If you had to pick the 3 best British actresses of all time, who would they be?

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Foundation_Wrong@reddit

Edith Evans

Margaret Rutherford

Virginia McKenna

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Boldboy72@reddit

Margaret Rutherford is a fantastic choice. But also from that era is the wonderful Jean Simmons

her Estella in "Great Expectations" literally stole the show

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fanacapoopan@reddit

Yes, another Rutherford lover. And Judi Dench and Tilda Swinton

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Boldboy72@reddit

the greatest British Actress of all time, hands down and no one can beat her is Jean Simmons.

It seems that just because she was from before you were born you are not aware of this (she is from before I was born too and I once would have done a list like you until I discovered her movies)

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Zealousideal_Till683@reddit

Audrey Hepburn, I'm amazed no-one else has said her.
Emma Thompson
Vivien Leigh, highly underrated

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Benibonkers@reddit

Audrey Hepburn massively overated and barely attractive, just hollywood hype photo shop and bullshit.

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Joanna1604@reddit

Audrey Hepburn was a beautiful woman. The reason she was so thin was because she almost starved to death in WWII and this physically affected her for the rest of her life.

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Benibonkers@reddit

I still stand by my comment and opinion.

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Well beauty is subjective, but as far as I’m concerned she was stunning. The idea that she was photoshopped is ludicrous though!

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Benibonkers@reddit

All hollywood is photoshopped too create and sell the product.

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Photoshop didn’t exist when AH was a star.

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Benibonkers@reddit

It might not have been called photo shot back then, but all pictures from hollywood have been touched up too create the perfect product.

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

So why are you singling out Audrey Hepburn?

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Benibonkers@reddit

Just the first name that came too mind and an image from the past you still see today on posters n pictures in stores, to be fair could have been liz taylor or any of the screen icons ( so called).

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

But you were specific about AH being overrated and barely attractive. Now you say it’s any of the screen icons?

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AH in my opinion was overrated and wasn't attractive imo, and all the so called screen icons are pushed by a massive publicity machine and are touched up and designed and manipulated into the mainstream and we are told they are beautiful and talented, when basically they do fuck all, i find the all industry of hollywood and the cult of celebrity to be abhorrent.

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Maybe this thread isn’t for you then.

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Benibonkers@reddit

Maybe not, but im allowed too have an opinion.

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Bit pointless in this case though. Like joining a football thread just to say football is shit. Why bother.

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Benibonkers@reddit

Why not tho.

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Because then you’re only there to bring other people down.

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fireflypoet@reddit

How insulting.

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Benibonkers@reddit

Just an opinion

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EnjoysAGoodRead@reddit

My list would be very similar to yours: Angela Lansbury, Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh

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Call_It_What_U_Want2@reddit

I’ve been looking for someone to say Vivien Leigh!!

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EnjoysAGoodRead@reddit

I actually also want to add Patricia Routledge... but not sure who I would switch out! They are all amazing!

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weedywet@reddit

Audrey Hepburn was Belgium.

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justameercat@reddit

A country?

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strassgaten@reddit (OP)

Audrey Hepburn had a mixed upbringing but calling her British is a bit of a stretch, she was more Dutch/Belgian than British.

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strassgaten@reddit (OP)

Audrey Hepburn had a mixed upbringing but calling her British is a bit of a stretch, she was more Dutch/Belgian than British.

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Zealousideal_Till683@reddit

She was a British citizen - and only British, she wasn't entitled to Dutch citizenship. Her father was British. She spent much of her childhood in Britain, and was a native English speaker. She considered herself half-British, half-Dutch.

I feel like it's an extremely weird and exclusionary position to say she wasn't British.

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ICASilverBaller31@reddit

I’m lucky enough to have seen (1) and (2) together on the same London stage.

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orensiocled@reddit

I'd put Sophie Okonedo in there.

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zippy72@reddit

The episode of Criminal: UK with her in is an absolute master class.

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spicyzsurviving@reddit

If we’re considering stage acting, Miriam Margolyes deserves a mention. She makes Dickens come alive.

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Klor204@reddit

I do quite enjoy Dawn French, even for the "Don't tap it, WHACK IT" Terry's chocolate orange ad. Dani Harmer's Tracy Breaker's portrayal was rather iconic. June Brown, playing Dot, on Corrie is pretty iconic too!

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eatseveryth1ng@reddit

Olivia Colman deserves a mention

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under_ice@reddit

She deserves #1

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Aloysius_Poptart@reddit

Seconded. Incredible comedy chops, utterly heartbreaking in dramatic roles.

