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Rosemary Harris

Acting

Born September 19, 1927 · Suffolk, England, UK

Also known as رزماری هریس

Biography

Rosemary Harris (born September 19, 1927) is a distinguished English actress with a career spanning over seven decades. Renowned for her work in theater, film, and television, she has received numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe. Harris is perhaps best known to modern audiences for her portrayal of Aunt May in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). Her illustrious stage career includes a Tony Award for Best Actress for her role as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter (1966). She has also been nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Tom & Viv (1994). Harris was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1986 and received a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017. Born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England, Harris trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She has been celebrated for her versatility and emotive performances, making her a beloved figure in the world of performing arts. Rosemary Harris is married to the late American novelist John Ehle, who passed away in 2018. Together, they have a daughter, Jennifer Ehle, who is a celebrated actress known for her roles in Pride and Prejudice (1995) and The King's Speech (2010). Harris's family has been deeply involved in the arts, with her husband contributing significantly to Appalachian literature and her daughter excelling in film, television, and theater.

Awards & recognition

  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1966
  • Theatre World Award · 1953
  • Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Actress in a Play
  • Evening Standard Theatre AwardBest Actress
  • North Carolina AwardFine Arts
Show all 14 awards →
  • Tony AwardBest Featured Actress in a Play · 2010 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 2000 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1996 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 1995 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1986 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1985 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1984 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1976 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1972 · nominated

Filmography27 titles

Wuthering Heights

1958as Catherine Earnshaw

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999as Francine Brooks

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955as Dorothy Whitely

The Undoing

2020as Janet Fraser

Spider-Man 2

2004as May Parker

Spider-Man

2002as May Parker

Hamlet

1996as Player Queen

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

2007as Nanette Hanson

Search Party

2016as Beatrice

Looking for Richard

1996as Self - Interviewee

The Boys from Brazil

1978as Mrs. Doring

Spider-Man 3

2007as May Parker

The Gift

2000as Annie's Granny

Beau Brummell

1954as Mrs. Fitzherbert

Being Julia

2004as Julia's Mother

Sunshine

1999as Valerie Sors

This Means War

2012as Nana Foster

Tom & Viv

1994as Rose Haigh-Wood

Great Performances

1971as Hesione Hushabye

The von Trapp Family: A Life of Music

2015as Older Agathe von Trapp

Belonging

2004as May Copplestone

Blow Dry

2001as Daisy

Crossing Delancey

1988as Pauline Swift

The Camomile Lawn

1992as Calypso (older)

My Life So Far

1999as Gamma MacIntosh

The Ploughman's Lunch

1983as Ann Barrington

Oscar Wilde About America

2025