Penny Downie

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 Netflix political thriller series The Diplomat.

Early life and education Downie was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Starting when she was four years old, she studied ballet for 13 years before deciding she preferred the theatre.

In 2016, Downie played Home Secretary Rose Kenter in American action thriller London Has Fallen, and portrayed Janet Lee Bouvier, mother of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the Pablo Larrain-directed historical drama Jackie. She also appeared on television in British-Canadian co-production Houdini & Doyle as Mrs. Sulzbach, and featured in three episodes of the 2016 BBC1 espionage drama The Secret Agent, where she played Lady Blackwood. In 2017, she had a supporting role as Tid in biographical drama Breathe, as well as a six-episode stint on Channel 4 sitcom Back as Ellen. She reprised her role for a further six episodes in 2021.

In 2019, she appeared in BBC Radio 4 horror podcast series The Lovecraft Investigations as Barbara, and played Valerie Chandris in three episodes of American thriller drama series Absentia. She also starred in nine episodes of Netflix series The Crown as Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.

Beginning in 2023, Downie played Frances Munning in the American political thriller The Diplomat.

In 2024, she featured in four episodes of British limited series A Gentleman in Moscow as Countess Rostova, based on the novel by Amor Towles. The series premiered on Paramount+ on 29 March 2024.

On 1 April, Downie was named as part of the cast for the film Boss Cat.

Stage Downie began her career in Australia, initially in Brisbane at Twelfth Night Theatre and Brisbane Arts Theatre.

Downie is an associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she has played roles such as Lady Anne in Richard III in the 1984 production featuring Antony Sher in the lead, and Hermione and Perdita in The Winter's Tale. She appeared in the premiere of Nick Dear's play The Art of Success in Stratford in 1986 and later at the Barbican Theatre, London, alongside Michael Kitchen and Simon Russell Beale.

In 2008, she played opposite David Tennant and Patrick Stewart as Gertrude, in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet which was subsequently adapted for BBC television and aired in late 2009. Downie also played the title character in Euripides' Helen at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2009.

Downie played the title role in A Storm in a Flower Vase, a play based on the life of Constance Spry, which held its West End debut at the Arts Theatre.

In 2016, Downie appeared as Nat in Rabbit Hole at the Hampstead Theatre, replacing Alison Steadman.

In 2019, she starred as Helen Alving in a Royal & Derngate production of Ibsen's Ghosts, opposite James Wilby. The production garnered critical acclaim, with Downie's performance being lauded by various critics as "towering", "mesmerising" and "quietly devastating".

In 2021, she played Esther in The Lodger, which premiered at the Coronet Theatre in September 2021.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 Crosstalk Cindy 1985 Wetherby Chrissie 1987 Lionheart Madelaine 1997 Food of Love Mary 2000 Judy Trenor 2009 Invictus Mrs. Pienaar 2011 W.E. Dr. Vargas 2013 Girl on a Bicycle Margaret 2016 London Has Fallen Home Secretary Rose Kenter 2016 Jackie Janet Lee 2017 Breathe Tid 2020 The Jester from Transylvania Mrs. Pennington Boss Cat Mum

