Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award. She first came into widespread attention in the 1980s and early 1990s when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Central School of Speech and Drama. Along with her comedy partner Dawn French, she writes and stars in their eponymous sketch show, French & Saunders, and has received international acclaim for writing and playing the lead role of Edina Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. In her other work, she has guest starred in the American sitcoms Roseanne and Friends, and won the American People's Choice Award for voicing the wicked Fairy Godmother in DreamWorks' animated Shrek 2. More recently, she wrote and starred in Jam & Jerusalem and The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Only Child as Sally
- 2024 · Kirsty MacColl at the BBC as Self (archive footage)
- 2024 · Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps as The Goose (voice)
- 2024 · 200% Wolf as Max (voice)
- 2023 · Sumotherhood as DI Brookes
- 2023 · Allelujah as Sister Gilpin
- 2022 · The Pentaverate as Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
- 2022 · Death on the Nile as Marie Van Schuyler
- 2021 · Sing 2 as Nana (voice)
- 2021 · Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable as Self
- 2020 · The Stranger as Heidi Doyle
- 2019 · Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again as Meryl Streep / Cher
- 2019 · Celebrity Gogglebox as
- 2019 · Ghosts as Lavinia
- 2019 · Moominvalley as Mymble
- 2019 · Isn't It Romantic as Natalie's Mother
- 2018 · Patrick as Maureen
- 2018 · Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires as Dr. Alex Cular
- 2018 · Grandpa's Great Escape as Miss Dandy
- 2016 · Sing as Nana (voice)
- 2016 · Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie as Edina Monsoon
- 2015 · Stick Man as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Josh as Judith
- 2015 · Minions as Reine Elizabeth II (voice)
- 2014 · The Boy in the Dress as Miss Windsor
- 2013 · Gogglebox as Self
- 2013 · The Last Leg as Self
- 2013 · Blandings as Lady Constance Keeble
- 2012 · Dead Boss as Governor Margaret
- 2011 · Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- 2010 · This Is Jinsy as
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2009 · Coraline as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
- 2007 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2006 · Jam and Jerusalem as Caroline Martin
- 2006 · L'Entente cordiale as Gwendoline McFarlane
- 2004 · Shrek 2 as Fairy Godmother (voice)
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self
- 2001 · Absolutely Fabulous as Une spectatrice du défilé
- 1999 · Let Them Eat Cake as
- 1997 · Spice World as Fashionable Woman
- 1996 · Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout as Edina Monsoon
- 1996 · Muppet Treasure Island as Mrs. Bluveridge
- 1995 · In the Bleak Midwinter as Nancy
- 1994 · The Vicar of Dibley as Reverend Jen
- 1994 · Friends as Andrea Waltham
- 1992 · Absolutely Fabulous as Edina
- 1989 · The Simpsons as Phoebe Pratt (voice)
- 1988 · The Storyteller as Badsister 1
- 1987 · Eat the Rich as Lady Caroline
- 1987 · Going Live! as Self
- 1987 · French & Saunders as Various Characters
- 1986 · Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger as
- 1985 · The Supergrass as Lesley Reynolds
- 1985 · Girls On Top as Jennifer
- 1983 · Bad News as Sally
- 1982 · The Young Ones as Sue
- 1982 · The Young Ones as Helen Mucus
- Future · Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Self - Presenter
- Future · Have I Got a Bit More News for You as Self - Panellist
- 2024 · Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out as Self
- 2024 · We Work for the Dead as The Mother (voice)
- 2023 · Dawn French Is a Huge Twat as Self (uncredited)
- 2023 · imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter as Self - featured artist
- 2022 · Fantasy Football League as Themselves
- 2021 · French & Saunders: Funny Women as Self
- 2020 · Richard Osman's House of Games Night as Self - Contestant
- 2019 · Completely Bad News as Sally
- 2018 · Lady Windermere's Fan as The Duchess of Berwick
- 2017 · 300 Years of French & Saunders as
- 2017 · Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers as Self - Presenter
- 2017 · Comic Relief: Red Nose Day as Self
- 2017 · Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief as Self - Judge
- 2016 · British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2016 · We Love Sitcom as
- 2016 · Insert Name Here as Self - Panelist
- 2013 · The Great Comic Relief Bake Off as Self - Contestant
- 2012 · The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever! as Self
- 2012 · Five Go to Rehab as Anne
- 2012 · 30 Years of Comic Strip as
