Julia McKenzie has been thrust back into the spotlight recently as the 84-year-old was rediscovered by fans following the addition of Agatha Christie's Marple to Netflix on 24 January.
The beloved actress played the iconic crime solver between 2009 and 2013, taking over from the late Geraldine McEwan, who had appeared in the series since 2004. The star featured in adaptations of some of the mystery novelist's best-known works, including A Pocket Full of Rye and They Do It with Mirrors.
The series managed to attract major stars, including the likes of Joan Collins. Reflecting on working together, Julia said: "A lot of people wanted to come back from the other episodes to have a look at Joan Collins! People asked, ''what was she like?'' and I can tell them she was delightful.
"She's very glamorous but she didn't mind going into what we call a 'threeaway', that's three little caravans in one instead of a whole Winnebago! We had a scene together at The Ritz with dancers, which was delightful."
Before appearing in the show, Julia was a well-established actress, playing Hester Fields in Fresh Fields and its sequel, French Fields; the star received a BAFTA nomination for her appearance in the sitcom.
However, Julia is also an incredible theatre actress, having appeared in the likes of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Guys and Dolls and The Philadelphia Story. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in Side by Side by Sondheim.
Scroll down for everything you need to know about the star away from acting, including her famous husband.
Husband
In 1971, Julia married American director and actor, Jerry Harte, who has appeared in the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises. The couple had met a year earlier while Julia was performing in Promises, Promises.
Speaking of her relationship in 2008 about her relationship with The Times, Julia said: "Jerry likes to get up at 6. By the time I get down a few hours later he's at the kitchen table, surrounded by music, humming a little tune.
"He does all the parts, orchestration, vocals. It's very sweet. We all take it in turns to deliver the papers in the village. If it's our turn, he drops those off while I have several cups of tea. Then I shower and get into a pair of jeans and a white poplin shirt, my uniform."
In the same interview, she admitted that she would sometimes feel guilty about leaving her husband behind whenever she was away for filming, revealed that she would cook up "vats of soup" in her absence.
Addressing the pair's long-lived relationship, Julia revealed: "I love being married, but you can't be selfish. The secret is to be kind to each other."
Sadly, in 2018, Jerry passed away after becoming "gravely ill". Julia stepped back from acting in order to look after her husband and was initially planning on retiring following his death. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in 2023, she said: "I didn't really feel like it all. I decided to stay at our little house in Devon, where Jerry died."
The pair never welcomed children, something that Julia previously said was "unfortunate", but that she had still found a "family of sorts" within the theatre world.