Television Year Film Role Type 1976–1977 Bellbird Recurring role: Kelly Jamison ABC TV series, 71 episodes 1977 Recurring Guest role: Ronnie Heatherton TV series, 2 episodes 1979 Skyways Guest role: Miranda TV series, 1 episode: "George And The Hooker" 1979–1980 Cop Shop Guest roles: Sherry Raymond / Wendy Green / Gillian Croft TV series, 4 episodes 1980 Prisoner Recurring role: Kerry Vincent TV series, 12 episodes 1981 Punishment Guest role TV series 1982 Guest role: Patty Spencer Sullivan TV series, 1 episode 1983 Learned Friends Regular role ABC TV series 1984 Minder Dee Rogers TV series UK, 1 episode: "If Money Be the Food of Love, Play On" 1986 C.A.T.S Eyes Guest role: Barbara Dashley TV series UK, 1 episode: "Powerline" The Story of English Herself - Self / Titania TV miniseries UK, 1 episode Refuse to Dance: The Theatre of Howard Barker Herself TV documentary, UK 1988 Campaign Regular role: Sarah Copeland TV miniseries UK, 6 episodes Regular role: Inspector Kate Miskin TV miniseries UK, 6 episodes 1991 Screen One Guest role: Sheila TV series UK, 1 episode: "Ex") Stanley and the Women Regular role: Susan Duke TV miniseries UK, 4 episodes 1992 Underbelly Recurring role: Barbara Manning TV series UK, 4 episodes 1993 Inspector Morse Guest role: Nurse Wendy Hazlitt TV series UK, 1 episode: "Deadly Slumber" 1994 Stages Guest role: Linda TV series UK, 1 episode 1995 Guest role: Christina Knatchbull TV series UK, 1 episode: "Episode #1.4" 1996 Madson Anderton TV series UK, 1 episode 6: "Episode 6" 1997 Recurring role: Phoebe Maybury TV miniseries UK, 2 episodes 1998 Guest role: Venetia Aldridge TV series, 1 episode Crime and Punishment Katerina TV movie, US 1999 Lost for Words Aileen Longden TV movie, UK Kavanagh QC Guest role: Mrs. Rosalind McEnery TV series UK, 1 episode: "Previous Convictions" Stagestruck: Gay Theatre in the 20th Century Herself TV series UK, 3 episodes 2001 Recurring role: Margot "Sid" Sidney TV series UK, 6 episodes 2003 Trust Guest role: Anita Matteo TV miniseries UK, 1 episode: "Spilt Milk" Byron Lady Judith Milbanke TV movie, UK 2004 Guest role: Dr. Tessa Jellicoe TV series UK, 1 episode: "If Wishes Were Horses" Spooks Guest role: Prosecution QC TV series UK, 1 episode: "Episode #3.6" (uncredited) Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking Recurring role: Judith Massingham TV movie, UK/US 2005 Timewatch Caecilia TV series documentary UK, 1 episode: "Murder In Rome" Falling Hazel TV movie, UK Ruth TV movie, UK/US Murder in Suburbia Guest role: Zenith TV series UK, 1 episode: "Golden Oldies" All About George Regular role: Evelyn TV series UK, 6 episodes Trial & Retribution Guest role: Mrs Thorpe TV series UK, 1 episode: "The Lovers: Part 1" Murder in Rome Caecilia TV movie, UK 2006 Judge John Deed Guest role: Moira Blackthorn TV series UK, 1 episode: "My Daughter, Right or Wrong" Agatha Christie's Poirot Guest role: Frances Cloade TV series UK, 1 episode: "Taken at the Flood" New Street Law Honor Scammell / Honor Scammel TV series UK, 14 episodes: 2006–2007 2007 Jane Griffith TV movie, UK 2008 New Tricks Diane King TV series UK, 1 episode: "Communal Living" 2009 Hamlet Gertrude TV movie, UK/US/Japan 2010; 2014 Doctors Jessica Boyd / Maisie Padkin TV series UK, 2 episodes 2011 Waking the Dead Recurring role: Bonnie Yorke TV series UK, 2 episodes: "Solidarity" Silk Guest role: Helen Guthrie TV series UK, 1 episode: "Episode #1.6" Guest role: Caroline Monroe TV mini-series UK, 1 episode: "Episode #1.4" Law & Order: UK Recurring role: Rachel Mathesson TV series UK, 2 episodes 2012 Vera Guest role: Veronica TV series UK, 1 episode: "Silent Voices" Threesome Guest role: Judge TV series UK, 1 episode: "I Don't" 2013 Ripper Street Guest role: Flora Gable TV series UK/IRELAND, 1 episode: "The King Came Calling" Father Brown Guest role: Rev Mother Augustine TV series UK, 1 episode: "The Bride of Christ" Silent Witness Guest role: Anne Percival TV series UK, 1 episode: "True Love Waits: Part 2" Breathless Recurring role: Penny TV series UK, 2 episodes 2014 Suspects Guest role: Fiona Sullivan TV series UK, 1 episode: "Alone" Siblings Guest role: Dr. Barker (as Pennie Downie) TV series UK, 1 episode: "Intern School" Downton Abbey Recurring role: Lady Sinderby TV series UK, 4 episodes 2016 Houdini and Doyle Recurring role: Mrs. Sulzbach TV miniseries UK/Canada, 1 episode Recurring role: Lady Blackwood TV miniseries UK, 3 episodes 2017–2021 Back Regular role: Ellen TV series UK, 12 episodes 2019 The Lovecraft Investigations Barbara Podcast series UK, 1 episode Absentia Recurring role: Valerie Chandris TV series US/Israel, 3 episodes 2019–2020 Recurring role: Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester TV series UK, 9 episodes 2023–present The Diplomat Frances Munning 13 episodes 2024 A Gentleman in Moscow The Countess 4 episodes