Known for movies

Short Info

FactShe is a regular on the hippy circuit (Daily Mail 03.02.05). [February 2005]


Julia Sawalha is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Saffron Monsoon in the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. She has also appeared in a number of other television programmes and films, including Pride & Prejudice, Lark Rise to Candleford and Horrid Henry: The Movie.

Born in Islington, London, on 9 September 1968, Sawalha is the daughter of actress Nadim Sawalha and producer Robert Sawalha. She has two sisters, Nadia and Julia, and a brother, Michael. She was educated at St Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, London.

Sawalha made her television debut in the children’s series Press Gang (1984-1986), in which she played the character Lynda Day. She went on to appear in a number of other television programmes, including The Darling Buds of May (1991-1993), in which she played the character Mariette Larkin.

In 1992, Sawalha was cast as Saffron Monsoon in the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. The show was a huge success and ran for six series, from 1992 to 1996. Sawalha reprised her role as Saffron in the 2016 film Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.

Sawalha has also appeared in a number of films, including Pride & Prejudice (2005), in which she played the character Lydia Bennet, and Horrid Henry: The Movie (2011), in which she voiced the character Miss Battle-Axe.

Sawalha has been married twice. Her first marriage was to actor Kris Thykier, with whom she has three children: Phoebe (born 2002), Miller (born 2004) and Sonny (born 2006). The couple divorced in 2011. Sawalha married her second husband, David Lister, in 2016.

Sawalha has a net worth of $4 million.

General Info

Full NameJulia Sawalha
Height1.6 m
ProfessionVoice Actor
EducationItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
NationalityBritish

Family

ParentsNadim Sawalha, Roberta Sawalha
SiblingsNadia Sawalha, Dina Sawalha

Accomplishments

MoviesAbsolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Kipper: Kipper Helps Out, The Final Curtain, Chicken Run, Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death, The Flint Street Nativity, In the Bleak Midwinter, The Wind in the Willows, Kipper: Cuddly Critters
TV ShowsAbsolutely Fabulous, Lark Rise to Candleford, Pride and Prejudice, Jonathan Creek, Press Gang, Cranford, Faith in the Future, Time Gentlemen Please, Martin Chuzzlewit, Comedy Connections, The Underdog Show, Second Thoughts, Sheeep, Fame Is the Spur

Social profile links

Facts

#Fact
1Shares her birthday with father Nadim Sawalha (9 September).
2Her father, actor Nadim Sawalha, is from Madaba, Jordan. Her mother, Roberta Lane, is British-born.
3Named after her Jordanian grandmother.
4She is a regular on the hippy circuit (Daily Mail 03.02.05). [February 2005]
5Despite playing her daughter on Absolutely Fabulous (1992), Sawalha is only 10 years younger than Jennifer Saunders.
6Is the only one of the 5 main actresses of Absolutely Fabulous (1992) (the others being Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks) to have no children in real life. Ironically her character, Saffy Monsoon, was the only one who gave birth on the show.
7Sister-in-law of Mark Adderley.
8Attended the same high school as her Press Gang (1989) cast-mate Gabrielle Anwar.
9Niece of Nabil Sawalha
10Daughter of Nadim Sawalha.
11Younger sister of Nadia Sawalha.

Pictures

Movies

Actress

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie2016Saffy
Midsomer Murders2016TV SeriesPenny Henderson
Remember Me2014TV Mini-SeriesJan Ward
Agatha Christie's Marple2013TV SeriesMrs. Cresswell
Absolutely Fabulous1992-2012TV SeriesSaffron
Absolutely Fabulous: Sport Relief Special2012TV MovieSaffron
Lark Rise to Candleford2008-2011TV SeriesDorcas Lane
Fable II2008Video GameHammer (voice)
Cranford2007TV SeriesJessie Brown
Absolutely Fabulous: Comic Relief Special2005TV MovieSaffron
Jonathan Creek2001-2004TV SeriesCarla Borrego
Bob Monkhouse's Comedy Heroes2004TV MovieNarrator (voice)
White Box2004TV MovieSaffron
Hornblower: Duty2003TV MovieMaria Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower 32003TV MovieMaria Mason
The Final Curtain2002Karen Willet
Venus and Mars2001Marie
Time Gentlemen Please2000-2001TV SeriesJanet Wilson
Mirrorball2000TV ShortFreda Keill
Chicken Run2000Ginger (voice)
Kipper1999-2000TV Series shortMouse
The Flint Street Nativity1999TV MovieDawn / Wise Man 1
Comic Relief: Doctor Who - The Curse of Fatal Death1999TV ShortEmma
The Collection1998TV Mini-SeriesSaffron
Faith in the Future1995-1998TV SeriesHannah
Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not!1997VideoSaffron 'Saffy' Monsoon
Ain't Misbehavin'1997TV Mini-SeriesDolly Nightingale
McLibel!1997TV Mini-SeriesHelen Steel
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride1996The Jailer's Daughter
Tales from the Crypt1996TV SeriesTeresa
Pride and Prejudice1995TV Mini-SeriesLydia Bennet
A Midwinter's Tale1995Nina Raymond (Ophelia)
Martin Chuzzlewit1994TV Mini-SeriesMercy Pecksniff
Keeper1994TV ShortAlison
Lovejoy1994TV SeriesJoanna
Second Thoughts1991-1994TV SeriesHannah / Hannah Grayshot
Press Gang1989-1993TV SeriesLynda Day Young Katherine Hill
Bottom1992TV SeriesVeronica Head
Casualty1991TV SeriesNikki Watson
Buddy's Song1991Kelly
El C.I.D.1991TV SeriesTrudy
Spatz1990TV SeriesChloe Fairbanks
Inspector Morse1988TV SeriesRachel
The Young Ones1984TV SeriesNarrator
Educating Marmalade1982-1983TV SeriesGood Girl
The Pirates of Penzance1982TV MovieDaughter (uncredited)
Fame Is the Spur1982TV Mini-SeriesAmy Ryerson
Keep It in the Family1981TV SeriesWalk-On

