British actress Pauline Collins has died at the age of 85. The Oscar-nominated star passed away peacefully at her care home in Highgate this week after battling Parkinson's disease for several years, her family announced Thursday.
Collins earned worldwide recognition for her portrayal of the title character in the 1989 film "Shirley Valentine," which brought her an Academy Award nomination. She first played the role in the West End in 1988, winning an Olivier Award, before reprising it on Broadway where she swept all seven awards.
Her career spanned decades, from becoming a household name through "Upstairs Downstairs" in 1971 to her final film role in "The Time Of Their Lives" in 2017.
Tributes from Co-Stars
Tom Conti, who starred alongside Collins in "Shirley Valentine," paid tribute to his late co-star and longtime neighbor on BBC Breakfast Friday. "The secret of acting is not acting. She was brilliant for that," he said. "She just talked. And then you believe absolutely everything that she said. You believe completely, because you weren't watching an actress, you were watching a person - that's phenomenal skill."
Actor Martin Jarvis, who worked with Collins on several films, expressed deep sadness at her passing. "Working with her on her very first movie, Secrets Of The Windmill Girls, I realized then that not only was she a superb actress but also a witty and generous human being," he said in a statement.
Dame Joanna Lumley, who filmed a scene with Collins for "Shirley Valentine," said in a statement that Collins was "unforgettable" and praised her "blend of truthfulness and soulful naivety with impeccable comic timing and mischief."
Personal Life and Legacy
Collins' husband, fellow actor John Alderton, whom she married in 1969, honored her legacy. "Pauline Collins was a remarkable star," he said in a statement. "What I saw was not only her brilliant range of diverse characters but her magic of bringing out the best in all of the people she worked with." [...] "But her greatest performance was as my wife and mother to our beautiful children."
He noted the nation voted her their sweetheart in the 1970s.
Born in Exmouth in 1940 and raised near Liverpool, Collins began her career as a teacher before transitioning to acting. She received an OBE in 2001 for her contributions to drama.
Her other notable roles included "Quartet" (2012) alongside Dame Maggie Smith and "Paradise Road" (1997).
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
