Oscar-Nominated Actress Dies After Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis: Pauline Collins Was 85

Pauline Collins, the celebrated British actress best known for her Oscar-nominated and Olivier- and Tony-winning role in Shirley Valentine, has died. She was 85.

The actress died at her home in London after years battling Parkinson’s disease, her family announced Thursday, as per The London Times.

Collins is best known for her role as Shirley Valentine in both Willy Russell’s one-woman play and in the subsequent Paramount Pictures film version. Collins first debuted the character, a middle-aged British housewife and mother who leaves her unsatisfying life behind for a transformative Greek vacation that helps her rediscover her love of life, at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End in 1988. The performance earned her the Olivier Award for best actress.

In 1989, Collins then played Shirley in a five-month stint at the Booth Theatre on Broadway, earning her the Tony Award for best actress in a play.

She also would reprise her iconic role in the 1989 film version of the play, starring opposite Tom Conti as Costas Dimitriades, the owner of a Greek tavern with whom she has a holiday romance. The role earned her an Oscar nomination for best actress, although Collins ultimately lost out to Jessica Tandy of Driving Miss Daisy.

“What’s marvelous about being here is it’s proof that miracles can happen at any time in our lives, even when you’re getting on a bit,” Collins said in her Tony Award acceptance speech. “It means there’s hope and you must all continue to dream your dreams, because they’ll come true.”

Born on Sept. 3, 1940, in Devon, England, Collins grew up in Liverpool before attending London’s Central School of Speech and Drama. While Collins initially worked as a teacher, she pivoted into performing in 1962, when she made her stage debut in A Gazelle in Park Lane. She would go on to make her film debut in 1966’s Secrets of a Windmill Girl.

Collins is also well-known for her BAFTA-nominated role as parlor maid Sarah Moffatt during the first two seasons of Upstairs, Downstairs, on which her character had a romance with chauffeur Thomas Watkins, who was played by Collins’ real-life husband and regular performing partner, John Alderton.

Collins also starred opposite Patrick Swayze in City of Joy (1992) and alongside Glenn Close and Frances McDormand in Paradise Road (1997). Collins would go on to reunite with Close in Albert Nobbs (2011), and also acted opposite Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly and Tom Courtney in Quartet (2012).

Other films on Collins’ resume include My Mother’s Courage (1995), Mrs. Caldicot’s Cabbage War (2002), and Time of their Lives (2017). She also appeared on the TV series No, Honestly; Wodehouse Playhouse; Forever Green; Dickensian; The Ambassador; Bleak House and Mount Pleasant, as well as in a 2004 production of Richard Harris’ Going Straight at Theatre Royal Bath.

In 2001, Collins was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services in drama.

Collins is survived by Alderton, whom she married in 1969, as well as daughter Louise, whom she placed for adoption, daughter Kate, and sons Nicholas and Richard.