Began her stage career at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, England Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1985, where she met her future husband, Hilton Mcrae, when they were both cast in Troilus and Cressida
Won both an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for Best Actress in 2002 for her role in Noël Coward's Private Lives
Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2009
Gave an introductory talk on Alzheimer's at The Royal Institution in support of the Alzheimer's Research UK charity