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BoatDogGirl@reddit

An embarrassment of riches here. But I have to suggest Eileen Atkins because she's so great that you don't often realize you were watching her in a film or tv show until you read the credits at the end.

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tjjwaddo@reddit

Monica Dolman is an awesome actress.

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PiotrGreenholz01@reddit

Yes - elevates everything she's in.

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PiotrGreenholz01@reddit

Windsor, Jaques, Sims.

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Paulstan67@reddit

Mary Millington, Vicki Michelle and Linzi Drew. (Nobody said they had to be good at acting 🥸😆)

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SubstantialClass8955@reddit

Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson.

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DrCheese67@reddit

Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Olivia Coleman are up there.

Can I add a couple of Dianas into the mix - Rigg and Quick?

I once saw Diana Quick perform The Woman Destroyed - completely and utterly captivating.

Diana Rigg - iconic as Mrs Peel and generally fabulous after that.

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Acceptable_Bunch_586@reddit

Where’s Dame Glenda Jackson in all that?

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shugavery96@reddit

Helena Bonham Carter
Sarah Lancashire
Kate Winslet

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Cold_Martini1956@reddit

Don’t forget Mrs. Lovett! Angela Lansbury was born in London.

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GreatChaosFudge@reddit

For presence: Glenda Jackson.

For range: hard to look beyond Kate Winslet (I assume we don’t count Julianne Moore, who’s a dual citizen). I hear you, Emma Thompson fans, but Winslet edges it for me.

For sheer joy: Julie Walters.

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Englishbirdy@reddit

Great choices!

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Englishbirdy@reddit

Glenda Jackson, Julie Christie, Kate Winslet.

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trevpr1@reddit

Joan Fontaine
Jean Simmons
Deborah Kerr

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Proud-Biscotti-6194@reddit

Maggie smith Olivia Colman Emma Thompson

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fireflypoet@reddit

I think I have to agree with OP. Runners-up are Olivia Colman, Siobhan Finneran, Nicola Walker, and Sarah Lancashire. What I especially appreciate about British actresses: no drastic plastic surgery that makes them look like drum skins over turkey necks, like Americans.

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strassgaten@reddit (OP)

That's actually a whole topic right now - British actresses aging naturally as opposed to American actresses who are all messing up their faces and morphing into the same fake instagrammy, heavily botoxed stiff pillow look. One of the reasons is that most British actresses play or have played in period dramas, and having a Kardashian look is kind of an issue when it comes to credibility in that.

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fireflypoet@reddit

Sometimes I want to weep when I see what some American actresses have had done to themselves. Some I could only recognize by their voices. (And it's not just American, Australian too.)

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fireflypoet@reddit

Right after I wrote this, I saw one of my favorite American actresses on a new show. Gloria Reuben. I could tell it was her voice, but her face is now very altered by "work" having been done.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

Adding Jessie Buckley, Thandiwe Newton, Adjoa Andoh, Frances de la Tour, Hayley Atwell, Romola Garai, Fiona Shaw, Tilda Swinton and Emily Blunt.

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PROINSIAS62@reddit

Jessie Buckley and Fiona Shaw are Irish.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

My mistake!

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ThatBlokeYouKnow@reddit

1 Jasmine Jae
2 Ella Hughes
3 Harmony Reigns

According to xvideos

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wasdice@reddit

Sheridan Smith, Maxine Peake, Vinette Robinson, Anne Reid, Miranda Richardson

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Lopsided_Soup_3533@reddit

Olivia Colman Nicola walker Helen Bonham -carter

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Sensitive-Ad-7475@reddit

Came here to say Maxine. Also Samantha Morton

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jonny-p@reddit

Just to throw a few not already mentioned into the mix Charlotte Rampling, Samantha Morton, Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, Miranda Richardson, Naomi Watts, Lesley Manville

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fireflypoet@reddit

Cynthia Imrie, Imelda Staunton.

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BlackJackKetchum@reddit

Mirren, Winslett and Glenda Jackson.

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ume-shu@reddit

Was looking for Glenda Jackson, criminal that she's not mentioned more.

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BlackJackKetchum@reddit

I tried to choose three women with a long track record of playing, convincingly, very different characters.

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PROINSIAS62@reddit

Luz Taylor Helen Mirren Judi Dench

In no particular order.

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Help_My_Face@reddit

Felicity Montagu
Kathy Burke
Barbara Durkin

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CrowApprehensive204@reddit

Keeley Hawes, Cush Jumbo, Nicola walker

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Positive_Ad3450@reddit

Sheridan Smith deserves a mention for playing Mrs Biggs, Cilla, and other roles including the railway children, Benidorm, Gavin and Stacey and two pints of lager and a packet of crisps.

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