Pauline Collins, Oscar-Nominated British Actress Known for ‘Shirley Valentine,’ Dies at 85

The actress died peacefully in a London care home following a battle with Parkinson’s disease, her family announced on Nov. 6.

Audrey Simons

Published: 11/7/2025, 4:43:24 PM EST

Pauline Collins, Oscar-Nominated British Actress Known for ‘Shirley Valentine,’ Dies at 85 — Pauline Collins attends the photocall for "Quartet" at the BFI London Film Festival at Empire Leicester Square in London on Oct. 15, 2012. (Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)

British actress Pauline Collins, best known for her roles in "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Shirley Valentine," has died at the age of 85.

The acclaimed stage and screen star died peacefully at a care home in Highgate, London, this week following a years-long battle with Parkinson’s disease, her family said in a statement shared with The Epoch Times via email on Nov. 7.

"Pauline was so many things to so many people, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers, and queens," the statement reads in part.

"More than anything, though, she was our loving mum, our wonderful Grandma, and great-Grandma. Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us."

Collins's loved ones expressed gratitude to her carers, describing them as angels for looking after her "with dignity, compassion, and most of all love."

"She could not have had a more peaceful goodbye," her family wrote.

"We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers, so joyful and full of energy, and give us the space and privacy to contemplate a life without her."

Collins's husband of 56 years, retired British actor John Alderton, also bid the actress an emotional farewell, calling her "a remarkable star."

"I had the great good fortune to have worked with her more than any other actor in our many TV series, films, and West End stage shows together, and watched her genius at close quarters," Alderton, 84, said.

"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."

Although Collins will always be remembered for her endearing performance in "Shirley Valentine," Alderton said her greatest role of all was being his wife and the mother to their children.

Timeless Talent on the Screen

Collins was born in Exmouth, a port town in Devon, England, in 1940.

She first rose to fame in the United Kingdom playing the mischievous parlormaid Sarah Moffat in the 1970s ITV drama "Upstairs, Downstairs," a role that earned her a BAFTA nomination in 1973.

The actress went on to achieve international stardom the following decade, portraying the titular role in the 1989 romantic comedy "Shirley Valentine." She scored a Golden Globe and Oscar nod for her captivating portrayal of a jaded housewife on a quest for self-discovery.

Collins originated the role in Willy Russell's 1986 one-woman play of the same name. The production later moved to London's West End before opening on Broadway in 1989, earning her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

Following her death, the actress was remembered online by her fans, friends, and colleagues.

On X, British writer Matthew Todd highlighted Collins's tour de force performance in "Shirley Valentine."

"How often can you say a performance really changed people’s lives? This one did," he wrote.

"Heartbreaking, hilarious, and genuinely inspiring. Rest in peace. Sincere condolences to her family."

Actor Dan Ryan shared that he "fell in love" with the actress time and time again through her various roles on the big screen, noting that he was "lucky to have known her."

Television screenwriter Russell T. Davies, who worked with Collins on a 2006 episode of "Doctor Who," shared a similar sentiment.

"It was such an honour to have her on set, I was in awe," he wrote. "She was salty and wonderful, and the finest of actors."

From The Epoch Times