Early life and family

James was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire, to a cardiologist father. She was educated at Downe House, a girls' independent school in Newbury, Berkshire. After graduating from the Drama Centre London in 1973, she began her career in repertory theatre.

Television appearances

• Shirley Glass in The Sweeney: Pay Off (1976) - TV debut
• Sandra X in Dummy (1977)
• Barbara Kirk in The History Man (1980)
• Emma Hamilton in I Remember Nelson (1981)
• Sarah Layton in The Jewel in the Crown (1984)
• Lady Maud Lynchwood in Blott on the Landscape (1985)
• Helen Field in Inspector Morse: Who Killed Harry Field (1991)
• Kristine Linde in A Doll's House (1992)
• Rose Garrety in Band of Gold (1995-1997)
• Eleanor Harker QC in Kavanagh QC (1995-1999)
• Beatrice in Rebecca (1997)
• Has a cameo role in Little Britain as the mother of Harvey Pincher
• Gloria Green in The Sins (2000)
• Yvonne Shaps in State of Play (2003)
• Recurring role as Lillith Hughes in Hex (2004)
• Lady Rowley in He Knew He Was Right (2004)
• Agatha Christie's Poirot - After the Funeral, (2005) as Helen Abernethie
• Hilary Rees-Benson: Former Liberal Democrat turned "Purple Alliance" Home Secretary in The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006)
• A Harlot's Progress (2006)
• Barbara Turney in The Last Enemy (2008)
• Joanna the Concubine in Heist (2008)
• Gwendolen in the 2012 ITV adaptation of the Ruth Rendell thriller Thirteen Steps Down
• Milner: An MI5 spy in Utopia Channel 4 (2013 drama)

Theatre appearances

• Portia opposite Dustin Hoffman in the London and Broadway productions of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare.

Radio appearances

Date	Title	Role	Director	Station
000000002000-02-21-000021 February 2000 - 000000002000-03-03-00003 March 2000	The Hours		Gaynor Macfarlane	BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Drama
000000002003-03-21-000021 March 2003	Baldi: The Book Case	Maggie	Mark Lambert	BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
000000002003-04-19-000019 April 2003	Turtle Diary	Neaera	Gaynor Macfarlane	BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play

Film appearances

• Bloody Kids (1980) as Ritchie's Wife
• Sweet William (1980) as Pamela
• Gandhi (1982) as Mirabehn
• The Tall Guy (1989) as Carmen
• 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase' (1989) as Mrs Gertrude Brisket
• Prince of Shadows (1991) as Rebecca Osorio
• If Looks Could Kill - Teen Agent, (1991) as Vendetta Galante
• The Bridge (1992) as Mrs Todd
• Words Upon the Window Pane (1994) as Mrs. Henderson
• Moll Flanders (1996) as Edna
• An Angel for May (2002)
• Calendar Girls (2003) as Marie
• Northanger Abbey (2007) as the narrator
• Sherlock Holmes (2009) as Mrs Hudson
• Alice in Wonderland (2010) as Lady Ascot
• Made in Dagenham (2010) as Connie
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) as Cecilia Vanger
• Arthur (2011) as Vivienne Bach
• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) as Mrs Hudson
• 45 Years (2015)

Awards

Year	Nominated work	Award	Category	Result	Refs
1977	Dummy	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	Nominated
1984	The Jewel in the Crown	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	Nominated
1989	She's Been Away	Venice Film Festival	Volpi Cup for Best Actress	Won
1990	The Merchant of Venice	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actress in a Play	Won
1990	The Merchant of Venice	Tony Award	Best Actress in a Play	Nominated
1995	Band of Gold	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	Nominated
2000	The Sins	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	Nominated

• James was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]