Elizabeth Counsell (born 7 June 1942) is an English actress and singer, known for her role in the BBC television series Brush Strokes, as well as for her theatre work.
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Career
She began her career at the Theatre Royal, Windsor in 1957.
Among her stage roles, she played Lady Macbeth to Michael Gambon's Macbeth at the Forum Theatre, Billingham in 1968, subsequently playing Michael Redgrave's leading lady in his 1976-77 anthology Shakespeare's People. In 1983 she played the title role in Peter Hall's production of Jean Seberg at the Royal National Theatre.
Her film appearances include Hot Millions (1968), Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), Under the Doctor (1976), Killer's Moon (1978) and Claudia (1985). She also featured in the 1983 Channel 4 comedy drama Hollywood Hits Chiswick, alongside Derek Newark as W.C. Fields. Her most recent film appearances include the 2012 film Song for Marion, with Vanessa Redgrave, and the 2014 film Grace of Monaco, starring Nicole Kidman. She later appeared in the second series of the BBC1 drama The Split (2020).
In December 2023, it was announced that Counsell had been cast as Gloria Knight in EastEnders.
Personal life
Counsell is the daughter of actress Mary Kerridge and actor-director John Counsell, who together ran the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Her twin sister was the actress Jenny (Jennifer M) Counsell, who died on 23 May 2020. In 1978, Elizabeth married the actor David Simeon; the couple have a son, born in 1979.