Feb 22, 1950

Birmingham, West Midlands, England, UK

Walters originally trained as a nurse, before studying English and Drama at Manchester and pursuing a performance career. She first became known as the occasional partner of comedienne Victoria Wood, whom she had met at Manchester. Their series, Wood and Walters, appeared on television in 1982, and they have continued to perform together frequently over the years. Some of Walters' best-known roles include Mrs Overall in Wood's spoof soap opera, Acorn Antiques and Petula Gordino in Wood's sitcom ... ... (read more...) dinnerladies.
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Before making her London stage debut in Educating Rita, Walters had worked in regional theatre (including the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool), stand-up comedy and cabaret. Her first serious acting role on TV was in the classic Boys from the Blackstuff in 1980, and she broke into films with her Academy Award nominated and BAFTA Best Actress award-winning performance opposite Michael Caine in Educating Rita (1983), a role she had created on the West End stage.

Walters has won numerous other acting awards, and was made an OBE in 1999 for her services to drama. In 2001, she won a Laurence Olivier award for her performance in Arthur Miller's All My Sons. She received her second BAFTA for her supporting role as the ballet teacher in Billy Elliot (2000). She often plays older women, and, in 2002, she won the BAFTA Television Best Actress award for her performance as Paul Reiser's mother in My Beautiful Son. Walters also played Molly Weasley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002),Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and will reprise her role in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007).

In 2004 Walters starred as a widow determined to make some good come out of her husband's death from cancer in Calendar Girls, which also starred Helen Mirren and Ciarán Hinds; in 2005, Walters again starred as an inspirational real-life figure in Ahead of the Class.

In 2006, she came 4th in ITV's poll of the public's 50 Greatest Stars, coming four placed above frequent co-star Victoria Wood.