Sylvestra Le Touzel (born 20 October 1958Page 18 of The Daily Telegraph and Morning Post on 23 October 1958) is an English actress. Known for her character work in television, radio, film and theatre, she began her career as a child actor before moving into adult roles. She is married to actor Owen Teale, with whom she has two children. Early life The daughter of John Le Touzel and his wife Karin Slater, Le Touzel was born and brought up in Kensington, London. Her family is originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Her younger brother Joshua Le Touzel (1963–2012) also became a child actor, appearing as Kay in The Snow Queen (1976).“Joshua Le Touzel”, The Movie Database, accessed 14 June 2026

Career

Television work (1968–present) Le Touzel began her career at the age of ten, playing a child who bedevils the Second Doctor in the 1968 Doctor Who story The Mind Robber. She later starred on the BBC's "Look and Read", appearing as Helen in their 1971 serial The Boy from Space. An early adult role was her portrayal of Fanny Price in the BBC dramatisation of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park (1983).Sue Parrill, Jane Austen on film and television: a critical study (2002), p. 84 In 1985, Le Touzel co-starred with Bryan Pringle in a television advertisement for Heineken. A parody of the "Rain in Spain" scene from My Fair Lady, it saw Pringle's character teaching a posh woman (Le Touzel) how to speak cockney by repeating: "The wa'er in Major'a don' taste like wot id ough' 'a" ("The water in Majorca don't taste like what it ought to"). The advert subsequently placed at number 29 on Channel 4's rundown of the "100 Greatest TV Ads".

Le Touzel appeared in various television productions throughout the 1990s, including the police procedural Between the Lines (1994), an adaptation of Catherine Cookson's The Gambling Man (1995), and the science fiction miniseries The Uninvited (1997). She went on to star as veterinarian Briony on the BBC One sitcom Beast (2000–2001), which ran for two series. Later credits included prominent roles in the Victoria Wood television film Housewife, 49 (2004), political drama series The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006), an adaptation of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (2007), the ITV comedy-drama series Bonkers (2007), the BBC Four film Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley (2008)—in which she portrayed Conservative politician Patricia Hornsby-Smith—and the four-part ITV/ABC miniseries Titanic (2012), where she played Lady Duff-Gordon, a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. In addition, her work as D.C. Hazel Savage in the two-part television film Appropriate Adult (2011), a dramatisation of the crimes of Fred and Rose West, was described as "very authentic" by Variety and "remarkable" by the Los Angeles Times.

In 2017, Le Touzel appeared on the second season of Netflix's historical drama series The Crown, with The Telegraph describing her portrayal of Lady Dorothy Macmillan as "magnificent". Between 2020 and 2023, she appeared as Christine Cranfield, a GCHQ boss, on the Sky One sitcom Intelligence. While the series was met with mixed reviews, Le Touzel's work as the tightly-wound Cranfield was praised, with Collider commenting that she played the part to "perfection".

Film work (2006–present) After appearing in several short films, Le Touzel made her feature film debut in Michael Apted's Amazing Grace, a 2006 biographical drama about the abolition of the slave trade in 18th century England. She then co-starred as Heather in Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), a partially improvised comedy-drama directed by Mike Leigh, which The Hollywood Reporter called a "certified good time" with "wonderful performances from top to bottom".

Following a small part in The Iron Lady (2011), Le Touzel played three different characters in Cloud Atlas (2012), a big-budget science fiction drama directed by the Wachowskis. Her next film roles were in Mr. Turner (2014)—a drama based on the life of J. M. W. Turner—and the 2017 political satire The Death of Stalin, where she portrayed Nina Khrushchev, the second wife of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Personal life Le Touzel married the Welsh actor Owen Teale in 2001, several years after they met during a production of Henry IV; the couple have two daughters. Le Touzel is a supporter of charitable theatre and is a patron of Montage Theatre Arts, a performing arts charity based in London, along with fellow actresses Debby Bishop and Emma Thompson.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes2006 Amazing Grace Marianne Thornton 2008 Happy-Go-Lucky Heather 2011 Hostess 1949 2012 Cloud Atlas Haskell Moore's Dinner Guest 5 / Nurse Judd / Aide in Slaughtership 2014 Mr. Turner Ruskin's Mother 2017 Nina Khrushchev