- 2012 · The Great Sport Relief Bake Off as Self - Host
- 2011 · The Hunt for Tony Blair as Lady Thatcher
- 2011 · Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders as
- 2011 · French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years as
- 2009 · Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline' as Self
- 2008 · French and Saunders: Still Alive as Self
- 2007 · The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle as
- 2007 · A Bucket O' French and Saunders as
- 2004 · Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball? as Self
- 2002 · The Best of French & Saunders as Various
- 2002 · Pongwiffy as
- 2001 · Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl as Self
- 2000 · Mirrorball as Vivienne Keill
- 2000 · French & Saunders - Live as Various roles
- 1999 · Fanny & Elvis as Roanna
- 1999 · The Magician's House as The Rat (voice)
- 1998 · Absolutely Fabulous: A Life as Edina "Eddy" Monsoon
- 1998 · Four Men in a Car as Helen
- 1998 · Parkinson as Self
- 1995 · How to Be Absolutely Fabulous as Self / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
- 1994 · Dusty as Self - Presenter
- 1993 · Prince Cinders as Fairy (voice)
- 1993 · Jealousy as Jane/Margory
- 1993 · Demonella as The Devil
- 1993 · Space Virgins from Planet Sex as Needle
- 1993 · French & Saunders: At the Movies as
- 1992 · Wild Turkey as Neighbour
- 1992 · Red Nose of Courage as Margaret Thatcher
- 1991 · Amnesty International's Big 30 as Self
- 1990 · The Tale of Little Pig Robinson as Dorcas
- 1990 · Rita Rudner as
- 1990 · French & Saunders LIVE as
- 1990 · Spaghetti Hoops as Maria
- 1990 · Oxford as Hannah
- 1990 · South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1 as Cathy
- 1990 · South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie! as Cathy
- 1990 · GLC: The Carnage Continues as Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
- 1989 · The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball as Self
- 1989 · Employees From Hell as
- 1989 · Communicators From Hell as
- 1988 · An Audience With Victoria Wood as Self
- 1988 · Mr Jolly Lives Next Door as Monica
- 1988 · More Bad News as Sally
- 1988 · The Strike as Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
- 1988 · Comic Relief as
- 1986 · Omnibus Presents Comic Relief as
- 1986 · Comedians Do It On Stage as Self
- 1986 · Private Enterprise as Debbie
- 1986 · The Dangerous Brothers as
- 1986 · Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders) as Jessica
- 1985 · Happy Families as Granny Fuddle
- 1984 · Slags as Little Sister
- 1984 · Eddie Monsoon - a Life? as Doreen
- 1984 · Gino: Full Story and Pics as Angie
- 1984 · A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques as Shona
- 1984 · Susie as Lorna
- 1984 · Dirty Movie as June
- 1983 · Five Go Mad on Mescalin as Anne
- 1983 · Summer School as Liz
- 1983 · The Beat Generation as Anne
- 1983 · War as Various Roles
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Lesley
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Anne
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Liz
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Sally
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Little Sister
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Jessica
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as June
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Doreen
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Lorna
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Debbie
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Angie
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Meryl Streep
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Monica
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Cathy
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Ice Maiden
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Maria
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Neighbour
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Needle
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Hannah
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Margaret Thatcher
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Jane/Margory
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as The Devil
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Helen
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Jennifer
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as
- 1982 · Five Go Mad in Dorset as Anne
- 1982 · Wogan as Self
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- Future · The Magic Faraway Tree as
- Future · Butterfly Stroke as Ruth
- 1981 · The Comic Strip as
- 1976 · The Secret Policeman's Ball as Self
- Future · Night and Day as Mrs Hilbery