Ruth Sheen

Ruth Sheen is an English actress. From the late 1980s, she has appeared in British television shows, films and plays. A participant in the films of Mike Leigh, she won the European Film Award for Best Actress for her performance as Shirley in Leigh's High Hopes.

Early life Sheen was born in Stepney, London. She began her career training at the East 15 Acting School.

Career Television Sheen had recurring roles as Nanny Simmons in Berkeley Square (1998) and as Nurse Ethel Carr in the series Bramwell (1995–1998). She also appeared as four different characters in six episodes of The Bill between 1989 and 2004. Also in 2004 she appeared in Agatha Christie’s Marple “The Murder at the Vicarage” as Mrs Tarrant.

She played Maureen Tacy in the series Doc Martin (2005) and appeared as Mrs Jones in the 2007 drama mini-series Fanny Hill, based on the erotic novel by John Cleland. She has a supporting role as a pub landlord in the comedy series Brassic (2019–). Also in 2015. she appeared in the TV series Unforgotten as Lizzie Wilton and in 2016 in Midsomer Murders “Saints and Sinners” as Valerie Horton. In 2017, she acted in the TV mini-series Prime Suspect 1973 as Renee Bentley.

In 2021, Sheen featured in the last episode of the miniseries It's a Sin.

In 2022, Sheen appeared as secretary of private investigator C.B. Strike starting in season five of the series Strike.

Film Sheen frequently appears in the films of Mike Leigh. She played the female lead in High Hopes (1988), a laughing woman in Secrets & Lies (1996), Maureen in All or Nothing (2002), Lily in Vera Drake (2004), Gerri in Another Year (2010), and Sarah Danby in Mr. Turner (2014). After Another Year she commented on Leigh's preference for improvisation: "It's a unique way of working... He's quite a hard taskmaster."

She played the mother of the character Jamie in Philip Ridley's 2009 feature film Heartless, and appeared in Welcome to the Punch (2013). She played Elsie in the 2016 film adaptation of A Street Cat Named Bob. She has appeared in Stoning Mary at the Royal Court Theatre, Market Boy at the Royal National Theatre and An Oak Tree at the Soho Theatre, all in London.

Filmography +Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 Little Dorrit Society Lady 1988 High Hopes Shirley 1989 The Angry Earth Nurse Berry 1993 When Pigs Fly Marge 1995 The Young Poisoner's Handbook Molly 1996 Different for Girls Nosey Neighbour 1996 Secrets & Lies Laughing Woman 1999 Virtual Sexuality Jackie Lovett 1999 Bait Café Woman Short 2002 All or Nothing Maureen 2003 Cheeky Tamara 2004 Vanity Fair Miss Pinkerton 2004 Vera Drake Lily 2005 Imagine Me & You Mrs Webster 2007 Hush Your Mouth Mrs Collins 2007 Run Fatboy Run Claudine 2007 The Curry Club Audrey Short 2009 Heartless Marion Morgan 2010 Another Year Gerri 2010 The Hardest Part Bus Lady Short 2010 Mulligatawny Maggie Short 2013 Welcome to the Punch Iris Warns 2014 Mr. Turner Sarah Danby 2015 The Woman in the Crypt Mother 2015 A Royal Night Out Joan Hodges 2015 SuperBob Pat 2016 A Street Cat Named Bob Elsie 2018 VS. Fiona 2021 Cyrano Mother Marthe 2023 The After Tabatha Short 2024 Touch Mrs. Ellis 2025 The Thursday Murder Club Aunt Maud Booty Mrs. Dougans Short (post-production) Sweetly It Turns Joy (Completed)

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1988 King and Castle Receptionist Series 2, episode 2 1989 The Bill Mrs. Taylor Series 5, episode 15 1989 London's Burning Danny's Mum Series 2, episode 7 1990 Making Out Delia Series 2, episode 4 1990 ScreenPlay Helen Baldwin Series 5, episode 3 1991 ScreenPlay Karen Series 6, episode 7 1992 A Fatal Inversion Forensic Scientist Miniseries (1 episode) 1992 Downtown Lagos Chocolate Cake Woman Miniseries (3 episodes) 1992 Casualty Barbara George Series 7, episode 5 1992 Ghostwatch Emma Stableford TV movie 1992 The Bill Mrs. Grant Series 8, episode 98 1994 Screen Two Viv Hastings Series 10, episode 12 1995 Peak Practice Pauline Wadham Series 3, episode 5 1995–1998 Bramwell Nurse Ethel Carr Series 1–4 (27 episodes) 1995 Cracker Jean McIlvanney Series 3, episode 1 1997 Holding On Alice Miniseries (5 episodes) 1997 The History of Tom Jones: a Foundling Mrs. Harris Miniseries (1 episode) 1998 Berkeley Square Nanny Simmons Series 1 (6 episodes) 2000 Don Quixote 1st Wench/Young Lady TV movie 2000 Never Never Sandra Miniseries (2 episodes) 2000 Lorna Doone Betty Muxworthy TV movie 2001 The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells Mrs MacMananan Miniseries (1 episode) 2002 Plain Jane May TV movie 2002 White Teeth Maureen Miniseries (1 episode) 2003 The Bill Patricia Clarke Series 19, episodes 12 & 13 2004 Agatha Christie's Marple Mrs. Tarrant Series 1, episode 2 2004 The Bill Mrs. Brunton Series 20, episodes 93 & 94 2005 Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky Aunt Winnie Miniseries (1 episode) 2005 Footprints in the Snow Lady Victualler TV movie 2005 Doc Martin Maureen Series 2, episode 6 2005 The English Harem Emily TV movie 2006 Vital Signs Val Series 1 (4 episodes) 2007 A Class Apart Ruth TV movie 2007 Fanny Hill Mrs. Jones Miniseries (2 episodes) 2007 Coming Up Jane Series 5, episode 1 2009 Brave Young Men Stephanie Malloy TV movie 2010 Silent Witness Esther Carey Series 13, episodes 1 & 2 2012 Accused Mo's Mum Series 2, episode 2 2013–2014 The Mimic Martin's Mum Series 1–2 (4 episodes) 2013 Agatha Christie's Poirot Madame Rosentelle Series 13, episode 1 2013 Misfits Maggie Series 5 (5 episodes) 2014 Our Girl Nan Series 1, episodes 3 & 5 2014 Call the Midwife Sister Maltby Series 4, Christmas Special 2015 Inside No. 9 Elizabeth Gadge Series 2, episode 3 2015 Unforgotten Lizzie Wilton Series 1 (6 episodes) 2016 Midsomer Murders Valerie Horton Series 18, episode 5 2017 Prime Suspect 1973 Renee Bentley Miniseries (6 episodes) 2018 The Woman in White Mrs. Clements Miniseries (3 episodes) 2019 Moving On Maggie Series 10, episode 5 2019 Brassic Kath Series 1 (6 episodes) 2021 It's a Sin Sandra Miniseries (1 episode) 2021–2023 The Nevers Mrs. Beechum Series 1 (6 episode) 2022 Strike Pat Chauncey Series 5 and 6 (4 episodes each) 2023 Hijack Elaine Atterton Series 1, episode 5

Awards In 1989, Sheen won the European Film Award for Best Actress for the role of Shirley in High Hopes. She was nominated for British actress of the year by the London Film Critics' Circle for Another Year.