It is with deep sadness that BlogtorWho reports the death of Doctor Who actor Helen McCrory.
Doctor Who fans will fondly remember Helen McCrory’s role in The Vampires of Venice during Matt Smith’s debut season as the Eleventh Doctor. Rosannna Calvieri was the mysterious head of a school for girls in Venice, Italy. The Doctor and his companions discover that Rosanna was actually a Saturnyn, an aquatic alien species. McCrory’s elaborate costume spent a long time on display at the Doctor Who Experience in London.
In another universe McCrory played Narcissa Malfoy, wife of Lucius and mother of Draco, in the final three Harry Potter movies. She will perhaps best be remembered for her role as Aunt Polly, the matriarch of the Shelby clan, in the BBC series Peaky Blinders. Other television appearances included His Dark Materials, Quiz, Life and Penny Dreadful. In 1997 she won a BAFTA Cymru award for Best Actress for her performance as Jo opposite Rhys Ifans in Streetlife. McCrory also achieved many other notable credits on the big screen include portraying Cherie Blair in the film The Queen starring Helen Mirren, and as mother to Heath Ledger’s Casanova. Her career also included many memorable performances on stage including National Theatre productions including The Deep Blue Sea (2016), Medea (2014), The Seagull (1994) and Blood Wedding (1991).