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie2016performer: "At Seventeen"
Lark Rise to Candleford2008TV Series performer - 1 episode
Cranford2007TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Absolutely Fabulous1992TV Series performer - 1 episode

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
We Love Sitcom2016TV MovieHerself
This Morning2016TV SeriesHerself
The One Show2016TV SeriesHerself
VE Day 70: A Party to Remember2015TV MovieHerself
Daybreak2012TV SeriesHerself - Lorraine Presenter
The Alan Titchmarsh Show2009TV SeriesHerself
The Graham Norton Show2007TV SeriesHerself
The Making of Cranford2007Video documentary shortHerself / Jessie Brown
The Underdog Show2007TV SeriesHerself
Who Do You Think You Are?2006TV Series documentaryHerself
A Taste of My Life2006TV Series documentaryHerself
Comedy Connections2003-2004TV Series documentaryHerself - Narrator
Hell's Kitchen2004TV SeriesHerself
The Story of Absolutely Fabulous2004TV Movie documentaryHerself / Saffron Monsoon
Blankety Blank2001TV SeriesHerself
Stars in Their Eyes2000TV SeriesHerself / Cerys Matthews
Poultry in Motion: The Making of 'Chicken Run'2000TV Movie documentaryHerself
Masterchef2000TV SeriesHerself
HBO First Look2000TV Series documentaryHerself
Bob Martin2000TV SeriesHerself
Loose Women2000TV SeriesHerself
The Hatching of 'Chicken Run'2000TV Short documentaryHerself
The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything1999TV SpecialCatherine Parr
Television's Greatest Hits1999TV Series documentaryHerself
Late Lunch1999TV SeriesHerself
'Pride and Prejudice': The Making of...1999TV Movie documentaryHerself / Lydia Bennet (uncredited)
Omnibus1998TV Series documentaryHerself
Light Lunch1998TV SeriesHerself
An Audience with the Spice Girls1997TV SpecialHerself - Audience Member
Very Important Pennis1996TV SeriesHerself
French and Saunders1996TV SeriesHerself
Parallel 91993TV SeriesHerself
This Is Your Life1993TV Series documentaryHerself
The Word1992TV SeriesHerself
Going Live!1992TV SeriesHerself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves2016TV Movie documentaryComedy Role (uncredited)
The Many Faces of...2011TV Series documentaryJessie Brown
Pride and Prejudice: A Turning Point for Period Drama2011Video documentary shortLydia Bennet (uncredited)
Pride and Prejudice: Restoration Featurette2011Video documentary shortLydia Bennet (uncredited)
A Bucket o' French & Saunders2007TV Series
Memoirs of a Cigarette2007TV Movie documentarySaffy
All the Best from Denis Norden2007TV Movie documentarySaffron Monsoon / Hannah Grayshot (uncredited)
Pride and Prejudice Revisited2005TV Movie documentaryLydia Bennet (uncredited)
TV's Greatest Sidekicks2004TV Special
Room 1012004TV SeriesSaffron
Absolutely Fabulous: A Life1998Video documentarySaffron Monsoon
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous1995TV Short documentarySaffron Monsoon

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1993RTS Television AwardRoyal Television Society, UKBest Actor - FemalePress Gang (1989)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2009Golden NymphMonte-Carlo TV FestivalOutstanding Actress - Drama SeriesLark Rise to Candleford (2008)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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