Dame Joan Plowright, who passed away at the age of 95, was celebrated as one of Britain's finest stage actresses and later achieved fame in film, though she always preferred the stage. The Tony and Golden Globe-winning actress once confessed that movies were a practical choice for paying the bills, saying, "You do films if the roof needs mending."

Audiences appreciated her versatility and wit on stage, with one of her notable Broadway performances in 1961's A Taste of Honey, which earned her a Tony Award. In this role, she portrayed a troubled teenager opposite Angela Lansbury as her mother.

Her other significant stage roles included Saint Joan in 1963 and Saturday, Sunday, Monday a decade later, alongside films such as Enchanted April (1992) and Tea with Mussolini (1999).

Plowright was married to acting legend Sir Laurence Olivier for 28 years until his passing in 1989. After his death, she continued to act into her 80s until diminishing eyesight led to her retirement.

Born Joan Ann Plowright on October 29, 1929, in Brigg, Lincolnshire, she was the daughter of Daisy, a passionate amateur actress, who encouraged her daughter’s theatrical ambitions with candid advice: "You're no oil painting, but you've got the spark. Just thank God you've got my legs, not your father's."

She made her professional stage debut in 1948 in Croydon and joined the Royal Court Theatre in London by 1956, a hub for emerging talent and new, often controversial, works. It was here that Plowright earned recognition for her performances in plays by the Angry Young Men, roles that demanded acting skill over glamour.

Although born to a middle-class family, Plowright’s grounded nature and emotional authenticity helped modernize British theatre. In 1957, she co-starred with Sir Laurence Olivier in John Osborne's The Entertainer, where their mutual respect blossomed into a romantic relationship despite their age difference and the complexities of their personal lives.

Plowright and Olivier married in 1961, after both had divorced their previous spouses. Their marriage, though filled with professional success, faced challenges due to Olivier's extreme moods, which Plowright navigated with patience and understanding.

Together, they had three children and continued to work together on various plays, including an acclaimed production of Uncle Vanya in Chichester, which The Guardian’s Michael Billington praised as "one of the great Chekhov experiences of the 20th Century."