Legendary actress and former politician Glenda Jackson returns to television for the first time after a 25-year hiatus.

Advertisement

Featuring in the BBC One star-studded drama Elizabeth Is Missing, Jackson plays the role of an elderly woman struggling to remember what's happened to her missing friend.

Read our Elizabeth Is Missing review

Here's everything you need to know about the cast of Elizabeth Is Missing...

Glenda Jackson plays Maud

Glenda Jackson in Elizabeth Is Missing

Who is Maud? Maud is an elderly woman struggling with Alzheimer's, who discovers a broken compact mirror she recognises while gardening with her friend Elizabeth. Shortly afterwards, Elizabeth goes missing and Maud sets out on a quest to discover why — while memories of her sister Sukey, who went missing in 1949, continue to haunt her.

More like this

Where have I seen Glenda Jackson before? Jackson is an Oscar-winning actress and former Labour government minister. Elizabeth Is Missing marks her first return to television in a quarter of a century.

The 83-year-old actress previously starred in films such as Women in Love and A Touch of Class; after her political career ended in 2015, she returned to the stage, first as King Lear and then on Broadway in Three Tall Women, for which she won a Tony Award.

Sophie Rundle plays Sukey

Who is Sukey? Maud's glamorous older sister, who went missing one night 70 years ago and who hasn't been seen since.

Where have I seen Sophie Rundle before? You'd be hard pressed to find an acclaimed drama in recent years that Rundle hasn't starred in.

Her roles have included Ann Walker in Gentleman Jack, Vicky (PC Budd's estranged wife) in Bodyguard, and Ada Shelby in Peaky Blinders. She's also a lead in the upcoming BBC One drama The Nest, in which she stars opposite Line of Duty’s Martin Compston.

Helen Behan plays Helen

Who is Helen? Helen is Maud's long-suffering daughter, who shoulders the brunt of caring for her elderly and forgetful mother in the absence of her brother, Tom, who lives in Germany.

Where have I seen Helen Behan before? Behan is best known for playing Evelyn in This Is England '88 and as Helen in This Is England '90. She also recently played Anna in The Virtues.

Nell Williams plays Katy

Who is Katy? Katy is Maud's rebellious granddaughter and they share a close relationship. When Maud struggles to understand what the multiple post-it notes in her pockets mean, Katy helps her to figure out their hidden meanings.

Where have I seen Nell Williams before? Game of Thrones fans will recognise Williams as a Young Cersei Lannister, but she's also starred in Grantchester and in Deep Water as Sally Kallisto.

Liv Hill plays Young Maud

Who is Young Maud? Maud's younger teenage self, who becomes frantic after her older sister, Sukey, appears to run away from postwar London, leaving her husband, Frank.

Where have I seen Liv Hill before? The film and television actress kickstarted her onscreen career playing Ruby Bowen in the acclaimed series Three Girls, before she played the lead role in indie film Jellyfish.

Maggie Steed plays Elizabeth

Who is Elizabeth? Maud's best friend, they met while volunteering at the Salvation Army together. Elizabeth often mentions that she's frightened of her son — which causes concern for Maud after Elizabeth appears to go missing without a trace.

Where have I seen Maggie Steed before? Steed's long and varied career has included roles on EastEnders (as Joyce Murray), in Paddington 2, Jam and Jerusalem, Father Brown and Chewing Gum.

Mark Stanley plays Frank

Who is Frank? Sukey's husband, a dealer in black-market goods, who visits Maud and her family after she goes missing.

Where have I seen Mark Stanley before? Stanley recently played the playboy-turned-romantic Lord Babbington in ITV period drama Sanditon, and has previously starred in the 2017 mini-series Little Women, Dickensian (as Bill Sykes), and The Little Drummer Girl.

Neil Pendleton plays Douglas

Who is Douglas? A lodger living with Maud and her parents, he maintains a secretive and friendly relationship with Sukey after she marries Frank.

Where have I seen Neil Pendleton before? Pendleton is best known for his role as Danny Turner in series River City, and has previously starred in In Plain Sight and Slaughterhouse Rulez.

Sam Hazeldine plays Tom

Who is Tom? Tom is Maud's "golden boy" son who lives in Germany with his family, which means that much of his mother's day-to-day care is left to his sister, Helen.

Where have I seen Sam Hazeldine before? Hazeldine has starred in The Innocents, Requiem, Peaky Blinders (as Georgie Sewell), film The Monuments Men, and alongside Mark Strong in the medical series Temple.

Elizabeth Is Missing airs at 9/8c on Sunday 3rd January 2021 on PBS Masterpiece in the US

Elizabeth Is Missing aired on Sunday 8th December 2019 on BBC One in the UK

Advertisement

Read our Elizabeth Is Missing review

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement