's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 34 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 34 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Dreaming Whilst Black (2023)

78th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Call the Midwife (2012)

Midcredits 96th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 48. 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.

Is Fenella Woolgar's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 28 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 29 · mildMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Fenella Woolgar work with?

People who share at least 2 of Fenella Woolgar's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Julian Wadham shares the most, 3.

Actors

Composers