Television Year Title Role Notes 1968 Doctor Who Child 2 episodes Dixon of Dock Green Janet Dean 1 episode 1971 Look and Read Helen Main cast, series 3 1975 My Honourable Mrs Sarah Main cast, 7 episodes 1976 Westway Samantha Ryder Main cast, 7 episodes 1977 This Year Next Year Carol Shaw 9 episodes Rooms Denise 3 episodes Scene Liza Hollander 2 episodes1978 Donal and Sally Sally Episode of Play for Today series1979 Crown Court Beryl Betts 3 episodes 1980 The Professionals Patricia Buchanan 1 episode Maria Marten Emily Corder Miniseries, 3 episodes 1981 Metal Mickey Jennifer 1 episode The Gentle Touch Debbie Richard 1 episode1982 Crimes Jane Episode of Play for Tomorrow series1983 Mansfield Park Fanny Price Miniseries, 6 episodes 1985 Everyman Julia 1 episode1986–1997 Alas Smith and Jones Various 5 episodes 1987 Screen Two Finn McQuillen 1 episode Joy Television film 1988 Jackanory Storyteller 5 episodes The Ray Bradbury Theater Emily 1 episode A Vote for Hitler Marian Television film 1989 A Fine Romance Eve Barrington 1 episode Making Out Tamsin 1 episode The Dog It Was That Died Suleika Television film1989–1991 ScreenPlay Lisbeth / Judith 2 episodes1991 Lovejoy Amanda Peagram 1 episode1993 Fighting for Gemma Sarah Downes Television film 1994 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales Rosalind Voice, 1 episode Harry Enfield & Chums Lady Sophie Dim-But-Royal 1 episode Between the Lines Sarah Teale 7 episodes1995 The Gambling Man Charlotte Kean Miniseries, 3 episodes1997 The Uninvited Joanna Ball Miniseries, 4 episodes 1998 Kiss Me Kate Hillary 1 episode Vanity Fair Lady Jane Crawley 3 episodes 2000–2001 Beast Briony Main cast, 12 episodes Hearts and Bones Rachel Heath 2 episodes2000–2010 Midsomer MurdersLinda Marquis / Miriam Fielding 2 episodes 2002 Great Britons Clemmie Voice, 1 episode Animated Tales of the World Gretta / Sun Voice, 1 episode2003 My Family Joanna Episode: "Blind Justice"2004 Silent Witness Amanda Birley Episode: "Nowhere Fast" 2005 Housewife, 49 Mrs Lynch Television film Judge John Deed Dr Margot Lipton Episode: "In Defence of Others" Paula Marshall Episode: "In Divine Proportion" Falling Anna Blackstone Television film 2006 The Good Housekeeping Guide Helen Television film The Amazing Mrs Pritchard Nina Morgan 4 episodes 2007 Bonkers Harriet Waterhouse Main cast, 6 episodes Northanger AbbeyMrs AllenTelevision film2008 The Long Walk to Finchley Patricia Hornsby-Smith Television film 2009 Doc Martin Juliet Wenn Episode: "The Departed" May Contain Nuts Mrs. Reynolds Television film Victoria Wood's Mid Life Christmas Mrs. Godchild / Lolly Goggins Television special2010 Accidental Farmer Judith Television film 2011 Appropriate Adult D.C. Hazel Savage Television film Lewis Caroline Eagleton Episode: "The Mind Has Mountains" Case Histories Sylvia Land 2 episodes New Tricks Janice Pargetter 1 episode Threesome Antonia Episode: "Builder" 2012 Dirk Gently Emelda Ransome 1 episode Titanic Lady Duff-Gordon Miniseries, 4 episodes Secret State Ros Yelland Miniseries, 4 episodes The Thick of It Mary Drake 2 episodes Parade's End Marchant 3 episodes 2013 Blandings Veronica Shoonmaker Episode: "The Go Getter" The Politician's Husband Diane Miniseries, 3 episodes 2014 Father Brown Verity Penhallick Episode: "The Mysteries of the Rosary" Utopia Leah 5 episodes Big School Ms Steele Episode: "OFSTED Chemistry"2015 Death in Paradise Sandra Kendrick Episode: "She Was Murdered Twice"2017 Endeavour Mrs Joy Pettybon Episode: "Canticle"2017–2018 The Crown Lady Dorothy Macmillan 4 episodes 2020 The English Game Lady Kinnaird 4 episodes Roadkill Dame Vanessa Pollard 3 episodes2020–2023 Intelligence Christine Cranfield Main cast, 13 episodes2022 Sister Boniface Mysteries Prunella Gladwell Episode: "Queen of the Kitchen" 2023 Dalgliesh Muriel Godby 2 episodes The Great Witch Episode: "The Bullet or the Bear" Still Up Dr. Stafford Episode: "The Sleep Clinic"

Radio Year Title Role Notes1990 The New Marina Jean BBC Radio 4 1995 Faro's Daughter Deborah Grantham An Imaginative Experience Julia1996 Dombey and Son Edith1999 A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania BBC Radio 32003 Nought Happens Twice Thus Florence BBC Radio 42008–2009 Daunt and Dervish Susan Dervish Main cast, 10 episodes2013 Votes for Women! Lady John BBC Radio 32016 Ed Reardon's Week Antonia 4 episodes2018 Indigo Children Ivy BBC Radio 42021 The Archers Evangeline 1 episode

Theatre +Selected credits Year Title Role Notes1982 The Understanding Kate Strand Theatre, West End1984 Fall Ann Hampstead Theatre1985 The Alchemist Dol Common Lyric Theatre, West End1986 Dracula, or Out for the Count Mina Seward1988 Hamlet Ophelia Theatre Royal1991 Twelfth Night Viola Royal Shakespeare Theatre1991–1992 Henry IV, Parts I & II Lady Percy Barbican Theatre1992–1993 Artists and Admirers Negina1993–1995 An Inspector Calls Sheila Birling Aldwych Theatre, West End1996 Les Enfants du Paradis Nathalie Barbican Theatre1996–1997 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Almeida Theatre2002 Benefactors Jane Albery Theatre, West End2005 Wild East Dr Pitt Royal Court Theatre, West End2010 Les Parents Terribles Leo Trafalgar Studios, West End2012–2013 The Merry Wives of Windsor Meg Page Royal Shakespeare Theatre2015 The Audience Margaret Thatcher Apollo Theatre, West End2015–2016 Waste Frances Trebell Royal National Theatre2018 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Miss Mackay Donmar Warehouse2019 Alys, Always Mary Bridge Theatre2023 Pygmalion Mrs Higgins The Old Vic2026 The Authenticator Fenella Dorfman Theatre

References

External links

Sylvestra Le Touzel at the BFI

Sylvestra Le Touzel at Theatricalia