Actress-politican Glenda Jackson passes away at 87
File image of Glenda Jackson
Oscar-winning actress and politician Glenda Jackson has died at the age of 87. The news of her death was announced by her agent in a statement issued to the press. Jackson was a well-known face in cinema in the 1970s and won two Oscars for Women in Love and A Touch of Class. She also received two other nominations during her career.
"Glenda Jackson, the two-time Academy Award-winning actress and politician, died peacefully at her home in Blackheath, London this morning after a brief illness with her family at her side. She recently completed filming The Great Escaper in which she co-starred with Michael Caine," said her agent, Lionel Larner in a statement.
Jackson is also remembered for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the BBC drama Elizabeth R.
The actress gave up acting to join the House of Commons as a Labour Party MP from North London. She served in the position from 1992 to 2015.
Jackson returned to acting and even won a BAFTA award for her comeback role in the TV drama Elizabeth Is Missing in 2020.
About Glenda Jackson
Born on Mat 9, 1936, in a small port town called Birkenhead, in northwest England, she started working at a chemist shop at the age of 16 while pursuing dramatics during her spare time.
At the age of 18, she won a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.Jackson eventually got recruited to the Royal Shakespeare Company, working there from 1964 to 1968, including under fabled director Peter Brook.
Besides her two Oscars, Jackson won two Emmy Awards for playing Queen Elizabeth I in the hugely successful 1971 BBC television series, Elizabeth R. She also played the same monarch in the film Mary, Queen of Scots.
Her political stint
She was always keen on politics and during her stint, challenged Thatcher's free-market capitalist policies that she said were destroying British society.
At the age of 55 in 1992 -- two years after Thatcher was ousted and Major took over -- she was elected to represent the north London constituency of Hampstead and Highgate in parliament, where she remained until 2015. She was a junior transport minister in Tony Blair's Labour government from 1997 to 1999.
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